Love Is
What is “love”? People have tried to define love in many ways. These are some of the definition of love given by people.
Love is Security.
Love is Indescribable.
Love is About Give-and-Take.
Love is Respect.
Love is Commitment.
Each person might have his/her definition of love and they try to practice what they believe to be love. Out of their faith in love, people do many great things. Some dedicate their whole wealth to practice the love of their own. And others even sacrifice their own life for the love they desire.
Love of God
What is love? According to the bible, giving up their wealth or even life for the benefit of others is not the love God desires.
1 Corinthians 13:1 I may speak in different languages, whether human or even of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift of prophecy, I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.
According to the bible definition, none of these can be categorized as the true love God wants us to practice. Love is not in the speaking of tongues, gift of prophecy, wisdom or knowledge, faith, altruism, or in the sacrifice of his own life for others.
Love Of Christ in the New Covenant
Then what is the true love? What is the love that we should practice in the eyes of God? On the night of the Passover, Jesus established the new covenant with the bread and wine which represent his flesh and blood. Apostle John describes the event and he let us know the love Christ wanted us to practice.
John 13:34 “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”
Jesus’ message of love was clear: We must love one another just as Christ loved us. If we find the love of Christ for us, then we can know what the love God want us to practice is. Then what was the love Jesus had for us? In the parable of the vine and grapes, we can find the answer for the question.
The True Love of God
John 15:12 This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 The greatest love people can show is to die for their friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. 15 I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me. 16 “You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
After teaching us to love one another, Jesus reveals how to practice the love of God. To practice the love of God we have to do the work Jesus entrusted to us: “To go and produce fruit—fruit that will last”.
Bear Everlasting Fruits by Preaching the Gospel
The love of God for us is to bear everlasting fruit, that is, to lead people to the salvation of eternal life. Even though we sacrifice our life for others and let them live again, their life is still temporary and will end sooner or later. For a person who has conditions in the liver, I could eagerly sacrifice mine that he can live again. However, the life I gave will last only for a short while.
For this reason, the sacrifice cannot be called the true love God wants us to practice. Rather God wants us to deliver the message of the eternal life in order that they can have salvation and live forever. In other words, God wants us to bear the fruit that will last forever by leading people to eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven living happily with God forever and ever. This is the love Jesus showed us throughout his ministry by preaching the gospel diligently.
Let us bear good and true fruit and give glory to God!!