The key concepts to remember are: love is trusting in our God, love is being faithful to your partner and families, and love is being kind and patient with the world around you. The love of God is that part of His nature--indeed His whole nature, for "God is love"--which leads Him to express Himself in terms of endearment toward His creatures, and actively to manifest that interest and affection in acts of loving care and self-sacrifice in behalf of the objects of His love. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. The Song of Solomon mentions love in a more attraction-based context. Love succeeds 100 percent of the time. That, my friend, is what genuine love is. The most well known verse is John 3:16, " 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. " Godly love “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? The Romans later called him Cupid.. Eros has a long history, dating from Ancient Greece. The Bible is one giant love story to God, and his journey towards our acceptance and forgiveness of self and others. It’s patient. "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." The word love was made to connect those around us with feelings of joy and happiness. God is "love" (1John 4:8,16) just as truly as He is "light" (1John 1:5), "truth" (1John 1:6), and "spirit" . 2. God’s love for us is unfailing, it never stops, it is eternal. Charity, in Christian thought, the highest form of love, signifying the reciprocal love between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love of one’s fellow men. "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Our heart is the symbol of the love that resides in us, and God is the symbol of the love that reflects down on Earth. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. It does not demand its own way. RELATED: 30 Faith Quotes & Bible Verse Tattoo Ideas. Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. The word "love" is used interchangeably with the words "light" and "word." It empathizes with you and believes in you. This verse is said by almost every person on Earth at some point in there lives, whether it be a mother to her fighting children or a dog mom to her barking puppies. Love in the form of Eros seeks its own interest and satisfaction—to possess the object of love. "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love for God (philotheia) is associated with the concepts of worship, and devotions towards God. 4 Love is patient and kind. Dear friends , since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." He uses these words to help both believers and non-believers understand what love looks and feels like, and how it acts and sounds. —John 15:12, 7. They are seeking to know the Lord better by living a holier life. If I graduate from theological seminary and know all the answers to questions you’ll never even think of asking, and if I have all the degrees to prove it … and if I say I believe in God with all my heart, soul, and strength, claiming to have incredible answers to my prayers, but I fail to take the time to find out what makes others laugh and why they cry, I’m nothing. Storge ["store-jay"], or familial love, is a kind of philia pertaining to the love between parents … Everything God does is loving, just as everything He does is … Eros, used to describe a sexual or romantic type of love, is not found in Holy writ. The gift 3 of God's son as a provision for sin 4 was given to all humans, 5 regardless of who we are. Most definitions of Love, tell you what you feel or want when you have the emotion of love. God’s love can be known. To love God is to put Him first. We cannot define God in the sense of delimiting exhaustively who he is, … Written by John the Evangelist, 1 John is all about love. Love is grieved deeply over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth. Introduction: The primary meaning of the word "love" in Scripture is a "purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another." Love is patient, love is kind. 13). Carlie Fox is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics. Love doesn’t think about how difficult the other person is, and certainly doesn’t think of how it could get back at someone. —1 Corinthians 13:2, 4. Can God change your life? ... 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. —1 Peter 4:8, 5. God’s love is all-encompassing God does not select only the beautiful people, or the rich, or the successful to love; He loves the world. Love is grieved deeply over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth. The Bible teaches that God loves us, yet also teaches that God is love. Where should you look if you really want to catch up on some love-based verses? It doesn’t seek to take, but it willingly gives. They alone increasingly reflect the holy and loving character of God and love others. Love is being there for those in need. Also called "agape," or agapi in Greek, what the Bible says about love has a lot to do with the emotion of unconditional partiality, which is core to Christianity. When God’s love is perfected in us, keeping God’s Word will be the result (verse 5). The transformed hearts of Christians respond to the call of God to love one another. The Greek term theophilia means the love or favour of God, and theophilos means friend of God, originally in the sense of being loved by God or loved by the gods; but is today sometimes understood in the sense of showing love for God. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. —Romans 12:10, RELATED: Best Apps For Bible Study On Android & iOS. "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." "Be devoted to one another in love. He loves us so much that He gave His Son in order that the world could be saved, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. When directed toward things, love means enjoying or taking pleasure in those things. It doesn’t try to build itself up to be something it isn’t. It doesn’t give up, quit, diminish, or go home. The Bible verses mentioned above are just a few to keep in the back of your mind. John is also prevalent in his teachings of love in 2 John, where he discusses the truth about the "L-word." God Eros was one of the most important gods in Ancient Greece, one of the three deities who created the world according to Hesiod’s Theogony, which describes the origin of the gods. It can wait. 21 1 … We are here to help and encourage you! —1 John 4:12, 10. First John 4:7-9 reveals, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Love is self-sacrificing, generous, unending, not a temporary feeling or attraction. It is a relatively unknown term that is used only two times in scripture and only as a compound. Get more than a Sunday sermon. Love comes and sits with you when you’re feeling down and finds out what is wrong. This kind of love is based upon familiarity and direct interaction. "Do everything in love." Send a prayer request now, or call 1‑800‑700‑7000. Love stands for more than just romantic attraction or strong feelings towards those close to you; it also stands for the truth, respect, and obedience Christians hold for God. 1 John 4:8-16 - "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Spirit and light are … Love knows you’ll come through just as God planned, and love carries on to the end. Love is what keeps us from fighting with our enemies and sparring with those who disagree with us. