A Biblical Look At Love

[Osage Bluestem]

Here is a bunch of scriptures on love. I went through the bible and compiled them today. I hope someone is blessed though them.

http://osagebluestem.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/a-biblical-look-at-love/

 

[Skandelon]

Great verses! I LOVE them.

I have a thought on this, but wanted to get other's perspective. Why do you think Paul wrote, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love," considering that we are saved, "by grace through faith?"

 

[Cypress]

Thanks!!!!! Was blessed to read them all together.:love2:

 

[Osage Bluestem]

Great verses! I LOVE them.

Indeed.

I have a thought on this, but wanted to get other's perspective. Why do you think Paul wrote, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love," considering that we are saved, "by grace through faith?"

Well, I think that grace and faith are the conduits through which we are saved because that's how God has chosen to apply the atonement, but the reason we are saved is because of God's love for us.

John 3:16 ESV
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

 

[Skandelon]

Indeed.



Well, I think that grace and faith are the conduits through which we are saved because that's how God has chosen to apply the atonement, but the reason we are saved is because of God's love for us.

John 3:16 ESV
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Totally agree, but in the Corinthian passage it appears he is speaking about our love, rather than God's love for us...though I think even those are connected of course.

But, could it be the difference between the "faith" that demons have (ref. James) and saving faith which is marked by love of God? In other words, faith without love is meaningless, right?

 

[convicted1]

Totally agree, but in the Corinthian passage it appears he is speaking about our love, rather than God's love for us...though I think even those are connected of course.

But, could it be the difference between the "faith" that demons have (ref. James) and saving faith which is marked by love of God? In other words, faith without love is meaningless, right?

Bro. Skan,

When I read this post, this passage came to my mind...I know, thats scaaaaaary:

1 Cor. 13:1 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.

So without love, we can not be saved. When we are again/born from above, we are born with love, and this love is placed inside us. It does not always come out the way we'd like for it to, buth nevertheless, it's there!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

[Osage Bluestem]

Totally agree, but in the Corinthian passage it appears he is speaking about our love, rather than God's love for us...though I think even those are connected of course.

But, could it be the difference between the "faith" that demons have (ref. James) and saving faith which is marked by love of God? In other words, faith without love is meaningless, right?

Well, demons don't have faith. They believe because they know it's true because they have seen firsthand with much more knowledge than we possess.

So, they certainly believe indeed, but they don't have faith. They are in opposition to God and know that there is no plan of salvation for them, nor do they want one. They are against God and do not love him, they hate him actually.

For a human, that has faith he will have love because anyone born of God loves. If there is no love that person isn't born again and if he isn't born again he cannot have faith.

1 John 3:14 ESV
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

1 John 4:19 ESV
19 We love because he first loved us.

 

[Skandelon]

Good point, Willis.

Which means that someone can have faith in God but not love God. Just as the people in Romans 1 "knew God" (which would require a measure of faith). Or Matt 7 when Jesus declared that many will cry out "Lord, Lord" which requires a measure of faith, but because they did not "know God" (relational love) they were turned away.

So, is it that we are saved by grace through faith alone, or is faith the means through which we relate to God and come to love him? Like the way we "fall in love" with people, we relate to them, laugh with them, cry with them, get to know them and come to love them over time. Faith in God that doesn't become a love relationship is no better than what the demons have.

 

[Skandelon]

Well, demons don't have faith. They believe because they know it's true because they have seen firsthand with much more knowledge than we possess.

I'm not disagreeing, but would that mean the apostles who saw Christ first hand don't have "faith" by that same reasoning?

I agree with everything you said, just looking for clarity on this point.

 

[freeatlast]

Great verses! I LOVE them.

I have a thought on this, but wanted to get other's perspective. Why do you think Paul wrote, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love," considering that we are saved, "by grace through faith?"

Without love there would be no grace.

 

[Skandelon]

Without love there would be no grace.

Very true! But, that's God's love. My question was more in relation to our love since that seems to be the point Paul is making in this chapter.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I'm not disagreeing, but would that mean the apostles who saw Christ first hand don't have "faith" by that same reasoning?

I agree with everything you said, just looking for clarity on this point.

John 20:28-29 ESV
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The apostles are human and did indeed have faith. They were used by God as the eyewitnesses who spread the word and built the church.

Ephesians 2:19-20 ESV
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Demons aren't human. They are spirits. They have seen God and rejected him. We have not seen him but love him anyway, because of his grace.

 

[freeatlast]

Very true! But, that's God's love. My question was more in relation to our love since that seems to be the point Paul is making in this chapter.

While I agree that Paul was seeking to pojnt that church to love I also feel he is using the Love of God to make the point. He uses the word for God love "agape" which is where we are to come instead of the type of love that we usually associate with.