What is Love?

What is Love? Agape

Biblical love (agape) is an action word not an emotional word. It is about demonstration and not feelings. Agape is self-sacrificial, it is the action of placing others above self. It is the demonstration of Jesus’ life and His sacrifice on the cross.

2 John 6

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

1 John 5:2-3

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

1 John 2:3-6

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

John 14:21

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 15:12-13

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Even when we don’t have the same emotions that we have for loved ones towards our enemies, we can demonstrate Biblical love(agape) towards them with our actions regardless of the feelings being absent.

Matthew 22:36-40

 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The very essence of the Law and the Prophets is to Love God and Love your neighbor. Understanding that the entire Law of God is to Love (agape) and by obeying the commands of God, we are essentially demonstrating our love to God and others.

Romans 13:8-10

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  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.”  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Again, the very essence of the Law, the point and objective of the law is to Love (agape). Because agape love does not commit adultery, agape love does not steal or murder. Agape love does not covet other people’s possession. So Paul, inspired by the commands of God through the Holy Spirit urges us to owe no one anything except obey the commands of God by doing so we are demonstrating our agape love to God and one another.