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Love, The Sign of A True Christian There are few things more important in the life of a true Christian than love. When God inspired the Apostle Paul to write about the fruit of His Holy Spirit, the first attribute mentioned is love. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Gal 5:23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. The Greek word used here for love is agape. G26 ἀγάπη agapeŻ ag-ah'-pay From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love. It is interesting that when God established the structure of his nation, Israel, through his servant Moses, love and concern toward neighbor were to be the very key foundations of that nation. (Literal Translation of the Holy Bible) Lev 19:15 You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; you shall not respect the person of the poor, nor favor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. Lev 19:16 You shall not go as a slanderer among your people; you shall not stand up against the blood of your neighbor; I am Jehovah. Lev 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall certainly reprove your neighbor, and not allow sin on him. Lev 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Jehovah. The concept of "love your neighbor" is often thought of as a New Testament concept. It is true that this concept is a recurring theme throught the New Testament, but we see here in Leviticus 19 that the roots of the "love your neighbor" concept are well established in the Old Testament. In verse 18, the Hebrew word for love is ahab, Strong's #157. It means "to have affection for." Leviticus 19:18 is quoted seven times in the New Testament by Jesus and authors of New Testament books. Each time that it is quoted, The Greek word, agapao is used. In Greek there are three words used for love that are used in the Bible. Agape is the word for love with the deepest and most full meaning. During the last supper with his disciples, Jesus gave them a new commandment, which is well understood by all true Christians. Joh 13:34 NASB A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Joh 13:35 By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love among one another. We are commanded to love one another. This is deeper than just saying "You're my friend and I'm you're friend. We get along well and don't have too many disagreements. So I guess I love you, and I guess love me." Let's look again at what Jesus said. He said we are to love one another--by a higher standard. We are to love one another by the standard He set for us by the way He has loved us..."that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." We can understand more about the standard of love set by Jesus in chapter 15. Joh 15:9 As the Father loved Me, I also loved you; continue in My love. Joh 15:10 If you keep My commandments you will continue in My love, as I have kept My Father's commandments and continue in His love. Joh 15:11 I have spoken these things to you that My joy may abide in you, and your joy may be full. Joh 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I loved you. Joh 15:13 Greater love than this has no one, that anyone should lay down his soul for his friends. Joh 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. Joh 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his lord does. But I called you friends, because all things which I heard from My Father I made known to you. Joh 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I chose you out and planted you, that you should go and should bear fruit, and your fruit remain, that whatever you should ask the Father in My name, He may give you. Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another. How much love must one possess to be willing to lay down his/her life for his/her friends? Indeed, the standard is very high. We are not just to be willing to lay down our lives for our friends if our friends are deserving of that kind of a personal sacrifice. If that were the case, who would be deserving enough to qualify for that? We are not to be selective by saying we might lay down our lives for this person, but we certainly wouldn't lay down our lives for that person, because these still have this or that glaring problem. Notice verse 14 again. Jesus laid down His life for His friends, and He says, Joh 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. The Apostle Paul wrote often about our duty and responsibility to love one another. Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law. Rom 13:9 For: "Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not lust;" and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Rom 13:10 Love works no ill to its neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. Love is not just warm fuzzy feelings we have for one another. Love is our duty and responsibility. It must be our way of life. Love is a debt we owe to one another in the Church and, more important, it is a debt we owe to God. The end of verse 10 says: "therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law." In continually showing love to our brothers and sisters, Paul said we are fulfilling the law of God. The brethren at Thessalonica were practicing love, but Paul encouraged them to excel even more. 1Th 4:9 But regarding brotherly love, you do not need that I write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 1Th 4:10 And indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, brothers, that you abound more and more, The Apostle Peter maintained the same call for a higher standard, and then went beyond and added even more strength to what is required of us. 1Pe 1:22 Purifying your souls in the obedience of the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brothers, love one another fervently out of a pure heart, 1Pe 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the living Word of God, and abiding forever. In his epistles, John again reiterated the importance of the love that is to be found in the brethren of the Church.1Jo 3:11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 1Jo 3:12 not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's things were righteous. 1Jo 3:13 Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you. 1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 1Jo 3:23 And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 1Jo 3:24 And he who keeps His commandment dwells in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He gave to us. In the next chapter John continued to show how love among the brethren is a binding duty and, in reality, is a sign that we have the gift of the Spirit of God. 1Jo 4:9 In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. 