Have you ever been tempted to ask God what is the greatest attribute: inspiration, truth, knowledge, or faith? Have you ever longed for more inspiration, more truth, more knowledge, more faith? Have you ever focused on inspiration, truth, knowledge, or faith? Have you ever been justifiably proud of your inspiration, your truth, your knowledge, or your faith? If so, you may have missed the love of God.
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love26 others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love26 others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body [to be burned], I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love26 others, I would have gained nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
This love26 of God is so special that God had to use a new word to describe it. The common word for “love” in Greek was éros, which primarily meant love and appreciation of beauty, from which we get the modern English “erotic.” In contrast, the love of God is described with the Greek word agápe, which was used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one’s children, feelings for a spouse, and preferring to hold someone in high regard. This love of God is translated in the New Testament as love, charity, benevolence, good will, and esteem.
Love26 is patient and kind. Love26 is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love26 never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34-35)
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:8-9)
And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:5)
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, love you me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. (John 21:15-17)
And he answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27)
As James reminds us, the love of God is the most important concept ever…
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:19-27)