The Importance Of Love
Gods benevolent concern for humankind. All religions have some idea of the importance of love. Christian theology stresses the importance of love because God has revealed that he is love . Love is both what God is and what he has done God always acts in love.
Love is a transitive realitythat is, it requires an object. In the Bible, love is described as personal and selfless . Christians see Gods love in sending his Son to die on the cross to save sinners . Christians are to be known by the fact that they love God and others . Their love is not to be like the love the world has . Love is best seen in actions and in most cases is to be identified with what we doin our compassion and commitment to those around us, regardless of the objects virtue . Our loving attitudes and behavior are to reflect Gods love. Jesus said that only two commands are needed to govern our lives: love of God and love of neighbor. If such love is demonstrated, all the law and prophets are fulfilled.
The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, , p. 353
Characteristics Of True Love According To The Bible
Photo by Ben White
Do you want to know if your partner is truly in love with you? Do you want to know if you truly love someone? Do you want to learn how to grow your love or inspire other people to purify their love? Do you want to understand what true love really means?
True love is extraordinary. Its not an easy thing to do. It could even be the hardest thing to do in this world as we know it. We might think that were already giving true love, but the truth is it might not just be enough.
If you want to know and understand what true love really is, here are 21 signs, qualities or characteristics of a genuine love according to the verses in the Holy Bible.
The Consistency Of Love
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
In this one verse, Paul speaks of four different qualities of love, all linked to each other by the word rendered all things. This rendering, all things, seems to fall short of communicating what Paul is saying. Love does not, for example, believe everything.188 It is not love for a mother to believe her child when he denies getting into her freshly made pie, when the meringue has formed a mustache around his mouth. Paul has just written that love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth . How can he now inform us that love accepts everything as truth, believing whatever one is told? For these reasons, some translations have chosen to render Pauls words differently:
7 There is nothing love cannot face there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance .
7 Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope it can outlast anything .
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres .
7 It covers up everything, has unquenchable faith, hopes under all circumstances, endures without limit .
13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it .
Love always bears up under adversity .
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Bible Verses About Love In The Psalms
If you want to reflect afresh on Gods love, the Psalms are great place to look. There are too many inspiring scriptures in the Psalms to name here are just a few that speak of the depths of Gods amazing love:
- Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.
- Psalm 86:15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
- Psalm 36:5-6 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.
- Psalm 107:8-9 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
- Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.
- Psalm 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God I trust in Gods unfailing love for ever and ever.
- Psalm 23:6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
- Psalm 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Why Should We Pursue Godly Friendships
God has given us the tremendous blessing of Godly friendships, that being said, however, we have also have an adversarySatan himself, who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy the way God intended friendships to be. With this in mind, you and I must use discernment on the friends we pursue and make certain theyre Godly friendships?
Im more than certain youve heard the phrase your personality becomes like those you surround yourselves with, right? I dont mean to come across as judging others but whether we choose to believe this or not, its a proven fact time and time again.
Thoughts become actions! Actions become words! Lets not forget about gossiping too. Ouch! Pray for the Holy Spirit to speak truth to your heart and soul and do the convicting in your own life. Trust me when I say Ive been under conviction about this very topic more than once!
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How Do We Love Our Neighbor
Let’s take a look.
Bible Verses About Love: What Do The Scriptures Say About Love
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One Bible verse will probably go down as the undisputed heavyweight scripture champion of the world.
Long before YouTube, memes, or even email, John 3:16 went viral at sporting events.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
I sometimes wonder if John knew when he penned that iconic verse that he had a collection of words that would transform nations and generations.
The verse is quite simple yet extremely profound.
We can never go wrong when discussing the love of God.
In this post, I am going to share as many scriptures on love as possible. The hope is that by examining the truth of Gods undying love, we can bask in the glow found in the hope and strength He gives us, and build a solid foundation for our relationship with Christ.
And hope does not put us to shame, because Gods love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.Romans 5:5
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The 7 Types Of Love In The Bible
For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. John 3:16
Have you seen the latest New York Life commercial on television? Its a beautiful ad describing the characteristics of love according to the Greek language. Since todays Bible is translated from Greek, the commercial inspired me to find out what types of love are found in the Bible.
Of the eight Greek types of love, I found evidence of seven of them sprinkled throughout Gods word. Just as a disclaimer, my findings are in not necessarily exhaustive. You may know of others, but heres what I found.
What Is An Example Of A Biblical Definition Of True Godly Friendship
The best example in the Bible of true friends is David and Jonathan. The bible states clearly of their close friendship and the verses are below for reference.
