Love. What is Love? Dictionary says: Love is to hold dear, Cherish ,unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another, devoted ,admiration, strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. Other words describing Love are, attachment ,fondness, passion, appreciate, prize, treasure, value. My favorite of all is Charity! giving gifts, giving your time giving your all towards someone or something. So now that I think everyone gets the idea of what Love is lets see what the Bible says. Here we are most known verses John 3:16 For God so Loved the world that he gave his only begotten SON that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
KJV, 1Cor 13:1-7
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
KJV, 1Cor 13:8-13
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake 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 through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
So this is King James Version and charity is used for Love.
KJV, 1John 4:11-16
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
The greatest Love of all The Father sent the son to be the Savior of the world. Jesus gave us 2 commandments KJV, Matt 22:36-40
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
So after looking at this Our Father in heaven showed us the greatest Love by sending his son as a sacrifice for us and Jesus gave us 2 commandments telling us that if we Love God first and Love our neighbor as our self I truly believe that if we get these things right everything would fall where it should be in our lives. I hope this was a good read - God bless you all!
Pastor Kent Furch