THE CHRISTIAN LOVE – A SIGN OF LIFE

Love is a universal concept. It is something everyone knows about. However, each of us seem to have our own understanding of it, and our own interpretation of it. For example – I love my car, and I take good care of it. A thief also loves my car, and he too wants to take good care of it. Herein is the difference that we miss. The issue at heart is moral and ethical. This differentiates between the right and the wrong. This means, we can love something very dearly, but it could be wrong, immoral, unethical and certainly illegal too.

So what is love, and how do we measure it? To what universal and righteous standard can we compare and measure our love? The Bible tells us that God is love. Therefore, God becomes the standard for the love.
– “8…God is love.” – 1 John 4:8b
– “16…God is love…” – 1 John 4:16b

WHAT KIND OF LOVE DOES GOD OF THE BIBLE DEMONSTRATE?
If God is love, then He should be conducting Himself in a certain manner. That certain manner of conduct becomes our standard for love. For this, we have to know “What Kind of Love Does God of the Bible Demonstrate.”
– “9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this 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 also ought to love one another.” – 1 John 4:9-11
– “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
– “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

The above is the standard of love, as prescribed by God Almighty, and clearly demonstrated in and through the life of the LORD Jesus Christ, our Master and our Redeemer. This is why the Bible declares to all who care to hear, to…
1-LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS
2-LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR AS OURSELVES
3-LOVE OUR ENEMIES, and NOT HATE THEM.
– “37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40
– “27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.” – Luke 6:27-29

LOVE IS THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW
When we follow this love which the Bible talks about, we fulfill the law of God. This tells us that the love that Bible speaks about is righteous love.
– “14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:14
– “8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” – Romans 13:8-10

WHAT IS CHRISTIAN LOVE? HOW DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Paul writing to the Christians at Corinth, in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, expounds to them about this love from heaven, and how it looks like, and how it feels like. Whoever we may be, and whatever may be our general status, if we do not have this Christian Love in us, then we amount to NOTHING…yes, zero would be our worth.
– “​1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging 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, but have not love, I am nothing.”
– “3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”

Paul then goes on further in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, to define this DIVINE LOVE, in practical and tangible terms, so that we comprehend it well, and would implement it in our lives.
– “4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails…” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Now since we have a comprehensive view of this love, which the Bible talks about, let us ask ourselves, “How do we measure up against it?” Answering this question is important. There has to be a clear and demonstrable sign of this Christian Love taking root in us, and growing steadily.

We may have shortcomings and failures in loving like our LORD. Despite the shortcomings, we should not be discouraged and disheartened. Instead, we should earnestly seek the LORD, and ask Him to help us to love others, just like how He loves. This is critical for us, as being His disciples. We are called to love like our LORD, because “THE CHRISTIAN LOVE” is “A SIGN OF CHRISTIAN LIFE” – So where do we stand in regards to divine love, this morning?