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Discover God's peace now. Love can seem like a simple concept before reading the Bible. It empathizes with you and believes in you. Love is kind. So what I think would be most helpful in response to the question is to give a biblical definition of the love of benevolence because this is the kind of love, which in the Bible, is celebrated as the heart of God’s love. God made it possible for you to know. How many … His love gives us the absolute assurance that we are never alone or without help. These words of love, has defined love, as well as explained God's love for us and how to love God and others. St. Paul’s classical description of charity is found in the New Testament (I Cor. Eros was the Greek God of love and fertility. True love for God involves more than simply saying, “I love Jehovah.” Like faith, genuine love is defined and characterized by the actions it prompts. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. If I sell an extra car and some of my books to raise money for poor starving kids somewhere, and if I give my life for God’s service and burn out after pouring everything I have into the work, but do it all without ever once caring about the people, the real hurting people—the moms and dads and sons and daughters and orphans and widows and the lonely and forgotten—if I pour my life into the Kingdom but forget to love those here on earth, my energy is wasted, and so is my life. Love is alive on your wedding day and in the moment your baby is born. "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." It doesn’t give up, quit, diminish, or go home. “God is love” is a deeply meaningful direct quote from the Bible. Storgay refers to loving one's relatives. Love is all-consuming, empowering, and lives in each of us. 6 God's love is unconditional. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved … The Best Definition of Love is from the Bible. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13, NLT), "And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.". “God is love.” (1 John 4:16) Through Christ, we have access to His wisdom through the living Word of Scripture, providing us wisdom to live out a life of love over fear. If I talk a lot about God, the Bible, and Church, but I fail to ask about other people’s needs, I’m simply making a lot of empty religious noise. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. What The Bible Says About Love, According To Scripture, What 'Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind' Means, According To 1 Corinthians 13, Bible Scripture, 30 Faith Quotes & Bible Verse Tattoo Ideas, Best Apps For Bible Study On Android & iOS, How To Know (For SURE) If A Man Wants To Be With You, What The 'Perfect' Mistress Looks Like (According To Men), These 4 Behaviors Cause 90% Of All Divorces, 10 Signs He's A Genuinely Nice Guy, Not A Jerk. The book of John and Psalms are both great starting places to read up on love, and how God is present within our hearts. There are many books within the Bible that discuss love as a central theme, but one of the top books is found in the New Testament. Love is alive at the dinner table as you give thanks for the family and food before you. There are many passages in the Bible that give us God's definition of love. Love is always bigger. God is our priority. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. It’s an undivided love. Get to know others seeking God’s guidance and wisdom for life. The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of his attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. So one way God defines love is in the act of giving. Honor one another above yourselves." Here again, we find the same definition for Love of 2 John 1:6, expressed in different terms, but both having the same exact meaning. If you're looking for guidance in life, look to love. So the magnitude of God’s love of benevolence is measured in the Bible by four criteria that it can see: The number-one commandment is to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Because of God's love for the world, we know love is also undeserving and … 2. Love is essential to the nature of God. The more we become rooted and grounded in God’s love, the more we will become happy, fruitful and fulfilled. It feels your sorrow; it feels … What Is Love? Love is difficult to define, but from a Christian-standpoint, love is best understood through scripture. John helps those who read the Holy Bible to discover what love is. The all-encompassing love of God for the entire human race caused him to send his son, Jesus Christ, to die and, thus, save every person who would believe in him: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. It has no depth and it … Those who have become partakers of the new nature (2 Peter 1:4) are the people of God. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. However, love does not come easy and simply saying you love someone is different than showing it. 7 In contrast, our love is usually conditional and based upon how other people behave toward us. (James 2:26) Specifically, love expresses itself in deeds pleasing to the one who is loved. In fact, one of the most sought-after themes in the Bible is the definition of love. The term originated from the mythological Greek god of love, sexual desire, physical attraction, and physical love, Eros, whose Roman counterpart was Cupid. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. The two are inseparable. Love doesn’t boast. —1 Corinthians 13:13, 6. Love doesn’t lose its temper. © 2021 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. The word "love" comes up on almost every page of the English Bible. Any attempt to reverse this order is “getting the cart before the horse.” It won’t work; and yet this is what the majority of Christians are trying to do. RELATED: What 'Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind' Means, According To 1 Corinthians 13, Bible Scripture. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. When we think about the Bible, we think of it as being a testament to Jesus and all of the love he has given to His people. God’s love is in no sense in conflict with His holiness, righteousness, justice, or even His wrath. We show love in many ways: holding someone's hand when they are scared, calling a friend to ask if they got home safe, or even through acts in marriage. But the greatest of these is love." Love in the Bible, as in our everyday usage, can be directed from person to person or from a person to things. —Ephesians 4:2-3, 9. The love of God is a prevalent concept both in the Old Testament and the New Testament.. Love is a key attribute of God in Christianity, even if in the New Testament the expression "God is love" explicitly occurs only twice and in two not too distant verses: 1 John 4:8,16.. Our heart is the symbol of the love that resides in us, and God is the symbol of the love that reflects down on Earth. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending him is its inseparable effect. Love doesn’t look for greener pastures. —1 Corinthians 16:14, 3. God’s kind of love. Love doesn’t act in a loose, immoral way. Love is lifting your sins up to God during a church service. Agape, which is the deepest love, means doing good things for another person. Love perseveres, even when everything goes wrong and the feelings leave and the other person doesn’t seem as special anymore. It doesn’t keep changing its mind. 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