1Jo 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation concerning our sins. 1Jo 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1Jo 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1Jo 4:13 By this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Paul also made the connection between love being tied to forgiveness. Col 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, Col 3:13 forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do. Col 3:14 And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also are called in one body, and be thankful. Notice how Paul spoke of the interconnectedness of love, unity, and the mind. All these are linked through the Spirit of God. Phi 2:1 If there is therefore any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tendernesses and mercies, Phi 2:2 then fulfill my joy, that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. Phi 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Phi 2:4 Do not let each man look upon his own things, but each man also on the things of others. Phi 2:5 For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Here Paul is saying our joy is made complete "by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, and intent on one purpose." He goes on to say twe shold not only love our brothers in the church, but each of us should regard one another as more important than himself and look out for the interests of others, as well as our own interests. Do we have that frame of mind to regard other brothers and sisters as more important than ourselves? Since have God's Holy Spirit and are growing daily, we should be growing in love. Notice verse 5 again. Why should we have this frame of mind? Because we are to have the same mind which was in Jesus Christ. As difficult as this all might seem, it is made possible through the love of God in us. Also notice Ephesians 4. Paul continues to link love for one another with humility and the bond of unity through the Spirit of God. Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you are called, Eph 4:2 with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, Eph 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Continuing in verse 15. Eph 4:15 But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love. James, who seemingling was the pastor of the Church at Jerusalem, admonished believers to obey the whole law. In doing so, he quoted Leviticus 19:18. Jam 2:8 If you fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. Jam 2:9 But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors. Jam 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James took the physical command prohibiting partiality in the administration of justice in Israel and showed that it has a spiritual application--if we show injustice in judgment or partiality to the poor or deference to the mighty, we are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Paul also says that loving your neighbor is fulfilling the law of God. Notice Galatians 5:13-14. Gal 5:13 For, brothers, you were called to liberty. Only do not use the liberty for an opening to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Gal 5:14 For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." It is through love that we are able to serve one another. That service and those deeds of love toward neighbor are what constitute the fulfilling of God's law. Love among all brethren exists because of the hope they possess, and that home comes form the message of the gospel. When this is the case, those congregations are known by reputation as having it. Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints, Col 1:5 for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, of which you heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel, Many of the congregations in the New Testament church did exhibit love. But even when this was the case, we find Paul admonishing them to exhibit even more of that love. Eph 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph 3:18 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, Eph 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. As we saw earlier, Paul also expressed his desire for the Church of God at Philippi to grow in love. This time notice Philippians 1. Phi 1:8 For God is my witness how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Phi 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and in all perception; Phi 1:10 that you may distinguish between things that differ, that you may be sincere and without offense until the day of Jesus Christ, Love among the brethren in the Church of God is not just supposed to be a few nice things we do for each other. It is our duty and it is to be our way of life. Notice verse 9 again. Paul said our love should "abound yet more and more: and it should be a love that is based on "full knowledge and perception or discernment." Love, then, should be grounded in the truth of God, which is the gospel of Christ and the sure knowledge of His return to earth to establish His righteousness worldwide. In the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians Paul explains the structure and gifts in the Church. From that base of solid Church administration and the responsibilities of service incombent upon Church leaders, Paul approaches the subject of the responsibility of Church members to show love to each other. 1Co 13:1 ASV If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 1Co 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1Co 13:3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 1Co 13:4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 1Co 13:5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 1Co 13:6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 1Co 13:7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1Co 13:8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 1Co 13:10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 1Co 13:13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. Faith, hope, and love are all requirements of those whom God has called. The greatest of these three is love. This is speaking of the true love that is based on knowledge and discernment and that comes from the gospel of Christ that is shed abroad and poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which is a gift from God. This love is made possible by the conversion of our minds through the power of God's Holy Spirit. When Christ returns to rule the world in righteousness, God will pour out His spirit on the whole world. The way of life that is love toward neighbor will be the way of life for all mankind. At this time, love among the brothers and sisters in Christ is the sign by which Jesus said "all men will know that you are my disciples."
