The Kind of Love that Comes from God

“Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8

Love which is from the world is different than love from God. The world tends to experience love as a sexual feeling that is based on a person’s emotions. However, Christian love that comes from God is based on His character. This kind of love is given to people who are born again. When someone is born again by accepting Jesus as their Savior, God changes their way of thinking to allow them to act in a godly way. Loving others like God does takes spiritual intervention meaning God provides people with help to do it. Help comes from the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18). He is there to help believers in their weaknesses if they struggle to love others (Romans 8:26).

When we love others, it shows that we are God’s people. It can also reflect to others how God really loves. He is love and the main source of it. Not only is this true of God, but also of all who love and have been born again. Loving others involves doing things for them despite their differences, problems or past conflicts with them. Jesus did it with people who hurt Him. However, He still loved them. Jesus loved people by praying for them, healing them and offered His life to save them from the penalty of their sins.

If love that we experience in this world is more physical than based on a biblical definition of love, we should rethink the definition of it in our life. Biblical love should define a Christian’s main actions of love. Here are some great Bible verses a Christian can apply to their lives:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

“We love because God first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19

“May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Prayer of the day:

Dear heavenly Father,

You are example of perfect love. Your love is shown from what Jesus did and His sacrifice on the cross. He did it to show how much He loves You, God. He also did it to show that He loves people. There is no greater love than when someone lays down His life for a friend (John 15:13). We are your friends, God, but it is all possible because of what Jesus did. His actions show how much God really loves those who confess Jesus is Lord of their lives. In His precious name we pray, Amen!