What is Love

[Susan Peabody]

I know we are saved by grace alone, but I agree with James that faith, without works, is dead. There is also the passage in the Bible about how what we do for others is how we serve Christ. So let's talk about the many ways to express love in our lives.

Love is not just an emotion.

It is an activity.
It is a commitment.
It is charity.
It is reaching out out to others.
It is obedience.
It is our sacrifices.
It is our strength.
It is our responsibility.
It is our tolerance for others.
It is our compassion and kindness.
It is our guide.
It is our path.
It is our life's purpose and ambition.
God's commandment
It is humility . . . and much more.

Love is not . . .

Selfishness
Judgement
Greed
Cruelty
Intolerance
Fear
Dishonesty
Abuse

The Highest form of love is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Matthew 22 This means that love is you top priority in life. Note that this is not a suggestion but a commandment. Soren Kierkegaard, Works of Love.

The next Highest form of love is to love your neighbor as yourself. [Not more; not less] When asked, "Who is our neighbor?" Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who was of another religion and race. This is an important caveat.

Please do not confuse romantic love with agape love. Romantic love is fickle and even dangerous at times. It can become addictive. It can, but not always, be a tool for both God and Satan to have their will done. Combined with platonic love and agape love, it can be very pleasurable but very fragile. Do not build a house on such a shaky foundation. By house I mean marriage.

[Susan Peabody]

1 Corinthians 13

1. If I speak in the tongues [1] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, [2] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9. For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10. but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.