Applications of Love
Now let's look at some practical applications of love, as depicted in the Scriptures. Let's look at several examples of how love has been expressed. Our chief example would have to be God the Father. 1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. 1Jo 4:8 The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love. 1Jo 4:9 In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. 1Jo 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation concerning our sins. 1Jo 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. This is how God that Father has shown love for all mankind. Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Joh 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. Salvation is a gift and an act of love by God the Father. What I want us to think about is, is salvation a need? Is this what mankind needs? Our next example would be Christ Himself. Notice what He says of himself. Luk 4:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And, as His custom was, He went in to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. Luk 4:17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And unrolling the book, He found the place where it was written, Luk 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me; because of this He has anointed Me to proclaim the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and new sight to the blind, to set at liberty those having been crushed, Luk 4:19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Luk 4:20 And rolling up the book, returning it to the attendant, He sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. Luk 4:21 And He began to say to them, Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears. These were things that Christ was to fulfill as acts of love. Were these things that were needed by the recipients? Now I want to look at the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luk 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Luk 10:26 He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? Luk 10:27 And answering, he said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Luk 10:28 And He said to him, You have answered right; do this and you shall live. Luk 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Luk 10:30 And answering, Jesus said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped him of his clothing and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Luk 10:31 And by coincidence a certain priest came down that way and seeing him, he passed by on the opposite side. Luk 10:32 And in the same way a Levite, also being at the place, coming and seeing him, he passed on the opposite side. Luk 10:33 But a certain traveling Samaritan came upon him, and seeing him, he was filled with pity. Luk 10:34 And coming near, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luk 10:35 And going on the next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him. And whatever more you spend, when I come again I will repay you. Luk 10:36 Then which of these three, do you think, was neighbor to him who fell among the robbers? Luk 10:37 And he said, The one doing the deed of mercy to him. And Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise. Jesus used this parable as example of showing love. Again, love is shown as a fulfillment of needs. Also note that those who were not aware of the needs were not being judged in this matter. Jesus also showed that we show love for others by showing love for Him. Mat 25:31 But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory. Mat 25:32 And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. Mat 25:33 And indeed He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats off the left. Mat 25:34 Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Mat 25:35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; Mat 25:36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Mat 25:37 Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink? Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me. Mat 25:41 Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. Mat 25:42 For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; Mat 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Mat 25:44 Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You? Mat 25:45 Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.
Again, the indication as to how love is applied, is through the fulfilling of needs. Are there any examples where wishes, wants, and desires must be met in order to show love? Mat 6:9 Therefore pray in this way: Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread; Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Here Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. Notice again verse 11. It has always been understood that this was referring to needs. God was willing and desirous to fulfill all our needs. But it has been taught that this is not referring to all wishes, wants, and desires. The Greek word for "daily" in this verse is epiousios. G1967 ἐπιούσιος epiousios ep-ee-oo'-see-os Perhaps from the same as G1966; to-morrow's; but more probably from G1909 and a derivative of the present participle feminine of G1510; for subsistence, that is, needful: - daily. God promises to fulfill needs. We need to use caution that we never judge others as having or showing no love because they don't meet all our wishes, wants and desires. I am not talking about marital and family situations. There are other covenants and agreements in play there. What about Luke 6 and the application of love toward our enemies? Luk 6:27 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, Luk 6:28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you. Luk 6:29 And to him who strikes you on the one cheek, also offer the other. And to him who takes away your garment, do not forbid your tunic also. Luk 6:30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your goods, do not ask them again. Luk 6:31 And as you desire that men should do to you, you do also to them likewise. Luk 6:32 For if you love those who love you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also love those who love them. Luk 6:33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also do the same. Luk 6:34 And if you lend to those of whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you have? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Luk 6:36 Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. The word for love in verse 27 is agapao. G25 ἀγαπάω agapaoŻ ag-ap-ah'-o Perhaps from ἄγαν agan (much; or compare [H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368.
Would the indication not be that love is to show concern a fulfill needs? Obviously, to give away everything one has would not in every sense be practicing good stewardship. We may then become needy ourselves. Love is perhaps the most crucial and most important attribute a Christian must have. We all need to study more deeply to learn more about love. And then we need to remember that, love, or any of the other fruit of the Spirit we will be discussing is not something we can conjure up in ourselves. It has to be a manifestation of God's Holy Spirit working in us. |
