Defining Love

If someone were to ask you what love is, what would you say?

So often we get a picture of "love" through tv shows and movies and romance novels. We may hear about it from those around us. There may be giddy or mushy emotions involved. Sometimes it's been said that "love hurts." But this type of "love" isn't really love at all; in reality, it's the feelings of affection that come and go like the wind. Love in its true form is much deeper, and many people may not truly understand what it is or how to genuinely show it.

The first place we should go to find what love looks like is found in Scripture. The Lord gives us many examples in His Word where love is on display, and even more importantly God Himself defines love (1 John 4:8). When we look to Him, we can know how to truly love others because He is the very essence of love. It makes sense, since He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16), love included!

God's greatest act of love was to send His One and only Son Jesus Christ to bear the sins of the world, to die on a cross—sinless for sinners—and rise again so that salvation could be obtained through His perfect sacrifice (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10, 16). And Jesus spoke on love as the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-40). He also shows us what love looks like (John 15:9). He Himself being one with God displayed the perfect example of love when He willingly gave His life and suffered beyond what we could comprehend on our behalf (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16).

Aside from God being the greatest source of love (1 John 3:1), we can find an in-depth definition when we read 1 Corinthians 13. The entire chapter speaks on love, but in verses 4-8a we get a very clear picture of what it truly is (and isn't): "Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

Knowing what love is based on God's Word, how do we demonstrate love to God and to others?

Continue to search the Scriptures and you will find the answers: we love the Lord with our whole being (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37), we obey the Lord (2 John 1:6); we walk in love (Ephesians 5:2); we treat others as we would want them to treat us (Matthew 22:39; Luke 6:31; Galatians 5:14); we love in deed and truth, not just with our words (1 John 3:18); we love even our enemies (Luke 6:27-28); we love other believers as Christ loves us so that the world will know that we follow and live for Him (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:11-12, 21; 1 Peter 4:8).

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God...we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:7, 16). May it be said of us that we abide in God by the love we display in our lives each day.