Love

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What is love?



Romans 12: 9-13
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourself. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Love is sincere... Love is true. It does not lie. It does not deceive. I find it very annoying when I find people who claim to love each other with all their heart, however they just end up deceiving each other in the end. This doesn't only happen in romantic relationships, but also family and friends. Must love have quarrels and lies? Must love have secrets and deceptions? No, it cannot. If dishonesty is present, it is not love. Love avoids evilness. It clings to the right thing. It strives for the right path. It hungers righteousness and closeness with Christ. Love does not seek self indulgences and easiness. Love devotes to what is good and true. Love does not give up. Love perseveres. Love flourishes hope and faith. Love cares unceasingly, and love must put down his own pride.


Romans 13:8.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Love is delightful, and does not grow weary. Love must be sought after. Love does not cease. Love is on-going. Love is a part of life. Without love, there is nothing. Love is a commandment, however it is not to be fulfilled with a grudge or a hate, but with sincerity and honesty, just as Christ willingly loved us.


1 Corinthians 13: 4-13
Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 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. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 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. 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. And now these three remain: Faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Love does not rush. Love waits patiently at the door for an answer. It does not push. It considers all time worthy. Love respects. Love strives for kindness, care, and hospitality. Love is not envious and jealous. Love is fulfilling, it has no need for anything else. Why become envious of things you do not possess if you already have what you need? Love does not boast. It is not prideful. Love delights in what it is, and what it has. A person with love does not boast. He is considerate and thoughtful. Love is not proud. A person with love considers himself unworthy for the gift of love he has received. One does not consider himself deserving of true love, once true love is experienced in full. Love seeks for the well-being of the other person. Love does not seek for his own pleasure and happiness, but for the comfort and safety of the other being. Love cares for others higher than himself. Love sacrifices all, even life, and it is sacrificed willingly and without force. Love encourages, and does not pull down on faults and weaknesses, but rather makes weakenesses stronger and faults invisible. Love is not easily angered. Love is forgiving. Love considers the circumstances, and does not over-react. Love does not remember past wrongs. It passes them by as if they never happened, and continues to love even more. Love appreciates. Love seeks the truth. Love seeks righteousness, and leaves what is wrong and sinful. Love seeks Christ. Love protects like a shield, and speaks with a righteous tongue rather than a tongue of lies and weapons. Love trusts, and is not uneasy. It always hopes, and always believes. Love is faithful. It does not sway. Love stands through all. It endures all shaking. It fights through all trials. Love does not grow week. Love accomplishes. Love does not fail it's purpose. Love does not end. Love endures forever. Love grows, it learns, and it puts childish ways behind it. Love makes all things clear, as Christ gave a clear way for sinners because of his love for us first.


1 John 4:18-19
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyways says, "I love God", yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. and he has given us this command; whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Love drives out fear. There is no uneasiness. If I love Christ, as He loves me, I am not fearful for myself. I trust in Him. I have faith He will protect me. Love diminishes all fear, for I feel protected in the arms of the one whom I love. If I do not love my neighbor, my brother, and my friend, I do not love Christ. If I cannot forgive my brother is Christ, and love him, how am I to still love Christ passionately with despair in my heart? God's been showing me a lot about this lately. I became convicted of this greatly on Sunday morning and afternoon, to the point of tears, because God showed me my anger in my heart toward another person. I had to push my own pride down and realize my sin, just so I could forgive and apologize to my brother or sister in Christ. Once I can first love my brothers and sister and enemies, I can truly love Christ.


1 John 4: 7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Now go back to the previous verses, and put "God" wherever "love" is. Love is God, and God is love. God is a definite, pure, and clear image of what love is. God first demonstrated love by sending his own Son to die for us, the sinners, the unworthy ones. He endured all trials, trusted unceasingly, and had undying faithfulness. He was not fearful, and was not unsure. He was confident. He cared and loved. He sacrificed everything.
That is love.
Love must match with Christ, always, in every aspect. If love does not follow God's teaching and God's example, it is not love.



This is not limited to any certain kind of love.
This is love for Christ, love for family, love for friends, romantic love, and love for enemies. It is love, simple as that. Nobody excluded.
and this is what God has taught me.
Feel free to post input.