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The big deal: God doesn’t force Himself on me. He is love and love doesn’t know how to do that. God has given me and us all the ability to reject his son Jesus, the Messiah. God is gentle and wants us to come to Him. God doesn’t force things though. My choice.

God’s goal: Jesus challenges us to love like God loves us. Love is a choice we all make.

  • May I love like God loves me.
  • May I be gentile.
  • May I be kind.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [1]

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

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Jesus demonstrated His love for us by dying on the cross so that we can be reconciled to God the Father. Jesus has sealed us with the Holy Spirit. The death of Jesus is how we know what love is. Now this is some good news!

  • 1 John 3:16 — We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
  • 1 John 4:10 — In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
  • John 15:13 —  “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
  • Ephesians 5:2 — And walk in love, just as the Messiah also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
  • Ephesians 5:25 — Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
  • I get to decide whether to love or not. So do you. I often am not loving. I can be mean and cruel. I have no defense. “Master Jesus the Messiah, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

There is good news in that the Word of God and Jesus offers an understanding of the source, character, requirement, and value of love, based on the nature and actions of God our Father. Jesus sums up God’s goal (command) for us as one of loving God and our neighbors.

You shall love the Master your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ~Jesus

 Matthew 22:37

I must confess that I am not the best at this. I am challenged many days. Let’s dig in. There is much to learn on how to love.

The Greek word here is ἀγάπη agape. The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament.

How is “agape love” different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic or sexual love.

It does not refer to close friendship or brotherly love”, for which the Greek word philia is used. Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character. Agape love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Co 13:4–7). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.