What Is Love?

1 John 4:7-11

Just the other day someone ask me “What is love?” Love is something that we think we can explain until we have to try to explain or define it. Most of the time we answer with an illustration, a quote, a paragraph from a book, or a lyric from a song. The best place to get an answer and an illustration is from the Bible. John tell us in 1 John 4:8 “God is love.” God’s love is illustrated in him giving “His only begotten son.” John 3:16. It is demonstrated through his church who is taught to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Matthew 22:37-39

There are three things we can say about love.

Love insinuates worth. When someone or something is loved it means that person or thing has value. When Jesus said that God so loved the world (mankind) he was saying that the world of mankind has value. Even in a such a state of depravity as man was, “God commended his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:8 Jesus ate with the publicans and sinners because he valued what the rest of society looked down upon. They loved him. Why? Because he loved them first.

Love is expressed in words. Three of the most powerful words that one can express to a spouse, parent, or child are the words I love you! The Bible itself is a love letter from God expressing through words just how much he loves us. He says through the prophet Jeremiah “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 And concerning one another whether it’s card, a call, a text, or just through a tender loving voice, we all like to hear these words.

Love is expressed in works. Sometimes words just aren’t enough. Those words must become visualized and seen through works. Paul’s said “Faith works by love.” Galatians 5:6 Our faith towards God is demonstrated by our good works for him towards one another. Jesus tells in a parable concerning the judgement of the nations “for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew25:35-40 Our love for Jesus is best demonstrated when we keep his commandments and love one another just as he has love us. John 13:34,35

This parable sums it up well. Even the lowliest sinners are valuable and our love demonstrated towards them in works is the best way to say God loves you and we do too!

Pastor Robby