What is love?
God is love. Love is spiritual. The carnal (unsaved) person relies on a physical connection to the things of life and therefore perceives that love is what one can feel. Love is not a feeling. God is love and there is no love apart from him (1 John 4:7-8). The giving of love is an attribute of God.
The unsaved person does not have love because they don't have God. Those who are saved and that walk in the flesh (Galatians 5) do not access the love living inside them. The Christian even though they live in the Spirit (have the Holy Spirit living in them) must walk in the Spirit to access that love. Walking in the Spirit is a decision. We decide to yield ourselves and our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ (Chart 2). By choosing Christ, we decide to choose love and to love. We receive love from God and release that love unto others (Chart 1). We then are a catalyst or a funnel for God’s love to flow through. When we love someone we seek the other person’s highest good. It is a decision to give discipline, affection, provision, compassion, or what ever is needed for that person at that moment.
This is the definition of love: Love is God. That is who He is. He is the highest good. Love is a noun until He demonstrates it. When love flows from God as an attribute, it is a verb. The highest good is given.
When we choose to love, then it is God flowing through a believer to do the other person's highest good. Therefore, when we give love it is directly from Him and is for the intent of the other person's highest good.
The unsaved person does not have love because they don't have God. Those who are saved and that walk in the flesh (Galatians 5) do not access the love living inside them. The Christian even though they live in the Spirit (have the Holy Spirit living in them) must walk in the Spirit to access that love. Walking in the Spirit is a decision. We decide to yield ourselves and our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ (Chart 2). By choosing Christ, we decide to choose love and to love. We receive love from God and release that love unto others (Chart 1). We then are a catalyst or a funnel for God’s love to flow through. When we love someone we seek the other person’s highest good. It is a decision to give discipline, affection, provision, compassion, or what ever is needed for that person at that moment.
This is the definition of love: Love is God. That is who He is. He is the highest good. Love is a noun until He demonstrates it. When love flows from God as an attribute, it is a verb. The highest good is given.
When we choose to love, then it is God flowing through a believer to do the other person's highest good. Therefore, when we give love it is directly from Him and is for the intent of the other person's highest good.
What about feelings? We are physical beings and have emotions. They are okay to have from the right decision. The right decision is bringing our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ and choosing to walk in the Spirit, thus making the right appropriate decision for the situation at hand. Then right feelings follow this decision.
Unfortunately, people misconstrue feelings of dedication, loyalty, compassion, infatuation, etc. for feelings of love. Love simply is not a feeling; it is an attribute of God.
See: Who God is: Love video
Unfortunately, people misconstrue feelings of dedication, loyalty, compassion, infatuation, etc. for feelings of love. Love simply is not a feeling; it is an attribute of God.
See: Who God is: Love video