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:1
And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his fathers house. 1 Samuel 18:2
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:3
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:4
And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Sauls servants. 1 Samuel 18:5
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Christian Resources On Love
- Love Quotes – Read quotes and verses about loving others, your enemy, God, and even yourself.
- 8 Simple Ways to Love and Encourage Your Husband – Theres hope for us all, and all we have to do is commit to making an effort. So, if youre wondering how you can start loving and encouraging your husband better, here are eight ways to get started
- What Does the Bible Say About Marriage? Todays view of seems to teach that marriage is based on your happiness and can be temporary. Im worried that Im not prepared for how God wants me to view marriage. What does the Bible say about marriage?
The Christians Call To Die To Self
For Christians, the Bible distinguishes between the old self and the new self . In a culture that prioritizes the self at all costs, the Bible teaches us to die to our old selves and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness . Because of Christs sacrifice for us, we are no longer bound to self-interest but can follow the call to deny and take up daily and follow . As Jesus said, whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it .
One danger of the self-love movement is that it may lead us to merely accept our old selves as they are, suppressing any desire for change. But God desires much more for us than this he desires our sanctification, our conforming to the likeness of Christ . It is only when we have died to our old selves and put on our new self that we are truly freed to love others. We love because he first loved us , not because we love ourselves first.
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Bible Verses About God’s Love
If we want the perfect example of love, it is in our creator God. Often, God’s love is referred to as agape love which is the highest form of love that is selfless and sacrificial. It is steadfast, unchanging, and unconditional. Below are a few Scripture examples of God’s great love for you! May these Bible verses about the love of God inspire courage and compassion.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. – 1 John 4:7-8
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – John 4:9-12
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:16-18
We love because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19
Bible Verses About Love And Friendship
Having close friendships can be very important, and the Bible tells us how God intended love in friendship to be.
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
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Bible Verses About The Power Of Words
Words can convey images, and intense emotions. Words can injure others and leave lasting scars.
1. Proverbs 11:9 Evil words destroy ones friends wise discernment rescues the godly.
2. Proverbs 15:4 Gentle words bring life and health a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
3. Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
4. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Christian Quotes About Love
As well as encouraging Bible verses, these Christian quotes can also help us reflect on Gods love. Why not share one of these inspirational Christian quotes and bring encouragement to someone who needs it today.
- God loves us too much to indulge our every whim. Max Lucado
- God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. Augustine
- Though our feelings come and go, Gods love for us does not. CS Lewis
- God proved His love on the cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, I love you. Billy Graham
- God is love. He didnt need us. But he wanted us. And that is the most amazing thing. Rick Warren
- Christians, you are to love one another, not because of the gain which you get from one another, but rather because of the good you can do one another.” Charles H. Spurgeon
- Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. Mother Teresa
We’d love you to share these Bible verses about love with others. Encourage a friend today by sharing via email or on social media.
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Love In The New Testament
What makes the New Testament new is the appearance of the Son of God on the scene of human history. In Jesus Christ we see as never before a revelation of God. As he said, If you have seen me, you have seen the Father . For in a real sense, Jesus was God. .
But the coming of Christ not only brings about the revelation of God. By his death and resurrection Christ also brings about the salvation of men . This salvation includes forgiveness of sins , access to God , the hope of eternal life , and a new heart which is inclined to do good deeds .
Therefore, when dealing with love, we must try to relate everything to Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection. In the life and death of Christ we see in a new way what Gods love is and what mans love for God and for others should be. And through faith, the Spirit of Christ, living in us enables us to follow his example.
Open Rebuke Is Better Than Secret Love
Love is bold and honest. Love encourages, love compliments, love is kind, but we must never forget that love will rebuke. Love is going to call others to repentance. Love proclaims the full extent of the gospel and does not sugarcoat. It is unbearable when someone proclaims repentance and I hear someone say, only God can judge.Why are you filled with hate? What they are actually saying is allow me to sin in peace. Allow to me to go to hell. Tough love says what needs to be said.
I preach on what the Bible says about smoking weed, adultery, drunkenness, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, etc. not because I hate but because I love. If youre a doctor and you find out that someone has cancer are you not going to tell them out of fear? If a doctor knowingly knows about a patients serious condition and he doesnt tell them, then he is wicked, he is going to lose his license, he is going to be fired, and he should be thrown in jail.
As believers who claim to love others how can we look at dead men who will spend eternity in hell and not preach to them the gospel? Our love should lead us to witness because we dont want to see our friends, family members, and others go to hell. Many people might hate you for trying to save their life but who cares? There is a reason that Jesus said that you will be persecuted.
24. Proverbs 27:5-6 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
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