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What is Love?
One of our favorite passages in the bible is in 1 Corinthians 13:
“If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things… But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.“
1 Corinthians 13:1-7,13
We may have heard and read this passage often, but have we practiced this in our daily living?
Love can sometimes be difficult to grasp. Did you ever find yourself confused about whether what you are feeling is love? How can we fully understand love?
According to Zach Navada in his article “The 4 Types of Love in the Bible”, there are four unique forms of love found in the Scriptures. Expressed in Greek words, these are Eros for romantic love, Storge for family love, Philia for brotherly love, and Agape for divine love.
God is the source of love
God is our source of love because He is love. (1 John 4:8) We have the capacity to love because He loves us first. (1 John 4:19) He showed his immeasurable love for humanity by sending his only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.“
John 3:16
In unity with the Father, Jesus demonstrated a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love – the perfect and greatest love of all. Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross because of His great love for His Father and for us all.
Despite this knowledge, we may still struggle to believe in that immense and unwavering love.
Nothing can separate us from His love
Have you ever felt you are unworthy to be loved by God? Did you ever question His love for you because of the painful circumstances in your life?
God loves us so much that we cannot fathom the depths of His love. When we are tempted to doubt, this passage in the bible will remind us of God’s promise that nothing can separate us from His Love.
“For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither present nor the future, neither world above nor the world below –there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (GNT)
Romans 8:38-39
Whatever life may throw at you, never stop believing in His love that endures forever.
Didache 2022
Radiate God’s love
How do we return God’s incomparable love for us?
God wants to share His nature in us. He created us in His own image to be loved and to love. God’s first greatest commandment is to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37-38)
Love your neighbor
Loving our God means loving our fellowmen. This is His second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:39). These two commandments are inseparable. We cannot say we love God but hate our neighbors.
If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1 John 4:20
Love your enemy
Further, God commanded us to even love our enemies in Matthew 5:44.
“But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you.”
Do you find this hard to do? When it seems impossible for you to follow this command, think again about how Christ endured all the pains and suffering because of His great love for you.
Forgive
Forgiveness is an act of love, just as Christ sacrificed his life for the forgiveness of our sins. He set an epitome of love and forgiveness. By His example, we are called to forgive and love one another.
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32
Friend, in this month of love, may your heart be filled with Christ’s love. May His love radiate to the people around you by showing your kindness and compassion to all, by forgiving those who have wronged and hurt you.
Here’s our prayer verse for you:
“I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray you may have your roots and foundation in love so that you, together will all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know his love – although it can never be fully known – and so be completely filled with the very nature of God.” (GNT)
Ephesians 3:17-19
