The word love means a lot of things to a lot of people. Rock
stars record hits about it, poets have entered the annals of history by scribing
sonnets about it. Celebrities and teenagers fall in and out of love
with abandon. But what is love, really? What does Gods word have to
say about it? Though not exhaustive, here is some of what the Bible tells
us about real love. All passages are from the NKJV.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
1 Corinthians 13:1-12 Though I speak with the tongues
of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or
a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and
though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me
nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love
does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices
in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there
are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we
know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which
is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as
a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish
things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face
to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the
greatest of these is love.
1 John 2:9-11 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates
his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his
brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks
in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has
blinded his eyes.