What is Love?

Post Reply
User avatar
kaufmannphillips
Posts: 585
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:00 pm

What is Love?

Post by kaufmannphillips » Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:13 pm

Hello - I am curious to hear other people's understandings of what love is.

(I do not intend to respond on this topic - I want to listen.)

steve7150
Posts: 2597
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:44 am

Re: What is Love?

Post by steve7150 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:28 am

Hello - I am curious to hear other people's understandings of what love is.







Aren't there a couple of songs out there with a similar title. I think generally in our culture love is based on feelings, "you complete me", or "you make me feel loved/safe/wanted/happy/content/fulfilled etc. For parents it's largely instinctual, the desire to protect your kids and guide them and have relationships with them and wanting the best for them.

I think biblically speaking love is more sacrificial like Jesus said the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends. Also faithfulness,loyalty,mercy,justice and of course wanting the best for someone.

Timios
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2014 1:57 pm

Re: What is Love?

Post by Timios » Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:23 pm

I think biblically speaking love is more sacrificial like Jesus said the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends. Also faithfulness,loyalty,mercy,justice and of course wanting the best for someone.
In other words, love is action and not merely feeling. That understanding seems to fit 1 Corinthians 13.

Singalphile
Posts: 903
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:46 pm

Re: What is Love?

Post by Singalphile » Sat Mar 18, 2017 2:43 pm

I don't think I have anything insightful to say, but my comment in another thread might have contributed to the creation of this thread, so I'll respond (and the question is a good one anyway).

So, I guess I'd say that love is when you give up your time or resources for someone else out of a desire to promote his or her well-being.

As I thought of this question, I thought of the beginning of James 2, which states (paraphrasing) that good intentions without action are without profit, and also the beginning of 1 Corinthians 13, which points out that a good deed done without love does not profit the doer.
... that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. John 5:23

User avatar
psimmond
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:31 pm
Location: Sharpsburg, GA
Contact:

Re: What is Love?

Post by psimmond » Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:41 pm

Love = A strong preference. :)
Let me boldly state the obvious. If you are not sure whether you heard directly from God, you didn’t.
~Garry Friesen

Timios
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2014 1:57 pm

Re: What is Love?

Post by Timios » Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:15 pm

As Steve 7150 pointed out, Jesus said:

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 NASB)

User avatar
psimmond
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:31 pm
Location: Sharpsburg, GA
Contact:

Re: What is Love?

Post by psimmond » Sat Apr 01, 2017 10:14 pm

Sacrificial love is the greatest love, but that doesn't mean love is by definition sacrificial.
Let me boldly state the obvious. If you are not sure whether you heard directly from God, you didn’t.
~Garry Friesen

User avatar
willowtree
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2014 1:56 pm
Location: Sooke BC Canada

Re: What is Love?

Post by willowtree » Thu Apr 06, 2017 11:05 pm

Our pastor related this story to emphasize a point in his message. A young missionary couple arrived in Melbourne, Australia, , many years ago, with their young daughter. All were weary when they were met by a group from the church, but one woman among the group took time to meet the young girl and gave to her a rag-doll. The young girl clutched at the doll and over the days, weeks and months to follow kept it with her everywhere she went. They became inseparable. Over the years the affection for the doll remained even as the doll became more ragged and less doll. The pastor made his point this way:
Some things are loved because they are valuable, but other things are valuable because they are loved.

Love, in the second sense, is the voluntary effort to create value in another person or object.

Graem
If you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, always head for the rock. Ps 62..

User avatar
mattrose
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:28 am
Contact:

Re: What is Love?

Post by mattrose » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:49 am

An 'other-oriented' posture that seeks to rightfully honor the 'other'

User avatar
21centpilgrim
Posts: 183
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:17 pm

Re: What is Love?

Post by 21centpilgrim » Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:44 pm

Willingness/desire to bless another even at the expense of oneself.
Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him.

Post Reply

Return to “General Questions”