What is Love?...the Wayfarer 6/27/19

What is Love?
  6/27/19

1 Corinthians 13 King James Version (KJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This scripture is used regularly by many in the marriage ceremony, which is itself the expression of love and commitment that unites a man and a woman with vows taken before God intended to last throughout the lives of those participating.

Many sermons have been given, using it as a basis definining what love should be between men and God and between all men.

Unfortunately the hearer seems to forget the words as soon as the sermon is completed, or the ceremony concludes, lives shared beginning, unity supposedly beginning between those sharing vows or listening to the sermon given.

Paul began this chapter of scripture stating the importance of having faith, hope and charity, (love), exceeding other "gifts" considered to be important to the worshipper, as being worth far more than any other that is given.

Indeed, he placed the value of that love above life itself, as it should be, life holding no vlue whatsoever without that love that is being defined.

The importnce of that love comes with existence, in the womb before birth as the unborn child is aware of that love, or lack of it even before birth.

It continues in the development of the character of the child, as it is shown or witheld, defining who that child will become and which values are held by him throughout life from birth to death.

All knowledge, all faith itself, are defined by hving and holding that love, or by the failure to love aught but self.

Action taken to impress the world is meaningless, void of value unless that action is taken with true compassion, true love given without regard to wheter the world is impressed or not.

Love, real love endures throughout hard times, unchanged by the assault comes from interference of men and man's ideas, despite petty jealousy, false accusation or allegation intended to destroy that love.

Love is shown through the kindness exhibited despite provocation to the contrary.

Love is expressed in the joy of the success of those around us rather than finding fault with that success as long as that success is founded in Christ Jesus rather than the world.

Love is not found in merely repeating those three words, ( I love you.), that are either meaningless and intended only for gain, but are, instead, repeated, time and again in action.

Love, real  love, far exceeds the lusts of men extending itself to the needs that may only be filled through the care given the souls of those we claim to love.

John 13:34-35 King James Version (KJV)

³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jesus, while preparing the disciples for what was to come gave them and us a single commandment that, if followed would solve all differences or any problems ever to be encountered by men, a single commandment that, if heeded and followed would assure that all other commandments given could and would be followed simply by following and adhering to that one all important commandment to "Love one another".

John 15:13-17 King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Loving means sacrifice, both material and physical when the need arises.

Soldiers caught up in the terror of combat must be willing to make physical sacrifice if those loved ones at home are to be kept safe.
Sacrifice must be made by parents for children and by children for parents as well as life cycles through the stages of growth and age.

Sacrifice must be made by both husband and wife for any marriage to succeed.(that sacrifice is called Love!"

The same holds true of those defending Faith and Christianity itself.

Faith undefended is not faith at all, if one truly IS Christian, (a disciple, or follower of Christ), then there can be no denial of faith for physical existence  or material wealth as is so often seen in societies such as our own, that still maintain verbally to be "Christian."

Honoring Christ with lip-service is far different than honoring Him by truly adhering to that single commandment given us.

There are no "shades of love", it is either extant or does not exist at all.
That "simple" commandment is far more complex than merely giving that lip-service.

John 3:16-19 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Jesus ' own love extended to all mankind, all men and women, whether they were willing to accept that love and its terms or not.

The  16th verse, so often quoted, is followed with the reminder that most, when given a choice of that love, or clinging to man's own machinations, will result in a majority refusing the gift that He gave us.

God's love for us, His willing sacrifice of His only Begotten, is so great that it results in the possibility of eternal life, eternal joy, eternal peace, none of which is attainable through following man's precepts.

Man is not, and never will be God!

God is God,and only His three personages is, or ever shall be God!

1 john 4:7-21

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ¹⁰ Herein 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 ought also to love one another. ¹² No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

¹³ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. ¹⁵ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ¹⁷ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love him, because he first loved us. ²⁰ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
The answer to the title question is, or should be,  by now, apparent to any willing to hear and see.
GOD is Love.
Diminishing the meaning of love by attempting to define it in mans faulty terms  would diminish God Himself.

God the Father is Love.
It is Love that created us, and all things created for us.
God the Son is Love.
It is through Hisblood sacrifice that allows us to bask in the light of our Father forever, and only by and through that sacrifice is that possible.
God the Holy ghost leads us to the required conviction that allows repentance, and it is only through His Love that we may come to the realization of that need.

It is God's Love that we are commanded to share with one another, and only that love is adequate.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer