LOVE--the Four Letter Word you should understand
LOVE—the Four Letter Word you should understand
By Kenneth
"Trey" Zimmerman
Let no one despise
your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in
spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NKJV)
This
month’s topic is on love; however, since there's so many different ways to go
about it, I'm going to give the Biblical definitions on what it means.
I'll start with how most of us viewed it when we were younger:
normally love is portrayed as an emotion or passion—the "There's
something special between us" emotion. That emotional
concept is nowhere near what it is part of Biblical, self-controlled
love.
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.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving
preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to
hospitality.
Romans 12:9-13 (NKJV)
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love
as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or
reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were
called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)
In 1 Peter 4:8,
Romans 13:8-10, and Galatians 5:13-15, we see what happens when we
truly love.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for
“love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who
loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not
commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not
bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other
commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is
the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as
an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all
the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be
consumed by one another! Galatians 5:13-15 (NKJV)
