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If there's one message that comes from Scripture loud and clear it's that the central theme of God's Word is love: Love from God, love for God, and love for our fellow man.
The world is desperate to experience love more than anything else. And no matter what the problem, God's love has a solution. But it's up to us as Christians to demonstrate that love so that the world can see what true love really means.
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
God wants us to reflect His nature which is love.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
Love is the mark of a genuine Christian and a testimony to the world that we really are followers of Christ.
Mat 22:35-40 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, (36) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" (37) Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' (40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
According to Jesus, love should be the highest priority for everyone.
Love for God should come first, and love for other people come second; anyone who loves will automatically fulfil all of God's requirements.
1 Cor 16:14 Let all that you do be done with love.
Gal 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Love should be all-encompassing, the motivation behind everything we do.
1 Cor 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Many people define love as seeking the highest good for another person.
However, this passage in 1 Corinthians is a very practical description of what love looks like in action.
Mat 5:43-44 You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy." (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Mat 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
God wants us even to love our enemies; see again the definition of love in 1 Cor 13:4-7.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
The highest expression of love is to sacrifice your own life on behalf of others.
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The love that God demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Son is even more amazing when we consider that we weren't even His friends!
Luke 7:42-43 "And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" (43) Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."
The greater your awareness of how much God has forgiven you, the more you will love Him.
Rom 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Col 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
God has poured out His love into our hearts; it is up to us to exercise faith in putting on that love.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Love is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
It is only possible for us to love God because He loved us first.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
God's promise is that He will work all things together for good for those who love God.
1 Cor 8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
Love builds us up.
1 John 4:20-21 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? (21) And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
The person who claims to love God but doesn't like other people is actually lying about their love for God.
It is not possible to love God without loving people too.
If you like these Topical Bible Studies, don't forget to check out our Expository Bible Studies too.