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LOVE

Love is a central theme of Scripture and is a primary characteristic of God's nature (e.g., 1 John 4:8) and the central demand of human life both in relation to God and fellow mankind (Matthew 22:37-40). The most frequently-used term in the NT (agape) generally signifies a spontaneous self-giving unmerited love. This meaning is evident in John's description of love as God's giving of Himself in the gift of His Son for the good of those who were totally undeserving (cf. 1 John 4:10). Another word (phileo), while overlapping at times with agape, refers primarily to the love between friends (cf. John 11:3, 36). All love has its source in God, who is love (1 John 4:7-8), and is available to human beings only through the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22). It is clear from the characteristics given below that love involves the total person, i.e., one's thought, feeling, and action (See also LOVINGKINDNESS).

source of, God

• Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:16, 19

characteristics of:

♦ sacrificial:

• John 15:13; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; 1 John 4:10

♦ unselfish:

• Galatians 5:13

♦ strong and enduring:

• Proverbs 17:17; Solomon 8:6-7; 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

♦ forgiving:

• Proverbs 10:12; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Peter 4:8

♦ fulfills God's commands:

• Matthew 22:40; Mark 12:23; John 14:15; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 2:4-5; 5:3

♦ motivates good works:

• Romans 13:10; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 5:6; I Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 3:16-18

♦ negates fear:

• 1 John 4:17-18

♦ edifies:

• 1 Corinthians 8:1; Ephesians 4:16

♦ unifies:

• Colossians 3:14

♦ transcends understanding:

• Ephesians 3:19

of God:

♦ general:

• Deuteronomy 10:18; 33:3; 2 Samuel 12:24; John 3:16; Titus 3:4; 1 John 4:16, 19

♦ for Israel:

• Deuteronomy 4:37; 7:7-8, 13; 23:5; 1 Kings 10:9; Isaiah 43:3-4; 63:9; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 11:1; 14:4; Zephaniah 3:17; Malachi 1:2; Romans 11:28

♦ given in Christ:

• John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 8:39; Ephesians 1:4-12; 2:4-7; Titus 3:4-7; 1 John 4:9-10

♦ given in the Spirit:

• Romans 5:5; 15:30; Colossians 1:8; Titus 3:4-5

♦ blessings of:

• Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:13; 30:6; Psalms 91:14; 145:20; Daniel 9:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 8:3; James 1:12; 2:5

♦ expressed in discipline:

• Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19

♦ for the Son:

• Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 3:35; 5:20; 15:9; 17:23, 24, 26

of Christ:

objects of

♦ the Father

♦ His people

• John 14:21; 15:9; Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:19; 5:2, 25; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Revelation 1:5; 3:9

♦ the lost

♦ John the apostle

• John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20

♦ Lazarus, Mary, Martha

• John 11:5, 36

♦ incomprehensible

• Ephesians 3:17-19

♦ constraining

• 2 Corinthians 5:14

of mankind:

for God

♦ commanded

• Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13, 22; Joshua 22:5; Psalms 31:23; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30

♦ evidenced by obedience

• Deuteronomy 10:12-13; 30:20; Joshua 22:5; John 14:13, 21, 23; 1 John 5:3

♦ for Christ

• Matthew 10:37; John 8:42; 14:15, 21, 23, 28; 16:27; 21:17; 1 Corinthians 16:22; Ephesians 4:24; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 2:5; 1 Peter 1:8

for fellow mankind

♦ commanded

• Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31, 33; 1 Corinthians 14:1; 16:14; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 2:2; Colossians 2:2; 3:14; I Thessalonians 3:12; 4:9; 1 Timothy 1:5; 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 10:24; James 2:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17; 3:8; 4:8; 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 16, 20; 2 John 5

for various groups

♦ enemies

• Exodus 23:4-5; Proverbs 24:17; Matthew 5:43; Luke 6:27; Romans 12:20

♦ friends

• 1 Samuel 20:17; 2 Samuel 1:26

♦ church leaders

• I Thessalonians 5:13

♦ evidence of spiritual life

• 1 Timothy 2:15; 1 John 3:14-17; 2:10-11; 4:7-8, 12, 10

for objects other than people

♦ God's commands

• Psalms 119:47, 48, 113, 119, 127, 129, 163, 165, 167

♦ truth

• Zechariah 8:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:10

♦ wisdom

• Proverbs 4:6; 8:17, 21

♦ kindness

• Micah 6:8

♦ the good

• Amos 5:15

♦ life

• 1 Peter 3:10

♦ man and woman

• Ecclesiastes 9:9; Solomon 1:2-4; 2:4; 4:10; 7:12; 8:6-7; Ephesians 5:25, 28, 33; Colossians 3:19; Titus 2:4

♦ of self

• Leviticus 19:34; Matthew 19:19; Romans 13:9; Ephesians 5:33

for improper objects:

♦ world:

• 1 John 2:15

♦ evil:

• Psalms 52:3-4; Micah 3:2

♦ money:

• Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 1 Timothy 3:3; 6:10

♦ the wicked:

• 2 Chronicles 19:2; Jeremiah 5:31

♦ worthless things:

♦ natural life:

• John 12:25; Revelation 12:11

♦ praise of man:

• Matthew 23:6; Luke 11:43; John 12:43

This topic is from the Lockman Foundation.

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