TRUE LOVE

Sermon #439; by Joe McClure; Text: I John 3; I John 4; I Corinthians 13; Romans 8.35-39; Ephesians 5.25-33

I want to talk with you today about the most important topic, which should be understood by Christians.

What is love?

I know that you might consider such a study to be obvious.

Today, people loosely use the word ‘love’ to describe a host of human feelings. People will say that they love ice cream for instance, to describe a great liking of taste. Likewise, folks say that they love many inanimate things.

In regard to people, the meaning of the word ‘love’ has many connotations. You might say that you love your friends, and also say that you love your mate, or girlfriend, or boyfriend; but obviously the love is different.

In the Bible, you can read of different types of love, such as loving things, loving feelings, loving admiration, loving family, loving of a mate, God’s love, and Christian love. This list is not complete, but you can see from the definition that there is a need to define that love which is God’s true love.

Do you understand the Scriptural definition of true love?

True Godly love is the underpinning of the faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

True Christian love is described by Jesus in John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. [agape love] love is the underpinning of the unity of all children of God.

Without understanding and practicing Christian love, the church will be weak and fractured, and souls will be in danger.

Jesus stated that the command to love was a principle commandment, and we might even consider that the commandment to love is the most important exhortation ever given by our Lord.

JWhile Jesus spake this commandment to his chosen disciples who followed him in those days, this same commandment is also given to the church of Christ as an entire body, and for all time.

1 John 3:11

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. [agape love]

True love between Christians is a sign to all men that we are disciples of Christ. By seeing love among brethren, the world sees our light, as a city that sits on a hill, and which cannot be hidden.

1 John 3:13-18

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. [14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. [15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. [16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? [18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. [agape love]

If you know without any doubt that you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, as commanded here, you can have blessed assurance of life in Christ.

Do you love all who are Christians?

If you hate or despise your brother in Christ, Jesus says that you do not have eternal life.

Here in John’s writing, Jesus speaks to us and admonishes us of how great our love must be.

How great should your love be?

True love is such that you should be willing to give up your life to sustain the life of your brother.

Naturally, if you have such true love, you will have no problem with sharing your worldly goods, if your brother has a need.

True love then is compassion for those in Christ, whose basic needs have not been fulfilled.

If you see that your brother has needs, and you are faithful to share what God has blessed you with, then you have shown your faith by your works, in obedience to this commandment of Christ.

1 John 3:19

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

Brothers and sisters; let me have your attention now.

The Bible teaches us that without true love, we have no confidence in having our prayers answered, whether they are for forgiveness of our sins, or for God’s blessings. With true love, we can have great confidence in our prayers.

1 John 3:22-24

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. [23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. [24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. [agape]

In I John 3.16, which we earlier read, we are told that we perceive the love of God, because He laid down his life for us.

The entire Christian faith, which when obeyed, assures us of eternal salvation, is based upon true love from God.

We are reminded of the great love which the Father and Son had for us, and continue to have for us; so that we might be taught how that we should love one another.

Our love should be a reciprocal love. In other words, just as God has loved us, we are to love God. Just as God loves us, we are to love one another.

The Scriptures tell us that God is love. In other words, the entire essence of God is reflected in His love for us. Every good thing which we enjoy and are assured of; our salvation, our blessings, and the love of our brethren; all comes of God.

1 John 4:7-12

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. [8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. [9] In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. [10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. [12] No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. [agape]

Again, here we see it pointed out that we are given the perfect example of true love, in the love of God for sinners. As humans, you and I do not have the capacity to give up our children for the salvation of sinners, but our Heavenly Father had such great love.

However, once that we have God living in us, due to having received atonement of our sins, by the death of Christ, we now have the capacity to love one another in Christ.

Romans 5:8-11

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. [Agape]

Can you truthfully say to yourself that God lives in you, in your spirit?

If you are a Christian, you can say that God lives within, and that you have received God’s love when you obeyed the gospel.

Can you say that God’s love is perfected in you?

While we all should hope to have true love, none of us are perfect in this matter. This being true, the level of love which we have grown to have and express; is perfect. That love is perfect because it is Godly love.

We should strive to have the same love of Jesus Christ.

Jesus told his disciples:

John 15:9

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. [agape]

Can you say to all of your brethren in Christ this same statement? To some extent, we all should be able, but not to the perfect extent which our Lord was able. Keep in mind that our goal is to become the image of Christ, in our love.

