God is love (1 John 4:8)
This is the key to understanding love.
IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LOVE IS LIKE WE NEED ONLY TO STUDY WHAT GOD IS LIKE. WE LEARN THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT LOVE IS GOOD BY LOOKING AT THE WAYS IN WHICH GOD IS GOOD.
8 WAYS THAT LOVE IS GOOD
IT IS MELTING AND TRANSFORMING
(Therefore if any man [be] in Christ , [he is] a new creature : old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5: 17) (But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Corinthians 3:18)
Love works not for profit nor reward..It is diffusive in its nature and quiet in its operation, yet strong and mighty in its purpose to overcome great evils. It is melting and transforming in its influence.. Love softens and beautifies its object and its subject; both the giver and the receiver.
IT IS HUMBLE
(Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: Matthew 11: 29) (Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4)
One of the chief characteristics of true love is humility.
It is not puffed up. (1 CORINTHIANS 13:4) This means having a modest estimate of oneself. Not a high estimate nor a low estimate of one’s personal value.
IT IS SIMPLE
(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. John 3:16) (Except ye be converted , and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3)
Pure love is simple in its operations and is distinct from any other principle of action.
Simple - easy to understand or to do.
When the principle of pure love is working in a person’s heart, that person is not confusing or complicated to understand.
IT IS CALM, DEEP, WISE AND UNDERSTANDING
(Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: Mark 10:21) (Great [is] our Lord, and of great power: his understanding [is] infinite. Psalms 147: 5)
True love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion. On the contrary, it is calm and deep in its nature. It looks beyond mere externals, and is attracted by qualities alone. It is wise and discriminating, and its devotion is real and abiding.
Is there such a thing as love at first sight ?
True love has an intellectual basis,
a deep thorough knowledge of the object loved.-1
-1 (As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: John 10:15) (But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 1 Corinthians 8:3) (He that loveth not knoweth not God; 1 John 4:8) (I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. John 10:14)
You may have heard of the phrase, “love at first sight”. It is not possible to have a deep thorough knowledge of someone whom you have just met or seen for the first time without prior correspondence or communication with that person. A deep thorough knowledge of someone can only be gained during frequent sessions of quality time with that person by deliberate and consistent planning for it. Knowledge of someone places them in our thoughts. Thoughts and feelings are closely connected. If the thoughts are rightly disciplined, it will be a far less difficult task to control the feelings. If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong.
When a deep, thorough knowledge of the object loved does not supply the thoughts, the intellectual basis for true love cannot be established. However, real feelings can be established quite easily and will sometimes act as a substitute for the intellectual basis. A false love experience based exclusively on those feelings will usually follow.
By the grace of God, we will continue to study these things in another post. I hope you are tremendously blessed this weekend.
T.K.