This is Love!

Love is the fourth of the five topics we have chosen to focus on this Advent Season. Love is a word that is overused, misused and abused possibly more than any other word in the English language. Today I would like to take you to the Word of God and run our thoughts and beliefs about love through the filter of Scripture to pull away all the contamination and perversity that love has become in our minds and present us with a pure, clean and Lord willing enduring view of what love is in it’s true form.

We are told in Scripture that God is love, but often times we are led to believe that Love is God. God is Love, but Love is not God. To see what I mean, let us first define love.

Love Defined

to love (Christian) v. — to have a strong, non-sexual affection and love for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially characterized by a willing forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 25.43 ἀγαπάω; ἀγάπη, ης

to have love for someone or something, based on sincere appreciation and high regard—‘to love, to regard with affection, loving concern, love.

Love according to the Pocket Dictionary of Ethics is:

Pocket Dictionary of Ethics Love

A central virtue in most ethical traditions, one that denotes an attitude toward another involving both an affection for and a deep commitment to the other. In the Christian tradition, love (especially agape) is an expression of the essential nature of God, the central characterization of the relationship between God and humans, and the chief virtue that is to characterize Christians in their relationships to God and one another, as shaped by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The connection between love and God’s own character gives rise to the Christian focus on love as the fundamental characteristic of Christian discipleship and hence of Christian ethics. Many Christian thinkers suggest that the essence of love is unconditional giving of oneself for the sake of others.

God is Love but Love is not God.

There seems to be an idea that love is all that we need to make this world operate

1 John 4:7–21 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 Jn 4:

Love Discovered

Galatians 5:22 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Love is from God and is found in God. It is a gift of His Spirit in those who believe in Him.

It is not found in those who are not His

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8 ESV

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God’s love is demonstrated by his grace toward sinners

1 Jn

1 John 4:19 ESV

19 We love because he first loved us.

1 Jn 4:19

1 John 2:9–11 ESV

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Any amount of love that we give or receive is because of God’s love, which has been given to us.

Our love is known by the cost with which it is purchased

Love Deliberated

Romans 5:1–5 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:5 ESV

5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Love being poured out = the outpouring is done (perfect tense) It is done so, in a free-flowing and large quantity. This pouring out is the same idea as the Holy Spirit being poured out in .

God’s love was most ultimately proven by Christ’s gracious death for sinners

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Bill Gaither was once asked what he believe were the greatest Christian lyrics ever written aside from the inspired Psalms. He replied by quoting the words of F.M Lehman’s Hymn The Love of God, which says

The love of God is greater far, Than any tongue or pen can ever tell;

Than any tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell.

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child he reconciled. And pardoned from his sin.

And pardoned from his sin.

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When hoary time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,All measureless and strong;

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race-The saints’ the angels’ song.

The saints’ the angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure- The saints’ and angels’ song.

God’s love is everlasting

Psalm 136 ESV

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

His lovingkindness is mentioned 26 times in 26 specific ways in .

1 John 2:15–17 ESV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

We are commanded to Love God

Deuteronomy 6:5–6 ESV

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Deut 6

We are commanded and expected to love our brothers & sisters in Christ

Our love is known by the action it prompts

1Jn 3:

1 John 3:16–18 ESV

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Love your enemies

Luke 6:27–28 ESV

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Luke 6:27

According to it is to be extended to even our enemies.

What is the extent of God’s love toward us? He was willing to crush His Beloved Son, who was perfect and sinless, in order that we could know the depth of His love. . . This is love!

1 John 4:9–10 ESV

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 Jn 4:

Because of this great love of God, we ought to love one another

1 John 4:11 ESV

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

This certainly involves laying aside our desires and freedoms, just like Christ set aside His rights and freedoms to demonstrate His love toward us.

It is a marvelous truth, that we are being used of God to display His love to the World- Listen to what John said in .

1 John 4:12–17 ESV

12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

And Paul says in ,

1 Jn 4:12

1 Timothy 1:15–17 ESV

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:12–17 ESV

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Praise God for His grace in allowing us to see and believe these marvelous truths about His loving and gracious character, and for giving us the privilege of reflecting His love to the people we have in our lives.

We can do all kinds of things for God. We can display great deeds and spiritual gifts but without Love they are nothing.

Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is love. Why because once we see God, we will no longer need faith and our hope will be fulfilled, but we will always continue to learn about and experience the Love of God. This is why love is seen as the central characterization of our relationship with God.

Food for thought! GOD IS LOVE . . . GOD IS SPIRIT . . . GOD IS LIGHT!

When those three truths, attributes/ qualities of God are joined together, each one is made infinitely more impressive and outstanding. God is a God to be gazed upon in all His beauty and splendor. I’d encourage you to take some time this week and stare upon Him in a spirit of worship and awe!

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