Love, nature of

Scripture offers an understanding of the source, character and value of love, based on the nature and actions of God.

God is the source of love

His very character is love

1 John 4:7–8 See also 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:19

Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

The love of God is revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ

1 John 3:16, 1 John 4:10 See also John 15:13; Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:25

By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Love is part of the Holy Spirit's fruit

Galatians 5:22 See also Romans 5:5, Romans 15:30; Colossians 1:8

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

The loving-kindness of God referred to in the OT

Jeremiah 31:3 See also Exodus 15:13, Exodus 34:6; 2 Chronicles 6:42; Psalm 6:4, Psalm 32:10, Psalm 51:1, Psalm 107:43; Isaiah 54:10, Isaiah 63:7; Lamentations 3:22; Hosea 2:19

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion.

The love of God in the NT

To describe God's love for humanity

John 3:16 See also John 5:42, John 15:10; Romans 8:39; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:4; Hebrews 12:6; 1 John 3:1

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

To describe love for God

Luke 10:27; John 14:21, John 21:15; Romans 8:28; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:8; 1 John 5:3

To describe brotherly love

John 13:35; Romans 13:8; 1 Corinthians 16:24; 2 Corinthians 8:8; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 2:2; Philemon 1:5

To describe love expressed by eating together

2 Peter 2:13; Jude 1:12

To describe love in a negative sense

Luke 11:43; John 3:19, John 12:43; 2 Timothy 4:10; 2 Peter 2:15; 1 John 2:15

Characteristics of love

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 See also Romans 12:9; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 4:18

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.

Love is shown by deeds

1 John 3:17–18 See also John 14:15, John 14:23; Romans 5:8, Romans 14:15; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 4:9, 1 John 5:2–3; 2 John 1:6; 3 John 1:5–6

If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

The pre-eminence of love

1 Corinthians 13:13 See also Matthew 22:37–39 parallel Mark 12:29–31; Romans 13:9–10; 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:3; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 3:17–19; Colossians 3:14; 2 Peter 1:7; 1 John 2:10

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.