What is love?

[Tellyontellyon]

What has Christianity taught you about love? What is love?

 

[PloverWing]

There are different kinds of love, but the kind of love that Christianity focuses on as a virtue is deeply caring about the well-being of another person and actively working for the well-being of that person.

Loving one's enemies -- or the lesser version, loving a person whose company I do not enjoy -- is seeing them as a person of value and working to ensure their well-being, as far as that is in my power.

 

[d taylor]

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Love is putting others before yourself.

 

[timothyu]

Agape

 

[Aussie Pete]

What has Christianity taught you about love? What is love?

There is a vast difference between what people call love and what God calls love. Human love is basically selfish, easily offended and is mostly an emotion. God's love is unshakeable, patient, kind, forgiving, not envious, not boastful and not proud. God's love is only available to God's people.

 

[Laodicean60]

This is my experience and opinion. I have watched several NDE videos and most of them talk about a love that they can't express in words. That reminded me of God's agape love. Another thing stood out was the life review and how they experienced the hurt from words, actions even thoughts that you cause on others. Like Aussie said it's hard to truly love your neighbor because of emotions. Like walking in public judging another person or someone on TV. I think it's virtually impossible to love like Jesus did. The closest thing for me is my love for my grandchildren and I always thank God for giving me a taste if His agape love. Peace

 

[Danny&Annie&theChristmas]

There is a vast difference between what people call love and what God calls love. Human love is basically selfish, easily offended and is mostly an emotion. God's love is unshakeable, patient, kind, forgiving, not envious, not boastful and not proud. God's love is only available to God's people.

I would consider his chosen as God's people, in that one can be chosen even though they weren't even looking for Him. I think of Paul in the Bible and Evangelist Joe Donator in his book Tell it to the Mafia. He was basically grabbed by God out of his life of crime.

 

[Clare73]

What has Christianity taught you about love? What is love?

Love is commitment to another's well-being as I am committed to my own, securing for them the necessities they cannot secure for themselves.
See the good Samaritan.

 

[returntosender]

How do you get it, do you have to be taught, are you born with it?

 

[Clare73]

How do you get it, do you have to be taught, are you born with it?

It comes from the new heart of the new birth in obedience by the Holy Spirit.
You need to be taught Christian doctrine in order to know what is your rule of life.

 

[Danny&Annie&theChristmas]

I highly recommend The Four Loves by CS Lewis. He describes the basic 4 categories of love and their place in society and the individual.

 

[returntosender]

It comes from the new heart of the new birth in obedience by the Holy Spirit.
You need to be taught Christian doctrine in order to know what your rule of life.

I don't buy it. There are a lot of non Christian that love and give love.

 

[Clare73]

I don't buy it. There are a lot of non Christian that love and give love.

Do they love their enemies?

Christian love does.

 

[returntosender]

I didn't know we were putting a Christian label on the question.

 

[Clare73]

I didn't know we were putting a Christian label on the question.

Christian love is in the Holy Spirit, in submission to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and includes one's enemies.

Non-Christian love is not in the Holy Spirit, not in submission to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and usually does not include one's enemies.

 

[CoreyD]

What has Christianity taught you about love? What is love?

Love is a quality of the heart.
Love is from God. 1 John 4:8 It is a quality of the fruit of God's holy spirit. Galatians 5:22
Love is patient and kind; Love does not envy or boast; Love is not arrogant; Love is not rude, nor is it self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love keeps no account of wrongs; Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; Love never fails.. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is not an emotion or feeling.

 

[honey badger]

If you only love those who love you what have you done ... We truly only understand the nature of love to the extent we have loved in this manner.

 

[Clare73]

Love is a quality of the heart.
Love is from God. 1 John 4:8 It is a quality of the fruit of God's holy spirit. Galatians 5:22
Love is patient and kind; Love does not envy or boast; Love is not arrogant; Love is not rude, nor is it self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love keeps no account of wrongs; Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; Love never fails.. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is not an emotion or feeling.

Note the link between love and truth.