As a disciple of Christ, everything we do must be done with love, otherwise what is done may be of benefit to others, but it will be of no benefit to the disciple. Love is the supreme spiritual ambition.
Jesus showed us what love is. He came and gave his life for his friends. He loved although it could never be repaid. His love was sacrificial. He loved although men hated him and crucified him. He loved although his disciples forsook him and fled. His love was trusting that in the end, it would be worth it.
Love and hate are culmulative in effect. If you are trying to love, you will only become more loving, more selfless and more like Christ. If you let yourself hate, you will only become more suspicious, selfish and hateful.
Love is a practical thing, and has to be put into action to be any good.
God's love for us:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Jesus' love for us:
"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
(John 15:13)
God loves those who love him:
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant
and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand
generations." (Deuteronomy 7:9)
God's steadfast love endures forever:
“O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures for ever!”
(1 Chronicles 16:34)
Love God with heart, soul and might:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD; and you shal love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
Love your neighbour:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it,
You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
Love fulfills the Law:
“The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not
steal, You shall not covet,' and any other comandments, are summed up in this sentence,
'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:9,10)
Love your enemies:
“But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27,28)
Make allowance for one another's faults in love:
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling
to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing
one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
(Ephesians 4:1-3)
Love covers all offenses:
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses." (Proverbs 10:12)
Love identifies Jesus' disciples:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34)
Cannot love God unless you love your brother:
“If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does
not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this
commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also."
(1 John 4:20,21)
Love requires action:
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren. But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother
in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little
children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:16-18)
Exercise:
1. Using 1 Corinthians 13, make a list of everything that love is and does. Can you identify areas where you need to improve?
2. Using a Strong's concordance, find out what the original Hebrew and Greek words for love are. Look up the word love, write down the numbers, and look them up in the dictionary at the back. Write down the various definitions.
3. Read the following verses and then explain how you could apply them in your life. Choose one to memorize. (Matthew 5:44; Galatians 2:20; John 13:14-16)
Quotations taken from The Revised Standard Version