LOVE IS GOD

What is love?

By Kathy Howard

What is love? If you believe the movies, it’s defined by two beautiful celebrities locked in a passionate embrace. Our culture equates “love” with sexual attraction.
But that’s not real love. That’s just physical desire. And it’s fleeting at best. Like chocolate on a hot day, it doesn’t last long.
Why do we love? If you follow the example of our culture, we “love” to benefit self. We love those who deserve it or those who can help us in some way.
But that’s not real love. That’s simply shallow selfishness.
Our culture – and even ourselves – cannot teach us about real love. Only God can.

Real Love Defined

But God’s Word has the answers. The Bible defines love. The Bible tells us how to love, who to love, and why to love.

Real love is divine love. God calls us to love one another like He loves us (John 13:34-35). The Greek word translated as “love” is agape. It is love of volition, not emotion. We can choose to act in love toward another. Agape is also based on the character of the one acting in love and not the worth of the recipient. God loves us because of His perfect, holy nature, not because we deserve His love.

God loves us because of who He is not because of who we are. He loves because it is His holy nature to do so. That’s why God’s love is completely unconditional. It is based on His perfect self.

God’s love should be our example. Not our culture.
We love others because God loved us first. Even when we didn’t deserve it.

How to Love

This is a tall order. Jesus said we are to love each other like He loves us. Jesus gave His life for us. He put our needs ahead of His own and trusted the Father with the outcome. (See John 15:9-14)

Who to Love

Jesus told us to love three groups of people. First, we are to love our fellow believers (John 15:12). Second, we are to love “our neighbors” (Matthew 19:19). Third, we are to “our enemies” (Matthew5:43-44).
Huh. That sounds like pretty much everybody to me.

Why we love

“We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). We are to love others because God loves us. He made us in His image. He calls us to reveal the love of Christ to the world. He is a God of love and we are to be people of love.
Love others like God loved us. Big assignment. But we also have a big, loving God.
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16b)
Love. God is our reason, our example, and our enabler.

What do you find the hardest about loving others as God loves you?

www.kathyhoward.org