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What is Love?

Susannah said:
I know we are saved by grace alone, but I agree with James that faith, without works, is dead. There is also the passage in the Bible about how what we do for others is how we serve Christ. So let's talk about the many ways to express love in our lives.

Love is not just an emotion.

It is an activity.
It is a commitment.
It is charity.
It is reaching out out to others.
It is obedience.
It is our sacrifices.
It is our strength.
It is our responsibility.
It is our tolerance for others.
It is our compassion and kindness.
It is our guide.
It is our path.
It is our life's purpose and ambition.
God's commandment
It is humility . . . and much more.

Love is not . . .

Selfishness
Judgement
Greed
Cruelty
Intolerance
Fear
Dishonesty
Abuse

The Highest form of love is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Matthew 22 This means that love is you top priority in life. Note that this is not a suggestion but a commandment. Soren Kierkegaard, Works of Love.

The next Highest form of love is to love your neighbor as yourself. [Not more; not less] When asked, "Who is our neighbor?" Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who was of another religion and race. This is an important caveat.

Please do not confuse romantic love with agape love. Romantic love is fickle and even dangerous at times. It can become addictive. It can, but not always, be a tool for both God and Satan to have their will done. Combined with platonic love and agape love, it can be very pleasurable but very fragile. Do not build a house on such a shaky foundation. By house I mean marriage.


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I know it is meant good. But I have to point out something here.
Because I am sure it is important for us to make every word right.
Agape love is "the God kind of love"
Our views on love is distorted.
I think that when we started to believe the Word. Then we become conscious of this kind of love.
But this love is not us being.. "quote"
This is realizing Him being trough us.
The devil can copy some of these love gifts.
For example tolerance. The world. Especially the west preaches tolerance like never before.
But it is manly based on a lie.
This may confuse many. But it certainly doesn't have to.
So how do one know the difference?
By the Word. And the Word only.
God bless!
 
We will have to agree to disagree on this one point. Agape is perfect love. It cannot be contaminated. Romantic love can be sweet but used by Satan to destroy people. I know because it's happened to me. I am recovering love addict. But where we disagree is that the word is not the only source of wisdom from God. He often talks to me directly through the Holy Spirit.
 
Hospes said:
Just to stir folks thinking:

I've heard people say that love is not an emotion, but rather is a decision.

Any thoughts on what is right/wrong on this assertion?

(My question is not meant to stir up an argument. It is meant to encourage us to think deeply about the nature of love and encourage us to sharpen our understanding of a really really wonderful topic.)
Click to expand...
I think that love Is both.
Many learn about Jesus and love Him and then decide to follow Him because of that love.
"If you love Me keep my commandments."
 
Susannah said:
We will have to agree to disagree on this one point. Agape is perfect love. It cannot be contaminated. Romantic love can be sweet but used by Satan to destroy people. I know because it's happened to me. I am recovering love addict. But where we disagree is that the word is not the only source of wisdom from God. He often talks to me directly through the Holy Spirit.
Click to expand...
Oh but I don't disagree at all. "Recovering love addict" :))
I think i got misunderstood. By the Word I included THS and our conscience, and even creation. They are all in agreement tho.
The HS speaks the Word and so did Jesus.
They are the same in this.
This is a good focus my sister. (Ur focus)
 
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It's great to hear people bring this back to life.
The Holy Spirit in us brought it back to life because of it's importance to us.
When I got saved I was crying out to God.
Then he just blew away the enemy and put me on the right track.
Praise the Lord!!
 
Rollo Tamasi said:
It's great to hear people bring this back to life.
The Holy Spirit in us brought it back to life because of it's importance to us.
When I got saved I was crying out to God.
Then he just blew away the enemy and put me on the right track.
Praise the Lord!!
Click to expand...
I always hear joy in a saved person's words.
And gratitude for what God did for them by improving their life----
and just by listening to Him and following Him.
Praise the Lord!
 
Tessa said:
I think that love Is both.
Many learn about Jesus and love Him and then decide to follow Him because of that love.
"If you love Me keep my commandments."
Click to expand...
I agree.