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

By saying that God’s love is perfected, Jesus is teaching us that true love is something which we grow into, as we grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth.

The more that we learn Christ Jesus, the more we will become equipped to imitate the love of God.

What we are seeing here is the perfect concept of love that we should strive to have, and should be concerned when we see its lack within us.

As we grow as Christians, our love will also increase as we learn from the Holy Scriptures how we should love one another.

Peter spake to this issue in his writings:

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently: 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. [agape]

By this passage of Scripture in I Peter 1, we see that the word of God brings this true, un-faked love of the brethren. As long as we continue to grow in our knowledge of the truth, we shall continue to increase in our abilities to love one another in spirit and in truth.

Looking again now to our text in I John 4, the word of God teaches us this same point, in that our love is completed in knowledge.

I John 4. [16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. [17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [19] We love him, because he first loved us. [20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. [agape]

In order for you to have God’s Spirit in your soul, you must know something. In order to know without any doubt that you are in God’s family, in the church of Christ; you must dwell in love.

As God lives in His Heaven, we have God with us in this life on earth, because God lives in our hearts when we have true love, as described by these Scriptures.

John says that there is no fear in love.

Why is this statement true?

Seeing that we can be bold in facing our final Judgment Day because we love one another, as God has loved us; we have no reason to fear for our eternal salvation.

Again, in I John 5, we see the truth regarding true love. If you love God, you will love all those who are born again of God.

What is the opposite of this?

If you do not love the brethren, there is no way that you are in love with God. You might say that you love Jesus Christ, but unless you show your love for all of your Christian brethren, you are lying.

I John [5:1] Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [agape]

Notice also now that John says that we show our faith by our works in how that we love God.

I John 5. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. [4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [agape love]

Keeping, or obeying all of the commandments of God is personal evidence which shows you that you have the love of God dwelling within you.

John 14:15

If ye love me, keep my commandments. [agape]

Finally, we see the end of our true love, in that we are bestowed with God’s power to win the victory over the world, and its temptations and hate.

Now that we have seen here the necessity of loving one another, I want to now look at how the Bible teaches us to show Godly love.

Turn to I Corinthians 13.

You might honestly believe that you love as you should, and that you have God’s Spirit within, and that you are compassionate to your brethren.

However, it is important that we look at some personal interactions, which show us how to express our love in its Godly form.

Have you turned now in your bibles to I Corinthians 13?

If you have a King James Bible, you will notice that the word ‘charity’ is used throughout the entire chapter, beginning with verse 1. In most other versions of the Bible which are published today, the word ‘charity’ is translated simply as ‘love’.

In the Greek, there are several different words, which in our English translations, are expressed by various forms of the word ‘love’.

In the Greek, the word which Paul used in this letter to the Greek reading church of Corinth, he used the word ‘agape’, here in I Corinthians 13.

26. ~agaph~ agape \@ag-ah'-pay\@; from 25; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast:-- (feast of) charity([-ably]), dear, love.

Agape love is what we have been talking about today, in every passage of Scriptures which I have read in your presence, regarding the word ‘love’.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3--Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

In these first 3 verses, Paul established for us the importance of Agape Love, or charity. He said, in effect, that supposing you were blessed to have the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit; and assuming even that you gave up all you own to feed the hungry; and assuming that you were even willing to stand up as a Christian, knowing it would cause you to be burned at the stake; if you do not have true love, you have not gain a thing, as far as your soul is concerned.

NOW, we get to the evidence of true love in a Christian.

I Corinthians 13. 4 Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

Before looking at any more Scriptures as proof texts, I want first simply to define these characteristics of true love, which are found in verses 4-7.

Agape love:

· Suffereth long—true love is such that those who have it are willing to suffer for a long period of time with those whom they love. Such a true lover of another will be patient in the relationship with God, Christ, or the person to which the word ‘love’ is used. The phrase ‘suffereth long’ carries with it the idea of endurance, over a long period of time.

· Is Kind—While one person may understand the definition of kindness different from the next person, here the word is defined as being easy in one’s manner with others. To be kind, a person is pleasant, and mild mannered, opposed to being harsh and bitter in mannerisms.

· Envieth not---Here is a negative characteristic of true love. If you have true love for another, you will not envy. Here, we are instructed not to burn with jealousy, hatred, and anger because the other person has something which we wish that we had, or because they have something we don’t want them to have.

