What is Love, Biblically?

Love is love.

You love who you love.

No doubt, you’ve heard these phrases chattered around.

The world defines and continues to redefine how it sees love.

How does God see it? What’s a biblical view of love? What is love, biblically ?

Love, as described in the Bible, is one of the most profound and fundamental virtues, a cornerstone of Christian faith and living.

In Galatians 5:22-23, love is mentioned as the first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

This passage reveals that love, as a Fruit of the Spirit, is a divine quality that believers should manifest, reflecting the nature of God in their lives.

God’s love is greater than human love. We only manage to capture a measure of what it means to love, biblically.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives us a more detailed description of what love entails: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

This biblical definition of love goes beyond mere feelings or emotions; it is about action and character. It is sacrificial, selfless, and unconditional, mirroring the love God has for us, as He showed us through Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Love is the very foundation upon which Christian ethics are built, guiding believers in their interactions with others and with God. It is through love that the law is fulfilled, as expressed in Romans 13:10, “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

This is where we have so often gone wrong. We miss the “does no harm to a neighbor.” Our words hurt. Our actions harm. To lie is not to love. To love biblically is to be careful with our words and our deeds, caring with dignity for our neighbor in what we say and how we treat them.

Love is not just a part of the Christian life; it is the essence of it, embodying the very nature of God and His intentions for humanity.

Love—defined biblically—far exceeds any human expression of it.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)

Praying for us. We are all works in progress.

You are loved.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™