On Love

Love is the most popular subject in our music and our poetry but it’s also one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world. We’ve all heard someone say things like: “I just love my wife so much I’d kill her if she ever left me”. Even with as much as we obsess over the subject, as a society, I believe we are somewhat uncomfortable with the subject of love. We’re not quite sure how or when to express it. It is often mistaken for weakness and we don’t want to appear weak. Even in churches where love should be taught as a part of the Gospel of Christ it is often misunderstood or misrepresented.

In a Sabbatarian church I once attended, it was ‘politically incorrect’ to talk about love. That was a subject that Protestants, and other ‘touchy-feely’ types talked about. Love was too often used to dismiss God’s law and what mattered was the law. Never mind the fact that God revealed His law to us as an act of love. Like when a parent tells their young child to stay away from a busy street. It is out of love that they do so. The law of God glows with love for His children. Love flows through every line of His word. That’s something it would do well for all of us to remember. We also need to remember that love has rules. It’s not just whatever we feel.

Love, in English, means very different things depending on how it is used. Dictionaries use words like: affection, attraction, tenderness, devotion and admiration to define love.

In a more precise way, Greek uses four different words for our word love:

Agápe means unconditional love. This is the form of the word most often used in scripture.

Éros is romantic or sexual love. It is the root word for erotic.

Philia means friendship or brotherly love.

Storge means affection.

We have often heard love defined as: “an outgoing concern for others” but it is more than that. Love is the extension of our sense of self. It is the extension of our sense of “I-Me-My-Mine” to include others. What we love we consider a part of us.

God’s word tells us that:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

(I Cor.13: 4-8) NIV

These qualities define the characteristics of Love. These are the qualities that God wants us to cultivate in our lives. These are qualities we must show to love to God and other people.

Here are just a few things God’s word says about love and some commentary:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matt. 5:44)

Love is not a noun it’s a verb. Love is not just what we feel it’s what we do. It isn’t easy to love ones enemies but as Christians we are called to a higher standard of behavior. This is a directive from Christ…a commandment for His disciples.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matt. 7:12)

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matt. 5:46)

This is ‘nuts and bolts’ Christianity. This is the aim of Gods Word. It’s not just for our brethren…it’s for everyone. This is how we can emulate God the Father. He loves all His children.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

What God asked of Abraham, to kill his only son Isaac, was to test Abraham’s faith in God. Well, God showed His faith in, and love for, us by sacrificing His own son. We often overlook the most obvious things in the scriptures by parsing Hebrew and Greek words and ignoring the obvious. A part of the God family stepped out of eternity into a mortal body and gave His life for us out of God’s love for us.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (I John 4:16)

All real love flows from God. When we open our hearts to receive it and to allow it to flow through us we allow God to live in us. This scripture says it all.

If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ( I John 4:20)

We can’t say our hearts are open to God but closed to other human beings. They are a part of us and we of them. We all draw from the well that is humanity. To love our fellow man is a part of what it is to love God.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

Christ loved us enough to die for us…that’s how He loved us. It was in what He did…not just what He felt.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

We shouldn’t overlook the fact that others have died for us too. American soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and police are some who have given their lives for us. Their sacrifices should never be overlooked or shortchanged. God certainly doesn’t overlook them.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

We often hear churches claim one proof or another that they are the true church. This is the proof that Christ pointed to. This is what Christ said identifies His disciples.

If you love me keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

Love has rules. It has boundaries. We can’t just do whatever we feel like and call it love. God tells us here what we are to do to show Him our love for Him in no uncertain terms.

These are just a few things God tells us about love. We too often overlook the most obvious things in the scriptures in our search minute or obscure truths.

The fact is that it doesn’t matter what a church teaches officially or unofficially.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing. (I Cor. 13: 1-3)

What matters is that we open our hearts and allow God’s love to flow through us.

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but DOES nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:16) NIV

What matters is what we do.