Let's study love

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

As Paul said, if we understood all things, and had the greatest faith but had not love, we are nothing. Such a sobering and profound truth to behold. Let's forget doctrines, and Sabbaths and meats and eschatologies and this ism and that movement, what this preacher is doing and what that person has said and let's focus on highest goal for a moment, love. Not that these things aren't important, they all have a varying degree of importance but the most important is love.

I often ponder what true love is, what it looks like day to day, when something is loving, and when something is not. Some much more obvious than others.

I'd like to start with probably my favourite verse in the bible, no verse has effected me more than this one from when I first read it. I shall post the AMP version because I really like how it adds depth to the key words in the scripture.

Please, post up other scriptures that you love about love and what God has shared with you over your walk about what love is and how to love others with His love.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
1 Corinthians 13:4-8A AMP

Joidevivre · Nov 17, 2015

A little off the beaten track (thread?), but had to post this:

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

Lol so true good one!

Magenta · Nov 17, 2015

I'm so confused... What did I do?
The Bible says I'm evil
Have I lived most of my life
In the grips of the devil?

Why was this? I think I know
Insecurity had me in its throes
Love I was afraid to show
And so I lived in darkness.

But what is evil?
Self esteem?
Following your heart felt dreams?
Surely God on glorious high
Takes no delight to see me cry

His love for me I must believe
Because of Him we were conceived
Love is where I long to be
And so live in His likeness.

But what is love?
Does anyone know
Just what it is
We're supposed to show?

What kind? How much?
Where does it go?
Who determines our love's flow?

Are we really in control
When sitting at the wheel?
For reason still eludes me
When I think on how I feel

Are we the same?
Are we to blame?
What forces shape our lives?

Science looks for answers
While our spirits we deprive.

Magenta · Nov 17, 2015

I thought it was love to tell the truth to people, but people cannot handle the truth. Telling the truth to people causes unwanted consequences, who wants those, they are called unwanted for a reason lol. So sometimes love is simply staying quiet, sacrificing the expression of your truth for the good of the other person.

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

Magenta said:

I think it depends on the character of the person. I also think it depends on the spirit of which the person who is telling the truth. If they're telling of the truth is to tear a person down, condemn them or proves themselves right, its not love them now is it, regardless if they want to say its love to tell someone the truth.

Magenta · Nov 17, 2015

breno785au said:

That is true, but people are misreading intentions all over the place, especially online it seems.

dcontroversal · Nov 17, 2015

Let love cover a multitude of sin.....

oldthennew · Nov 17, 2015

the greatest LOVE is the ONE who we just can't quite understand....
the ONE who gave His life for us....

such LOVE is beyond our physical range and we can only hope and pray for
Him to reveal to us, Himself as He chooses.

like it is written, Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his LIFE for his friends'....

our FRIENDS are ALL the family of God's human creation - so this we must do in the smallest ways,
like letting someone go ahead of you in the check-out lane, to the greatest ways of defending someone
that is being attacked, and all of the circumstances in-between....because, we LOVE God, because
He LOVED US FIRST....

alas, I wish I could say that I never played the coward in the least of the circumstances or in the
greatest of circumstances, but I am only a man with the like passions of men, and I fall short
of LOVE, every day of my life, but, I pray God that He give me the strength to LOVE as He LOVED
and to walk as He walked....

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

dcontroversal said:

Mmmm, that's tasty...can you expand on that a bit? Can't say I've gotten around to really understand what that means, sounds like it requires mercy, compassion and empathy.

Magenta · Nov 17, 2015

.
God is love.

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

Magenta said:

Yes! Amen. He is all those attributes in 1 Cor 13! I often limit my understanding of Gods love according to my own limit, which is wrong. I believe He is far more merciful and loving that I give Him credit for, way beyond I could believe at this point.

Utah · Nov 17, 2015

Matthew 11:28-30 I call it, The Invitation. Its a beautiful expression of Christ's love for us.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

oldthennew · Nov 17, 2015

breno785au said:

==============================================

yes Breno, He is so far removed from our human understanding that we sometimes grow weary....
but, His precious Spirit will never fail to life us up to whatever standard or challenge that comes
before us..amen....IF we truly LOVE Him above all else.....................

dcontroversal · Nov 17, 2015

WELL....I think the word cover and multitude set the stage....look at how many sins in our own lives that God covers by his blood based upon his eternal love..even while we are sinning his grace is bounding ahead of our sin and he is mediating on our behalf....yes in deed..love covers a multitude of sin brother....

QUOTE=breno785au;2368948]Mmmm, that's tasty...can you expand on that a bit? Can't say I've gotten around to really understand what that means, sounds like it requires mercy, compassion and empathy.[/QUOTE]

breno785au · Nov 17, 2015

dcontroversal said:

[/QUOTE]
Well it is the word covers that throws me off understanding. I'll have to look at strongs or another translation.

Porter · Nov 17, 2015

breno785au said:

Such awesome descriptions of love! Not only does God show us how to love, but all these verses show how God Himself loves as they are His true character.

Mat 5:44

But I say unto you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

God is not a hypocrite and He always does Himself what He tells us to do. God is love and love never fails! He loves His enemies and His love for them and everyone else will not fail.

Joh 3:16

"For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

The sacrifice of His Son will not be in vain. Because of His love He will save all mankind. This will be testified in due time.

1Ti 2:4

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Dan58 · Nov 18, 2015

For us, love is a verb, we experience and express love, desire love, give love, feel love, etc. But I tend to think that for God, love is a noun, "God is love". The best definition of love was demonstrated on Calvary.

Kaycie · Nov 18, 2015

breno785au said:

As Paul said, if we understood all things, and had the greatest faith but had not love, we are nothing. Such a sobering and profound truth to behold. Let's forget doctrines, and Sabbaths and meats and eschatologies and this ism and that movement, what this preacher is doing and what that person has said and let's focus on highest goal for a moment, love. Not that these things aren't important, they all have a varying degree of importance but the most important is love.

I often ponder what true love is, what it looks like day to day, when something is loving, and when something is not. Some much more obvious than others.

I'd like to start with probably my favourite verse in the bible, no verse has effected me more than this one from when I first read it. I shall post the AMP version because I really like how it adds depth to the key words in the scripture.

Please, post up other scriptures that you love about love and what God has shared with you over your walk about what love is and how to love others with His love.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
1 Corinthians 13:4-8A AMP

I appreciate your intention, but the truth is that love is truth. The only way we can identify false doctrine is to compare it to what the bible says. God says that those who worship Him in false doctrine worship Him in vain, and He will take vengeance on them. So if you knew the truth, and saw me following a false doctrine, wouldn't it be loving of you to warn me and show me the truth?

breno785au · Nov 18, 2015

Kaycie said:

I don't think you quite understand my intention. When I said, forget doctrine etc. I meant for this thread, as a topic to be discussed and studied and share about. There seems to be a lot said about a multitude of other things but not much about love, which is the highest. Doctrine is important, understanding Gods Word is important as I previously mentioned but for sake of having one thread dedicated to love and what love is. You've described one aspect of it yourself, warning others. But as you may have noticed, warning can get taken too far, or can be given in the wrong spirit.

Let's study love

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