What is godly love?
To some it is a emotion, feeling or an act of duty / obedience.
Indeed there is both human love and then there is godly love.
I am sure many people will have many different descriptions of these two types but why not seek the answer from the one who really counts.......Creator of the universe and His eternal word!
By reading Gods word we can know that human love seeks always to do what we humans feel we need and want to make us happy in our flesh.
Romans 8:8 tells us we cant please God in the flesh.
While godly love does what is eternally right and what glorifies God in the end.
Since God has made known His desire and ways for mankind (including love) what does the holy word say about it?
Exodus 20:6
but showing mercy to thousands, to those who
love Me and keep My commandments.
Leviticus 19:18
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall
love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Psalm 11:7
For the LORD is righteous, He
loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
Psalm 97:10
You who
love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 119:165
Great peace have those who
love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble
Proverbs 21:17
He who
loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who
loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Amos 5:15
Hate evil,
love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Matthew 5:44
But I say to you,
love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Matthew 10:37
He who
loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who
loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 24:12
And because lawlessness will abound, the
love of many will grow cold.
John 12:43
for they
loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
John 15:13
Greater
love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would
love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
1 Corinthians 13:3
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not
love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy;
love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
1 Corinthians 16:22
If anyone does not
love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
Ephesians 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great
love with which He
loved us
Ephesians 5:2
And walk in
love, as Christ also has
loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Ephesians 5:25
Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ also
loved the church and gave Himself for her
1 Timothy 1:5
Now the purpose of the commandment is
love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
1 Timothy 6:10
For the
love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith,
love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 3:2
For men will be
lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
1 Peter 1:22
[
The Enduring Word ] Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere
love of the brethren,
love one another fervently with a pure heart,
1 John 5:2
By this we know that we
love the children of God, when we
love God and keep His commandments.
Revelation 3:19
As many as I
love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent
What kind of love do you practice today ... godly or human? By studying the Word and matching yourself to it you will be in line with His ways and learn how to love eternally and not just in the flesh.
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