In an earlier post, I assert that to love is to value. It seems to me that if a person greatly values something, they enjoy (emotion) it and delight (emotion) in it. Also, if a person greatly loves/values something, they are more than willing to let go of lesser loved/valued things (decision/action) in order to attain what is of greater value. And if you value/love someone, you care about what they think and you desire to please them. If our supreme value/love is Jesus, then what Jesus desires - as shown by His commands - is supremely important to us and we will pursue pleasing Him through obedience to His commands.

To sum it up, I think that love involves both emotion and decisions. Furthermore, love without both being in play falls short of what it should be.
 
humble soul said:
That's an interesting and useful perspective. Thanks.
Edit..
I think emotion can run dry at times. And we need to survive by just putting one foot forward at a time. We hang on by a thread. We decide to cling to faith, no matter what.
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True sometimes. But the Bible teaches that we are more than victorious through Christ. Do we realize this fact??
 
Rom. 8:37
... In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
 
Link1983 said:
Personally i find my emotions deceptive.
Click to expand...
As a guitar player and lover of music, emotion is a vital part of my enthusiasm for. life. It adds colour.
But as you say, emotion can also be deceptive. Reacting too quickly on emotions can get us into trouble.
Spur of the moment purchases?
Falling in love with a person quickly?
Negative reactions to those that disagree, demonizing them?
If we use emotion wisely, it can help us. But emotion should never rule us.
 
Hospes said:
I agree.

In an earlier post, I assert that to love is to value. It seems to me that if a person greatly values something, they enjoy (emotion) it and delight (emotion) in it. Also, if a person greatly loves/values something, they are more than willing to let go of lesser loved/valued things (decision/action) in order to attain what is of greater value. And if you value/love someone, you care about what they think and you desire to please them. If our supreme value/love is Jesus, then what Jesus desires - as shown by His commands - is supremely important to us and we will pursue pleasing Him through obedience to His commands.

To sum it up, I think that love involves both emotion and decisions. Furthermore, love without both being in play falls short of what it should be.
Click to expand...
Great way to explain it.
Then it comes full circle. Once we decide to obey and act on it we start to love those commandments that we once did not try to keep and then er love God Ever more. Love grows.
 
humble soul said:
As a guitar player and lover of music, emotion is a vital part of my enthusiasm for. life. It adds colour.
But as you say, emotion can also be deceptive. Reacting too quickly on emotions can get us into trouble.
Spur of the moment purchases?
Falling in love with a person quickly?
Negative reactions to those that disagree, demonizing them?
If we use emotion wisely, it can help us. But emotion should never rule us.
Click to expand...
You said it! Spur.. hmm ;)
I'm a guitar player too in fact.. anywhoooo
 
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Susannah said:
I know we are saved by grace alone, but I agree with James that faith, without works, is dead. There is also the passage in the Bible about how what we do for others is how we serve Christ. So let's talk about the many ways to express love in our lives.

Love is not just an emotion.

It is an activity.
It is a commitment.
It is charity.
It is reaching out out to others.
It is obedience.
It is our sacrifices.
It is our strength.
It is our responsibility.
It is our tolerance for others.
It is our compassion and kindness.
It is our guide.
It is our path.
It is our life's purpose and ambition.
God's commandment
It is humility . . . and much more.

Love is not . . .

Selfishness
Judgement
Greed
Cruelty
Intolerance
Fear
Dishonesty
Abuse

The Highest form of love is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Matthew 22 This means that love is you top priority in life. Note that this is not a suggestion but a commandment. Soren Kierkegaard, Works of Love.

The next Highest form of love is to love your neighbor as yourself. [Not more; not less] When asked, "Who is our neighbor?" Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan who was of another religion and race. This is an important caveat.

Please do not confuse romantic love with agape love. Romantic love is fickle and even dangerous at times. It can become addictive. It can, but not always, be a tool for both God and Satan to have their will done. Combined with platonic love and agape love, it can be very pleasurable but very fragile. Do not build a house on such a shaky foundation. By house I mean marriage.


4b40edd18795c54e1732e3d9796147ba.jpg
Click to expand...
Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.

To give us a scriptural confirmation..
 
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