The beginning point of the gospel for many people is the famous statement which Jesus made to Nicodemus, a Bible student who came to him by night lest his colleagues discover his interest in the Christ. Jesus said to him, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The love of God then is the genesis of the scheme of salvation and his intentions toward men. The reciprocal love of men for God is also the foundation of our discipleship, our service to our Maker and to all his creation, especially those of a like, precious faith, our brotherhood (1 Peter 2:17, 2 Peter 1:1). But the devil has succeeded in clouding the world’s understanding of love, diminishing the Bible definition. Since the world at large has submitted to the deadly disease, the devil has at last turned his full attention upon the church of Jesus Christ. How shall the disciples of Christ define and practice love?
We are regularly told that law and love are antithetical, but when we allow our Bibles to comment, we learn differently. Paul said, “I delight in the law of God according to the inward man” (Romans 7:22). In the same book, he said that “love is the fulfillment of the law” (13:10). True love can only be known and expressed within a genuine comprehension of reverence for God’s law.
In the succeeding verses, the Holy Spirit guides Paul’s pen over a number of characteristics of genuine, Bible love.
- Love is longsuffering or patient, in that it enables one person to be forbearing of another’s quirks and shortcomings. This does not mean that I overlook someone’s sin and choose never to offer reproof, but that I am patient with someone who is as fundamentally flawed as I am to him (Galatians 6:1). We know that growth is a gradual process and so we give others a chance to increase, without expecting more from them than we give ourselves (Matthew 7:1-5, 23:4). Nowhere is patience more needed or scarce than in the home, where parents must suffer long with their children and often with each other as well. All of us do little annoying things, which while not sinful, still tend to bother others; we all need patience (Galatians 5:26).
- Love is kind, in that it is polite and tenderhearted to others, rather than cold, impersonal and unsympathetic. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” A fast food, microwave, HMO, no front porch world has taken away much of the warmth and neighborliness of our society. We are challenged to find opportunities to connect with people and do good for them, to show them that we have open hearts and are still able to exhibit a disappearing kindness. The greatest kindness we can express is to overcome the burgeoning coldness of American society by shining the light of the gospel into every corner (Matthew 5:14-16, John 3:19-21).
- Love does not envy, in that it rejoices with those who prosper and succeed, rather than wishing they would lose it all (1 Corinthians 12:26). Envy is the heart of covetousness, in which someone is perpetually discontented with what God has given him and always wants something else, something more (Hebrews 13:5). Envy causes bitterness among people who resent any inequity, who charge the prosperous with cheating or luck, who then cut their own corners to catch up. Envy is rottenness to the bones and evidence of carnality (Proverbs 14:30).
- Love does not parade itself and is not puffed up, in that it is motivated by humility, rather than pride. Often envy results from someone who proudly shows off his gains and plants the seed in the eyes of those around him. This is a powerful means by which we provoke one another and make ourselves spiritual stumbling blocks. Love knows how to be discreet, rather than proud. To the wealthier ladies in the church, Paul commanded meekness and moderation, rather than ostentatious displays of prosperity (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Parading one’s wealth is as carnal as envy. The wealthiest on Earth may have the thinnest wallets, but the fullest spirits (Revelation 2:9).
- Love does not behave rudely, in that it seeks not to embarrass, humiliate or ostracize another person. How often we fail this as growing children, when we select some person to make sport of! Love knows how to overlook handicaps, appearances, and other innocent blemishes to find the good in a person (John 7:24). Love does not call people nasty names (Matthew 5:22) or open them up to ridicule.
- Love does not seek its own, for it is unselfishly interested in the needs, concerns and feelings of others (Philippians 2:1-4). “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:16). The selfish person ultimately cheats himself, for he could have had much more in life by establishing a mutual practice of sharing with others.
- Love is not easily provoked or given to thinking of evil, but remains calm and even-tempered, even when enemies seek to overwhelm it. Genuine Bible love is “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 2:19). It foregoes vengeance and overcomes evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).
- Love does not rejoice in iniquity, for it hates sin and wishes everyone to overcome the tempter and be saved. Love aims for the conversion of one’s enemies even (Matt. 5:43-48). Every sin and lost soul is cause for mourning, for Jesus died for all.
- Love rejoices in the truth, for truth exposes error and makes it vulnerable to conversion (John 16:8-11). It believes and hopes all things, giving the benefit of the doubt that people intend good until it is no longer reasonable to. It never fails and it never gives up. Such love is the foundation of marriages which do not fail, despite all the thorns and obstacles that arise over time. Such love enables congregations to be at peace, despite differences in opinion and hard decisions.
This degree of love, if universal, would bring peace on earth and to every household; but it is not universal and so often causes strife (Matthew 10:34-37). Devotion to God as our ultimate father means risking family strife and loving him more than anyone or anything on Earth.
Jesus pronounced woe upon the Pharisees who “tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42). The only safe plane is one on which faith works through love (Galatians 5:6), doing God’s will with reverence for divine authority (Matthew 28:18).
Allowing a false teacher free influence over brethren is hardly love either; Paul corrected and marked them, lest they make shipwreck of more unsuspecting souls (2 Tim. 2:17-18). Love like that is only love for yourself and in the flesh.
