I said
Ok help me out here what does it mean? None are valid questions or statements.
Love Defined
- Thread starter Squeaky
- Start date
I said
Ok help me out here what does it mean? None are valid questions or statements.
oatmeal
Well-known member
Did God so love? What does that mean? The great extent of God's love is that He gave. Since God demonstrated His love by giving, what does that tell us about how God defines love in a positive way?
I Corinthians 13 tells us much about what love is not. John 3:16 (among other places) tells us what love is.
When we avoid what love is not, does that mean we are actually loving?
Let us look at another example of another set of truths we could choose to live by.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
If we avoid the negatives in verse 31 are we doing the positives of verse 32? No, not really. We need to not only avoid the negatives of verse 31, (which as we put them off is actually a proactive action) but we need to likewise do the positive truths of verse 32. It is a two step process.
Another example is Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The one thing that Paul does is to press toward the mark.
forgetting the past is one thing a negative, reaching forth unto those things which are before is another thing, a positive thing
Forgetting the past is not all there is, we must likewise do the positive of reaching forward.
God not only tells us what to avoid but He also tells us what positive thing we can do
Ephesians 4:25 is another one Put away lying, tell the truth
God instructs us fully by His words. We as parents do not always act so wisely in instructing our children, we say, "stop that" but do not tell our children what to do in place of that negative behavior.
God tells us how he "so loved" He so loved that He gave.
Anyone and everyone has the potential to love, all they have to do is give of themselves.
I said
Your talking about the carnal love, of man. I'm talking about the Godly love that He wants us to do.
Luke 6:32-36
32 "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
(NKJ)
oatmeal
Well-known member
Are you suggesting that God is advocating carnal love?
Are you suggesting that John 3:16 is talking about carnal love?
Are you suggesting that God's love is carnal?
Are you suggesting that the verses I supplied are referring to carnal love?
How do you define carnal love?
How do you define the love of God that is spiritual love?
I said
no of course not. I'm talking about your understanding. To just give something. Godly love is to give until you suffer wrongfully. What I mean is give until it hurts.
1 John 4:16
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them
I said
That is a principle not a conclusion. Your still trying to make a conclusion out of a principle. You leave out how to walk in that love. By obeying and keeping the commandments of God through Jesus. He who says "I know Him" and does not keep Jesus' commandments is a liar. So if you say you walk in love and don't keep the commandments your a liar.
1Jo 2:4
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jo 4:16
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1Jo 4:8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Rom 8:39
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Mar 12:30
‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'This is the first commandment.
1Jo 2:5
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
1Jo 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
The purpose of the commandments is love. If you don't know what love is none of the commandments are going to do you any good. If you don't know what the heart is it isn't going to do you any good.
1 Tim 1:5
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
(NKJ)
1 Tim 1:5
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
(NKJ)
It is a fruit of the Spirit.
I said
That is right, it is one of the things the Spirit is going to lead you to do. Suffering against your emotions. Which is just the opposite of what society thinks love is.