Love: Fundamental to the Faith
Author: Pastor John Fahrbach
February 01, 2023
The love of God is a topic embraced by Christians of every
persuasion. Liberal churches that deny the inspiration of the Bible are often the
first to say “God is love” and “God loves everybody,” while denying the
holiness and judgment of God. Bible-believing Christians, on the other hand, are
sometimes shallow in their grasp of the depth of God’s love. But what is the
biblical teaching on God’s love? Let’s
examine some of the features of “love” as set forth in the Bible.
The primary Greek word describing New Testament love is
agape. Christians often speak of
agape love. In the New Testament, this word is commonly used to describe God’s
love for mankind as well as the love that is expected to exist among the churches
of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:4).
“Agape is used in the NT (a) to describe the attitude of God
toward His Son, John 17:26; the human race, generally, John 3:16; Rom.
5:8, and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly, John 14:21; (b)
to convey His will to His children concerning their attitude one toward another, John 13:34,
and toward all men,
1 Thess. 3:12; 1 Cor. 16:14; 2 Pet. 1:7; (c) to express the essential nature of God, 1
John 4:8.”
Vines
Expository Dictionary, vol 2, p. 381
DEFINITION OF LOVE
“Love” has been defined as “meeting the needs of the loved
one, regardless of cost to self.” This is a simple but accurate definition of
Christian
agape love. Jesus demonstrated the hallmark of
love toward others, particularly lost sinners. So, what was the cost to Jesus? The
cost was extremely great! It involved the death of God’s own son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, upon the wooden cross.
What transpired on
the cross of Calvary was not just physical death, but something even more
significant. The death of Christ involved the
separation of His “eternal
presence” with the Father. While the crucifixion of Jesus was a mystery in many
ways, His separation from the presence of the Father defies an adequate
explanation. We know that, while upon the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My
God, why have you forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:46). The fact is that Jesus was
indeed separated from the Father while upon the cross!
Peter beautifully describes
the basis for Christ’s death on the cross: “For Christ also died for
sins once for all,
the just for
the unjust, so that He might bring us to
God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1
Peter 3:18).
Here we see that Jesus was willing to be treated unjustly as
He gave Himself unselfishly for the salvation of others. Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross is
the pinnacle of love. That selfless act
informs our understanding of the kind of love we ought to have for God and one
another. As J. I. Packer wrote:
“The
measure and test of
love to God is wholehearted and unqualified
obedience (1 John 5:3; John
14:15, 21, 23); the measure and test of
love to our neighbors is laying
down our lives for them (1 John
3:16; cf. John 15:12–13). This sacrificial love involves giving, spending, and impoverishing ourselves up to the limit for
their well-being.”[1]
DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE
God chose to reveal His plan and purpose in sending the Son of
God to manifest His perfect love toward mankind. This is not just a “theoretical
love.” It is a “demonstrated love,” exemplified through the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 is perhaps the most well-known verse in
the Bible, and for good reason. It reads:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
In this verse, God shows the magnitude of His love for the
world by the giving of His only Son. God “demonstrates” His love through action.
So, we see that God’s love is not theoretical, but was clearly
demonstrated! What is the demonstration? Namely, that God sent Christ to die in
the place of undeserving sinners. The apostle Paul solidified this point when
he penned these words for all to read and understand: “For while we were still helpless, at
the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a
righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).
DURATION OF LOVE
Love is an enduring attribute, carrying on even into
eternity. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, Paul writes that “lover never fails.” The word
translated “fails” is the Greek word pípto. It is often translated “to fall” or “be tripped up.” True “love” will
not “fall” or “be tripped up.” Love will endure. In the context of 1 Corinthians
13, love is set in contrast to spiritual gifts that were being exalted as an
end in themselves, when in fact they would all be done away in the future. Love,
on the other hand, will endure into and throughout all eternity as one of the hallmarks
of the redeemed.
Paul further describes love in 1 Corinthians 13 as follows:
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 does not act
unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered,
6 does not rejoice in
unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will
be done away; if there are tongues,
they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
This section of Scripture is one of the great passages on biblical
love. It not only establishes the qualities
of such love, but also establishes the fact that love will endure into eternity.
Spiritual gifts will cease, but love will never cease.
Thank God today for His love for us as believers and our
opportunity to live the Christian life, loving as He loved: “for by this, all
men will know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another” (John
13:35). As we engage in our daily interactions with other believers and the
world around us, might we heed the exhortation to manifest “love” for God and
others as one of the hallmarks of the Christian life!
[1] Packer, J.
I. (1993). Concise theology: a guide to historic Christian beliefs (pp. 181–182). Tyndale House.
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