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God is love and love is God: Viewing the Definition of Love through Biblical Lenses
We've been fed a cultural version of love; what it is, what it means to love, or to be loved. We've even asked ourselves what the word truly meant and sometimes, redefine it based on the sum of our own experiences and other's instructions. But we are in the world, not of it, so what does the Bible say about this?
Read 1 Cor 13: 4-7 (NIV) and write each description of Love on its own line:
Love is patient
Love is kind.
Love does not envy,
Love does not boast,
Love is not proud.
Love does not dishonor others,
Love is not self-seeking,
Love is not easily angered,
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
Love rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects,
Love always trusts,
Love always hopes,
Love always perseveres.
What are your thoughts after reading this? What is love to you?
1 John 4:16-21 (NIV) “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
Now, replace the word love from 1 Cor 13: 4-7 with your name.
(write your name) is patient.
(write your name) is kind.
(write your name) does not envy.
(write your name) does not boast.
(write your name) is not proud.
(write your name) does not dishonor others.
(write your name) is not self-seeking.
(write your name) keeps no record of wrongs.
(write your name) does not delight in evil.
(write your name) rejoices with the truth.
(write your name) always protects.
(write your name) always trusts.
(write your name) always hopes.
(write your name) always perseveres.
What are your thoughts after writing and reading that?
Now, ask yourself if you do the things listed in 1 Cor 13: 4-7.
Am I patient?
Am I kind?
Do I envy?
Do I boast?
Am I proud?
Do I dishonor others?
Am I self-seeking?
Do I keep record of wrongs?
Do I delight in evil?
Do I rejoice with the truth?
Do I always protect?
Do I always trust?
Do I always hope?
Do I always persevere?
In 1 John 4: 16, we learn that God is love so in 1 Cor 13: 4-7 Love is God.
God is calling us to walk like Christ and to love one another as He loves us.
Compare how your felt while reading 1 Cor 13: 4-7 in these two versions:
(your name) is kind. (your name) does not envy. (your name) does not boast. (your name) is not proud. (your name) does not dishonor others. (your name) is not self-seeking. (your name) keeps no record of wrongs. (your name) does not delight in evil. (your name) rejoices with the truth. (your name) always protects. (your name) always trusts. (your name) always hopes. (your name) always perseveres. | Am I kind? Am I envious? Do I boast? Am I proud? Do I dishonor others? Am I self-seeking? Do I keep record of wrongs? Do I delight in evil? Do I rejoice with the truth? Do I always protect? Am I trustworthy? Am I hopeful? Do I persevere? |
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Did you feel shame or guilt?
Remember, there is a difference between shame and guilt. Shame is not from God!
Shame keeps you stuck in the emotion while Guilt leads to repentance by speaking to God about the things that happened, your actions, emotions, asking for forgiveness and asking the Holy Spirit to help you in Jesus’ name.
Romans 3: 9-19 (NIV)
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”[b] 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”[c] “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d] 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e] 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f] 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
As we read in Romans 3: 9-19, none of us are righteous.
There is no one who does good, not even one. One minute we’re patient, kind, and not envious and the next, we’re impatient, unkind, and envious and Romans 3: 9-19 says none of us are righteous for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23). So then, what do we do and where do we go from here?
We learn in 1 John 4:16 that God is love therefore Love is God as in 1 Cor 13: 4-7.
As disciples of Jesus, we’re called to walk like He did. We’re called to follow in His footsteps, so we have it in our hearts to love like God loved us; to be like the son of God who had a blameless, sin-less life. But sometimes, we do the opposite. Romans 3 reminds us that in verse 23 that we all have sinned and fall short but in verse 24, we are all justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ.
When you’re getting to know God’s character through scripture, prayers, worship, or discipleship or by spending time with Him, it is common to feel a shift where you are confronted with what God says vs what your flesh wants to do that is opposite of God’s will. You may feel sadness because either because your recent actions or decisions did not align with the biblical definition of love. But there is an abundance of grace only God can give. As mentioned earlier, shame and guilt are not the same. Shame keeps you trapped and will cause you to lose hope of becoming better while guilt pushes you to do better. Our guilt leads to repentance where we turn to God whenever we fall short, talk to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome those areas in your life.
“God,
Here’s what happened today (be honest with God about the event and your actions).
I feel (talk to God about your emotions).
I know you said (what does God say about the situation you’re going through?)
Please forgive me, God.
I know you promised (remind yourself of God’s promises for your life).
I thank you God for forgiving me.
But God, I need help in this area of my life (be vulnerable with God).
Please Holy Spirit, help me with this (ask the Holy Spirt for guidance)
In Jesus name I pray.
Amen."
As you walk with Christ and read the word of God, place yourself in the stories as the biblical characters.
We know that we are descendants of David, the Israelites, and the living proof of the covenant and promise God made Abraham when He said, “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky” Genesis 26:4.
There may be days where you will relate to Sarah’s desperation for a child and go about your way or rely on your strength or knowledge to get what you want outside of God’s will for your life. Or days when you disobey God’s instructions as the Israelites and find yourself stuck in a situation, or relationship or an experience that was only supposed to last for a season. There may be days where you deny following Jesus like Peter because you don’t want to be judged by your friends.
All this to say, the bible teaches us how God how we may have similar seasons to each of those characters yet how His love for us never changes, and how He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He loved us before we were woven in the womb, He loves us today with all our sins and shortcomings, and His love endures forever.
I love you, but God loves you more.
Stay blessed and stay alert for His Kingdom is near.
1 Cor 13: 4-7, 1 John 4:16-21, Romans 3: 9-19,Genesis 26:4
NIV scriptures from Holy Bible, Zondervan 2020The Found Sheep
01.28.22