While the Hebrew and Greek words for "love" have various shades and intensities of meaning, they may be summed up in some such definition as this: Love, whether used of God or man, is an earnest and anxious desire for and an active and beneficent interest ins the well-being of the one loved. God does not merely love; he is love. This shows the English words related to the source biblical texts along with brief definitions. This is the usage in the first and second questions put by our Lord; but in the third our Lord uses Simon's word. Once we have received God's love as his children, he expects us to love. They were not on the outskirts of God's love, but in the very center of it. According to I John 5:3, love is keeping God's But God tests his love. The King James Version uses the word charity instead of “love†to translate the Greek word Paul used (agape). It demands a practical outworking in everyday life placing a retaining wall around the roof to keep people from falling ( Deut 22:8 ); not taking millstones in pledge, thus denying someone the ability to grind grain into flour ( Deut 24:6 ); allowing the poor to glean leftovers from the orchards and fields ( Lev 19:9-12 ). Carlie Fox is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics. The object of God's love is first and foremost His own Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Luke 20:13; John 17:24). Love is the motivation for evangelism. Love is being there for those in need. —1 Peter 4:8, 5. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". "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." Nor should the fact be overlooked that God loves not only the whole world, but each individual in it; it is a special as well as a general love (John 3:16, "whosoever"; Galatians 2:20, "loved me, and gave himself up for me"). God seeks Adam, not to put him to death, but to reestablish a relationship with him. —1 Corinthians 13:13, 6. The exhibition of love of this character toward our fellow-man is the badge of true discipleship. The Bible says that God is love (I John 4:8, 16). It may be called the sum total of our duty toward our fellow-man, for "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfillment of the law"; "for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8,10). When considering particular bible versus or passages, be careful to consider the meaning of the passage in connection with the rest of Scripture; so that its meaning is not taken out of … Nor should it be overlooked that our Lord commanded His children to love their enemies, those who spoke evil of them, and despitefully used them (Matthew 5:43-48). Faith, hope, charity. Until that happens, we cannot love. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Abraham loves Isaac, the son of his old age, the child of God's promise. "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." In the internal structure of our text, I see verse 9 as the general, introductory statement and verses 10-13 as supporting descriptions of how love is manifested in various ways. The New Testament concept closely parallels that of the Old Testament. Where should you look if you really want to catch up on some love-based verses? Jesus describes this conflict as hating father and mother in order to love and follow God ( Luke 14:26 ). When asked to define "neighbor, " however, Jesus cited the parable of the good Samaritan a person who knowingly crossed traditional boundaries to help a wounded Jew ( Luke 10:29-37 ). According to the teaching of Jesus we are to supersede this standard: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34). Real love, is real love. Not that either Jesus or Paul underestimates the faith from which all the graces proceed, for this grace is recognized as fundamental in all God's dealings with man and man's dealings with God (John 6:28; Hebrews 11:6); but both alike count that faith as but idle and worthless belief that does not manifest itself in love to both God and man. Had He not graven them upon the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:15)? Love does ... Love is patient, love is kind. RELATED: 30 Faith Quotes & Bible Verse Tattoo Ideas. Love for the brotherhood is a natural consequence of the love of the fatherhood; for "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1John 3:10). Matt. Since Christ has laid down his life for us, we must be willing to lay down our lives for our brothers ( 1 John 3:16 ). Agape [ajgavph], the love theme of the Bible, can only be defined by the nature of God. Love of God is a response of the whole of the believer heart, soul, mind, and strength ( Deut 6:5 ; Matt 22:34-40 ; Mark 12:28-34 )to the whole of God. The Bible has a lot to say about the bonds of love and devotion. John affirms that "God is love" ( 1 John 4:8 ). Rather than His love being absent in the chastisement of His people, the chastisement itself was often a proof of the presence of the Divine love, "for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12:6-11). Thus the 'Lovest thou' (Gr. The regenerate man is able to see his fellow-man as God sees him, value him as God values him, not so much because of what he is by reason of his sin and unloveliness, but because of what, through Christ, he may become; he sees man's intrinsic worth and possibility in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-17). What does this verse really mean? Christ's interview with the apostle Peter on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:15-18) sets before us in a most beautiful way the different shades of meaning as found in the New Testament words phileo, and agapao. