The Greatest of These Is Love

“LOVE” is the subject of movies, books and conversations in every language of the world. An old song proclaims, “What the world needs now, is love, sweet love!” In the midst of hatred and division many are calling for people to “love one another.” God says a lot about love in His Word, in fact, God is the author of love! So what’s the problem? SIN!! Love, at least the love God talks about in His Word, flows from one source: God Himself. God’s love is the template, the example for our love for Him and our love for others. The ability to love others as God loves us is a “spiritual gift” that only those who are born again by the very Spirit of God possess. It is a love that honors God and exalts the name of Jesus, and it is a love that builds up the Church, the Body of Christ and that reaches out to others in the name of Jesus to offer forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The “love” to which disciples of Jesus are called is a selfless love that is willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the glory of the God who first loved us and who demonstrates His love in the giving of His own Son on the cross. Without THIS love, a love produced by the Spirit of God within believers, I am nothing. Without THIS love, I am just making noise and I gain nothing of value. It is only when you know the love of God in Christ that THIS love will flow from you. “So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love!”