Love is one of the most powerful words in the world. It can melt hearts, bind souls, and last forever. But what does love mean? Do you really know what love is? Learn the 23 behaviors of true love found in the Bible.
What is love? Would you be able to recognize true love if you saw it?
Love deeper than ever with these Biblical traits of true love. Click To TweetActually, there are four kinds of love that exist in the world today. Each love is powerful and has its place! But only one of them, lasts for ever.
1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
“Love” is a word that is often used but rarely understood.
Love is more than kind words, strong emotions, and good intentions. Love is not a state of being. In English, love is most often used as an action verb. What does love do??
Do you really know what love is? What does love look like? How does it act? Love deeper than ever with these Biblical traits of true love.
1. Love Cares
John 11:36 “Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”
This is the most recognizable aspect of love.
2. Love Thinks
Psalm 119:97 “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”
Love begins in the heart and continues in the mind. How you think about your loved one will determine the depth, breadth, and length of your love.
3. Love Forgives
Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strifes: But love covereth all sins.”
Love is more interested in salvaging the relationship tha punishing sin. Make no mistake! Sin must be judged, yet love finds a way. Calvary is the greatest example of this truth.
4. Love Declares
Song of Solomon 2:4 “He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.”
True love is not ashamed of its object. Love lets everyone know where its affections lie.
5. Love Continues
Song of Solomon 8:6 “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as the grave: The coals thereof are coals of fire, Which hath a most vehement flame.”
Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
True love empowered by God never fails. Even the binds of earthly love are strong. Who can forget their first “love” (crush)?
6. Love Gives
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Lust takes selfishly. Love gives freely. Enough said.
7. Love Hates
Psalm 119:113 “I hate vain thoughts: But thy law do I love.”
Psalm 97:10 “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”
This truth is overlooked and underestimated. If you love flowers, you will hate weeds. Love and hate go hand in hand. Love hates the things that hurt or destroy the object of love.
8. Love Obeys
John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
2 John 6 “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
God accepts love through obedience. Do we not desire to please those we love?
9. Love Teaches
John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”
Love shares knowledge for the betterment of the loved.
10. Love Sacrifices
John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Love surrenders rights and sacrifices self for the needs of the loved.
11. Love Provides
John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”
Love happily supplies needs and appropriate wants.
12. Love Proclaims
Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Love is not ashamed of its object. It will tell anyone who will listen of its affection and commitment. There is no fear in love.
13. Love Proves
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Love proves its veracity by actions. Love is not only words, but also deeds.
14. Love Empowers
Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Love strives for the success of its object. It will provide encouragement and resources as support.
15. Love Protects
Romans 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Love will die for its subject. No price is too high to protect the loved.
16. Love Prepares
1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Love paves the way for victory. It thinks through needs and obstacles clearing a path for triumph.
17. Love Confirms
2 Corinthians 2:8 “Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”
Is there any such thing as secret love? Yes, but the Bible states that open rebuke is better. (Proverbs 27:5) Unexpressed love is a tragedy.
18. Love Constrains
2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”
Love has limits and restrictions. To say “yes” to one is to say “no” to all others. Love motivates action to please the loved.
19. Love Comforts
Philippians 2:1 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,”
Love desires the best for its object. It hurts when the loved one hurts. It seeks to ease pain and provide solace.
20. Love Labors
1 Thessalonians 1:3 “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”
Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Love is not lazy. It does what is necessary for the benefit of the loved. Love views work as honorable and noble.
21. Love Supports
1 John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
Love cannot sit idly by as its object suffers. It will move with compassion.
22. Love Shows
1 John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
Love is not empty platitudes. It is an action verb. It shows in the words and deeds.
23. Love Wins
1 John 4:17 “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Love is a powerful force! It conquers sin and breaks chains. It is a language that every human understands.
Everything we do should be baptized in love. Love wins!
Conclusion
Now that you know what love means, you will recognize it when you see it. Even better, you can give it with God’s help.
We can never love to our true potential until we accept God’s love for us through salvation in Jesus Christ. He teaches us what is divine love and how to express it to others.
These qualities allow you to provide the deepest and fullest love possible to your loved ones.
This is how God loves us and how He teaches us to love others. Pray daily that God’s love will flow through you to the world around you.
Which one do you think is the most important? the least understood?
Leave a comment below.