· Vaunteth not itself—Negatively, a Christian should never try to rise above the other person to make them feel less superior. One should not brag on oneself, or seek to embellish their accomplishments, for the purpose of making the other person feel smaller than them.

· Not puffed up—True love is not proud, the opposite being humble.

· Not behave itself Unseemly—There are many principles of Christianity that come into play here. Love is decent, and seemly, fair, and just in her actions.

· Seeketh not her own—The one with true love is more interested in the welfare of the object of their affections than in their own welfare. For instance, a father who loves his children will make sure that they have food to eat, even if it means that he must go hungry.

· Not easily provoked—Are you easily irritated, and stirred to anger? True love with another means that you are easy to get along with, and that you are ready to look over the shortcomings of your loved one.

· Thinketh no Evil—The idea here is that if you have true love toward another, you will not assume that the other person has evil motives in those things which they do with you. If you and I have a disagreement, and I assume that you are out to hurt me, or that you premeditated to hurt me; then I have thought evil. Such thinking evil comes about due to one’s lack of forgiveness, holding former fights against the other person, and allowing them to influence the way we think on future encounters.

· Rejoiceth not in Iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth—Our cause of rejoicing will always be on the side of truth, rather than in evil. While this may seem obvious to Christians, there are those in our world who rejoice with those who go against the truth. Why would a Christian ever rejoice with a person who has divorced, and is now marrying another? This is just one common example we see today. We should always be saddened by unrighteousness in others.

· Beareth all things—The basic meaning here is ‘to protect’. In order to endure in life, we must equip ourselves to take whatever befalls us, and as the Scriptures teach us, faith is the victory. True love is prepared in faith.

· Believeth all things—Here the idea is that we are convicted in that which we believe, without any doubt whatsoever. In personal relationships, this amounts to trust.

· Hopeth all things—With God, this indicates our complete assurance in the promises of God. In a personal way, it might indicate that we have great hope in continuing in a positive relationship, that the future will be good, and according to our own ideals.

· Endureth all things—True love for another means that we will continue on in that relationship, regardless of what we may face in our future. With Christ, our love dictates that no matter what tribulations, trials, or temptations we may be faced with, none of those will cause us to flee, or to separate our fellowship with Him.

I wish that I had the time to lay out every Scripture, which speaks about Agape Love. It would be redundant for me to give you similar texts, which say the exact same thing, as you can look those up for yourselves.

Those which speak about longsuffering, patience, kindness, humbleness, endurance, faith, and hope are many; so I will not take the time to read them all, but let me give you these Scriptures in closing. I have chosen two passages of Scriptures, one that speaks of the love of Christ, and one which speaks to the love of husband and wife.

Romans 8:35-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The point is that no matter what happens to you in this life cannot break the relationship you have with Christ; that is, if you have true love for Christ.

No tribulation which comes upon you; no distress in your life can cause you to give up on your love for the one who died to atone for your sins, and who gave you assurance of eternal life.

Even if you someday were to face a time of such poverty that you have to go hungry, and to wear the same dress or pants everyday; true love for Christ will not cause you to quit.

If the government changes its protection of religious rights in this country, and you end up being taken to jail at the point of a gun; true love will keep you trusting in Christ as the leader of your soul to eternal life in Heaven.

These things had happened to the Apostle Paul, but he knew and believed in his great future hope of eternal life, and knew that Christ still was loving him in those days of great trouble, and Paul knew that Christ was leading him into those situations for His purpose and good pleasure.

Next, we turn to Ephesians 5, which speaks of the great love of a husband and wife, in the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25-33

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. [29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: [30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. [31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. [32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. [33] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

As you see, a husband and wife are to have a relationship, which mirrors the love which Jesus Christ has for His church.

The husband in his true love for Christ will also love his wife to the point that he will nourish her, and love her with the same love, which our Lord has expressed to His church.

Today, we have just touched the tip of the multitude of Scriptures which speak regarding love.

We have looked at enough of them to see that we all have much to do in this area of Christian growth.

If you someday think that you have grown up as a Christian and matured spiritually; stop and read these Scriptures once again; and you will realize that you have just begun.

I confess that I have yet to attain to true love, which is described by these Scriptures, and I hope to grow in grace and in knowledge as I continue on as a Christian. Thank God that He continues to forgive and to consider us Holy and blameless by the blood of His dear Son as we grow.

The lesson is yours.