Love is...❤️

"Love, Love, Love! All the world needs is love." So goes the familiar song.

 But in today's society, the meaning of the word love has become so distorted that the Christian meaning has been reduced from its original intention. Some view love as a feeling, but it is more than that. It is a decision followed by action. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." and "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35). It's a commitment.

Christian Love – Is not a Feeling, it's a Lifestyle, and so, what do the scriptures regarding "Christian love" really mean? Is it a warm fuzzy feeling? I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling for everyone I meet, Christian nor otherwise -- does that mean I'm not saved? No, a "warm fuzzy feeling" is not the biblical definition for "love".

Christian Love – Is selfless and a giving Love. Christian love is giving to others those things that you would want them to give you if you were in their situation -- and it's doing so even if they can't pay you back. In fact, it's doing so especially if they can't pay you back! Christian love is respect for others. It's mercy. It's charity.

When the King James translators came upon the Greek word agape (God's Love), in addition to using the English word "love" to transliterate it, they often chose the English word "charity." This was meant to reinforce the idea that agape is a selfless, giving love. God's Love is unselfish and unconditional. This is what we must want to strive for.

That kind of love is the greatest gift of all gifts. It is something we can give that doesn't really cost us anything financially; it may cost us time, energy and emotion. It may cost us our own desires. To do something someone else desires. It may cost us a lot of energy as we give and give and give, it may cost us emotionally when we've invested our hearts and time into others' lives and get nothing in return. But you know that's the way the love of the Lord is to us. It is more than we can measure, when we love sacrificially the gifts that we get in return is beyond measure.

Shakespeare said of love: "Love comforteth like sunshine after the rain." Isn't that a neat thought? That love is just refreshing.

As you reach out to others today, reach out not in your own strength, but asking Christ to love them through you. Ask Him to help you love others as He has loved us. That love knows no limits and goes beyond all comprehension; that pays big dividends - enjoy loving others as Christ has loved you.

Jesus said, “one another.” Could it also be that He was talking specifically about the church loving its own members — his disciples demonstrating love to each other. Why? Because an unconditional love between people of such diverse backgrounds (Jew, Gentile, poor, rich, black, white) bound only by a common allegiance to Christ is the most noticeable kind of love. There aren’t many circumstances in this life where people of every sort of class, race, circumstance and struggle are unified and bound by unconditional, unearthly love. But this is what Christianity is supposed to be. And when it is this way, it is such a powerful witness.

Christianity is about becoming a community of disparate believers who nevertheless unite together under the umbrella that ties us and seals us: Christ’s all surpassing love. It is only natural that this will look strange and unusual to a world that more often than not divides itself along whatever lines (ethnic, class, gender, nationality) it can come up with.The Christian church distinguishes itself (ideally) by putting aside these dividing lines. 

As D.A. Carson famously described in Love in Hard Places, we are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake:

 The church itself is not made up of natural “friends.” It is made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort. Christians come together, not because they form a natural collocation, but because they have all been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance.

Christians loving each other may prove to be the most difficult love of all (because heaven knows we are all so broken and annoying and stubborn), but in the end it proves to be the best witness.

 Christians fighting with each other, tearing each other down, etc.; from the outside looking in, our Christian communities can look as petty and unkind as anyone else in the world, why should anyone be interested in Christianity? But if Christians love each other with the sort of unconditional, humble self-sacrifice that Christ modeled for us, then we will live up to our namesake and people will know we are Christians just by looking. They will know us by our love!

So let’s put aside our differences, look to Christ, and love each other more. Make "Love" a lifestyle, let's "Walk in Love"!

Here are some verses that teach us about God's Agape Love…

1 Corinthians chapter 13 (TEV)

1 I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell.

2 I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains-but if I have no love, I am nothing.

3 I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned-but if I have no love, this does me no good.

4 Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud;

5 Love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs;

6 Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth.

7 Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

8 Love is eternal.

Luke chapter 6 (GWT)

27 "But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you.

28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you.

29 If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone takes your coat, don't stop him from taking your shirt.

30 Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don't insist on getting it back.

31 "Do for other people everything you'd like them to do for you.

32 "If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them.

33 If you help those who help you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners do that too.

34 If you lend anything to those from whom you expect to get something back, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners also lend to sinners to get back what they lend.

35 Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people. 36 Be merciful as your Father is merciful.

37 "Stop judging and you will not be judged.Stop condemning, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

38 Give, and you will receive. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put  into your pocket. The standards you use for others will be applied to you."

1 John chapter 3 (NLT)

16 We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.

17 But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help - how can God's love be in that person?

18 Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.

19 It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth.

Galatians chapter 6 (NLT)

7 Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!

8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

 9 So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

10 Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters.

May each of us demonstrate God's Agape Love.