What is True Love?
Our God requires us to love him and each other. It is not an optional or selective Christian service. Our God is a jealous God and wants all of our love, not half-hearted love or only when it is convenient. Love has to be shared with others. Give away love through actions that provide good things that help others. Love is the most important teaching we have been provided from our Heavenly Father and His Son.
How do you know when someone loves you?
- When they treat you with kindness and empathy.
- When they show genuine and authentic care and concern.
- When they speak truth to each other.
Love takes action to do things that are full of grace and mercy towards others. Forgiveness towards others also shows love. Our God is forgiving towards us, as we should be towards our neighbors and our brethren. Serve others through actions of love. This could be donating time and resources to help others in need. This could be listening to someone struggling. This could be sharing wisdom to teach others about the truth of God’s promises.
Take, for example, the story of Cain and Able. These brothers brought sacrifices before God. Able offered a more pleasing, and loving, sacrifice which were young animals, less than one year old. Cain offered a sacrifice from the fruit of the ground because he was a farmer. Cain was jealous and envied Able because God favored what Abel offered. Cain’s anger towards his brother was so great, it caused him to murder his brother. Cain’s behavior would be the opposite of love. Genesis 4:1-15
Another example of love is the heart of David and his mourning of King Saul and his son, Jonathan, after their death as described in 2 Samuel 1:1-27. David and Saul were enemies during their lifetime, yet, King David shows his reverence to God’s anointed, King Saul, even though he was evil at times, King Saul was still anointed by God, and David recognized YHWH’s power. David and Jonathan had a special relationship which David described as love surpassing that of women. King David’s heart showed love towards David and Jonathan after hearing about their deaths, even though their lives and relationships were difficult in the past. We can learn from King David’s spiritually motivated and loving heart.
Study 11: True Love
Exodus 20:1-6
Part of showing love to God is to keep His commandments. Obedience is not a chore, or something to grumble about, instead, loving God is shown by our commitment to do what is right and good towards Him and His creation.
Leviticus 19:17-18
Even the original law gave the commandment to love your brother.
1 John 2:7-11
Brethren in Christ show love towards one another. When we show love our behaviors are pleasing and illuminating towards those around us.
1 John 3:11-24
Love is taking action beyond speaking words. One way to take action and demonstrate love, is to share your abundance with a brother in need even through material goods.
1 John 4:7-21
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God dwells in him. Those who love do not fear punishment because their conscience is free from guilt. When you do not show love, you experience anxiety about what will happen.
1 John 5:1-3
God’s commandments are not difficult because they provide peace and comfort to those who practice righteousness.
Mark 12:28-33
The entire law recorded by the Hebrews can be summarized in the teaching Christ gave to us, which is to love his Father and to love your neighbor.
Romans 13:8-10
Paul provides a summary about how love fulfills the law. A match to the teaching Christ gave us and how we should not owe anyone anything except to love one another. We share and give to others not expecting anything in return.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 14:1
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and described to them about love.
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