What is Love?
Prove All Things Bible Study
What is Love?
In this day of apostasy and the scattering of God's Holy people (Dan 12:7), we have lost the love that was taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles. There are many that have fallen from the true form of Godliness. It behooves us all to evaluate our thoughts and motives. Just what does God's Word say about love? New King James version used in scripture references.
1. What is love?
Love is outgoing concern for others. God is love, Love is God! "Love (Charity) suffereth long, and is kind; love (charity) envieth not; love (charity) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away" (1 Cor 13:4-8).
2. The Bible has different meanings of love. What are they?
1. Old Testament words for love:
1. Strong's # 160 'ahabah feminine of #158
1. Love
1a) human love for human object
1a1) of man toward man
1a2) of man toward himself
1a3) between man and woman
1a4) sexual desire
2. God's love to His people
"And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved (160) also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years" (Gen 29:30).
2. Strong's # 157 'ahab
1. To love
1a1) human love for another, includes familial, sexual
1a2) human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep,
wisdom
1a3) human love for/to God
1a4) act of being a friend
1a5) God's love toward man
"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love (#157) the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live" (Deu.30:6).
3. Strong's # 2836 chashaq
1. To love, be attached to, long for
"The LORD did not set His love (2836) upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people" (Deu 7:7).
4. Strong's #2617 checed Mercy
Mercy interchangeable with love
1. Goodness, kindness, faithfulness
2. A reproach, shame
"Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them" (Psa. 17:7).
5. Strong's # 7355 racham
1. To love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion
"I will love thee, O LORD, my strength" (Psa. 18:1).
2. New Testament words for love:
1. Strong's #26 Agape
1. Love (86)
2. Charity (27)
3. Dear (1)
4. Charitably
5. Feast of charity (1) (116)
"Keep yourselves in the love (#26) of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 21). "And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one (#26) another" (2 John 1:5).
2. Strong's #25 agapao
1. Love; beloved
1. Of persons; to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
2. Of things; to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).
3. Strong's #5368 phileo
1. To love; to approve of; to like; sanction; to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend
2. To show signs of love; to kiss
3. To be fond of doing; be wont, use to do
Jesus asks Peter "Agapas me" and Peter responses "philo se". Agape is the higher Godly form of love. Philo is lower human form of love.
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev. 3:19)
3. God the Father had total outgoing concern for all mankind. He did not want any to perish! How was this accomplished?
"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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).
4. Christ gave His disciples a new commandment. What was this command?
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that Ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34-35).
5. How can we know a true Christian?
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8).
6. As children of God and brother of Jesus Christ, how must we treat one another?
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us " (1 John 4:11-12). We should treat our brother "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" ( Eph 4:2-3). "If there be therefore any
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil 2:1-4).
7. How can we love God?
We can love God, by loving our brother! "We love Him, because He first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1 John 4:19-21). "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:1-3).
8. What are the two great commandments?
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40).
9. How can we show love to our brother?
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on love (charity), which is the bond of perfectness (Col 3:12-14). "So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow" (2 Cor. 2:7).
10. What is the character and fruits of God and His Holy Spirit living in us?
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8).
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meek-ness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22-25).
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