What is Love?

1.04.2009

What is Love, according to the Bible? In other words, what is Biblical Love?

Love is a noun and a verb at the same time. It is a willful (of the will) action, yet an emotion also. A choice must be made to continue to love in order for Love to last, but the emotion of Love can come and go. Emotion is a part of Love, a valid part of Biblical Love, but it is not all of Love or even the main part. Biblical Love can be preceded by the emotion of love.

I took a selection of verses about Love that is by no means comprehensive; however, I believe that the following verses are sufficient.

Eccelesiastes 3:8 - 
"a time  to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."

John 15:13 - 
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends."

Phillipians 1:9-11 - 
"And it is my prayer that you love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

I Corinthians 13:4-8a - 
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,m but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

Love is shown to be an action in these verses. We choose to love. God commands us to love one another, not just our friends but our enemies too.

What are the aspects of Love? 

• There is a time to love, and there is a time that is not for loving. (Ecclesiastes)
• Love is sacrificial. (John)
• Love is shown by the lifestyle that I live. (I John)
• Love needs to be (and become) knowledgeable and discerning. (Phillipians) 
• Love has many characteristics. (I Corinthians)
• Love is:
• Patient
• Kind
• Does not envy -- Is content
  
• Does not boast -- Praises others and God for what they have done
  
• Is not arrogant -- Is meek/humble
• Is not rude -- Is polite
  
• Is not insistent on always being right -- Admits when wrong and when others are right
  
• Is not irritable -- Is easy to get along with
  
• Is not resentful -- Is forgiving
  
• Does not rejoice in wrongdoing -- Rejoices with truth
• Bears all things
• Believes all things
• Hopes all things
• Endures all things
• Is never-ending

This is in no way a comprehensive study on what Love is, but this is what I have come up with in my studies over the past few months.