The Nature of Love: Moving Beyond Choice in Christian Faith

Love is More Than a Choice: Understanding the Nature of Love

Love is a word that is often thrown around in our culture. We use the word to express our affection towards many things, from ice cream to our favorite sports team. However, the concept of love is much deeper and more profound than what our culture portrays it to be.

As Christians, we are called to love others, but what does that mean? Is love simply a choice that we make, or is it something more? In this article, we will explore the nature of love and how it goes beyond just being a choice.

The Nature of Love

Love is a central theme in the Bible, and it is often described as the greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love is not just a feeling or an emotion, but it is an action. Love is a sacrificial commitment to the well-being of others. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Love is willing to lay down its own desires and preferences for the sake of others.

Love is a Fruit of the Spirit

In Galatians 5:22-23, love is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit. This means that love is not something that we can produce on our own, but it is something that is produced in us by the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we are called to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh (Galatians 5:16). This means that we must allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of love in our lives. Love is not just a choice that we make, but it is a result of our relationship with God.

Love is a Commandment

Jesus commands us to love one another (John 13:34). This is not a suggestion or a recommendation, but it is a commandment. We are called to love others, not just when it is easy or convenient, but at all times.

In Romans 13:8-10, Paul says, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one 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 covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Love is not just a feeling or an emotion, but it is a commandment that we are called to obey.

Love is a Reflection of God’s Character

1 John 4:8 tells us that “God is love.” Love is not just something that God does, but it is who He is. When we love others, we are reflecting the character of God.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul describes what love looks like. Love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not arrogant, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Love rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

When we love others in this way, we are reflecting the character of God.

The Importance of Love

Love is an essential aspect of the Christian life. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

Without love, our actions are meaningless. We can have all the knowledge, faith, and works in the world, but if we do not have love, we are nothing. Love is the foundation of our relationship with God and with others.

Conclusion

Love is more than just a choice. It is a fruit of the Spirit, a commandment, a reflection of God’s character, and an essential aspect of the Christian life. As we walk in the Spirit, we allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of love in our lives. When we love others sacrificially, we are reflecting the character of God and fulfilling the greatest commandment.

May we strive to love others as God has loved us, not just with our words, but with our actions.