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ESV / 1,143 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. The Bible verses mentioned above are just a few to keep in the back of your mind. In his answer Peter substitutes the word philo, which means the natural human affection, with its strong feeling, or sentiment, and is never used in Scripture language to designate man's love to God. However, Bible verses about love also offer a revealing look at the strength and hope that romantic love can provide. The Bible says that God is love and that humans crave love from the moment of existence. Here is a breakdown of this love verse, and the biblical interpretation of the scripture meaning, according to the World English Bible. God's love then awakens a response in those who accept it. He led them, fed and clothed them, guided them and protected them from all their enemies. The word "love" is used interchangeably with the words "light" and "word." True love will find its expression in service to man: "Through love be servants one to another" (Galatians 5:13). 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. In the question of Christ, "Lovest thou me more than these?" Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. Love can seem like a simple concept before reading the Bible. Genesis 22 presents a classic struggle: the conflicting pulls of love. God alone is the source of love ( 1 John 4:7-8 ); he "poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" ( Rom 5:5 ). Abideth.These three graces are fundamental and permanent; not transient, like the charisms, on which the Corinthians were priding themselves, but which should all be "annulled." Romans 8:39 - Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Labor of Love Origin – The origin of the labor of love quote comes from the King James Bible and is found in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and Hebrews 6:10. - And now. 2. Its opposite is called phobia. W. E. Vine indicates that longsuffering is the most frequent meaning of the term in the Bible, and he distinguishes “longsuffering” from “patience” in … In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In 1 Corinthians 13 the apostle sets forth the excellency of love, as the word "charity" there is rendered in the Revised Version. Love, therefore, is a strong feeling for a person or thing; hate is a strong feeling against. God not merely loves, but is love; it is His very nature, and He imparts this nature to be the sphere in which His children dwell, for "he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him" (1John 4:16). Love is patient, love is kind. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. Our love, however, is easily misdirected. Unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the well-being of another. It is patient and without envy; it is not proud or self-elated, neither does it behave discourteously; it does not cherish evil, but keeps good account of the good; it rejoices not at the downfall of an enemy or competitor, but gladly hails his success; it is hopeful, trustful and forbearing--for such there is no law, for they need none; they have fulfilled the law. We are totally incapable of loving either God or others — a condition that must be corrected by God before we can love. This is a wonderful truth when we realize what a world this is--a world of sin and corruption. Our love to God is shown in the keeping of His commandments (Exodus 20:6; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6). Verse 13. It does - Bible Gateway. The Old Testament charge was to "love your neighbor as yourself" ( Lev 19:18 ). Following this commandment is the key Jesus Christ gave us for loving others as God loves us. "Do everything in love." God loves the world (John 3:16; compare 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). We are not prepared, then, when God looks for Adam after his sin, calling out "Where are you?" If you're looking for guidance in life, look to love. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Jude urges his readers to keep themselves in God's love (v.21). In the garden of Eden, God commanded that "you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" ( Gen 2:17 ). When our Lord says, "Lovest thou me?" General Editor. Like love, sin is also something we do. Most often, love is confused with infatuation - that elated, "high" feeling we get when we "fall in love." Christ, being God, also claims the first place in our affections. of Bibliography. John writes: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." For the sake of the love of God, Abraham is willing to sacrifice the son he loves. The true meaning of love, as defined in the Bible, has been corrupted in the common usage of our English language and society. Nor did He ever forget them for a moment during all their trials. The command to love others is based on how God has loved us. Whatever there may be in his surroundings that would draw the soul away from God and righteousness, that the child of God will avoid. Within the scriptures, love is what binds people together against hate and dishonesty. 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