Living God’s Love

When we were born again, we were born into a wonderful family in which we are sons of God (I John 3:1). In this family, we each have Christ in us, and being filled with holy spirit, we have the God-given ability to love with the love of God (Romans 5:5). Living God’s love is so vital to our lives as Christian believers. 

To help us grow and mature in our understanding of this love, let’s see from God’s Word what it is, why we should live it, and how we can live it.

1. What is God’s love

   
   

I John 4:15,16:

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

There are such great truths here in God’s Word. God is love. His very nature is love. The Greek word for “love” here is agapē, which means divine love, or the love of God. That is what this love is. Agapē love is much greater than human love or romantic love or brotherly love. This agapē love that we have is spiritual. It can only be evidenced by those who are born again of God’s holy spirit. This love has a strength and beauty above any other type of love that has ever existed. I Corinthians 13 is an excellent source for learning more about the rich qualities of agapē love.

This love was demonstrated first and foremost by God Almighty, Who is love.

2. Why should we live God’s love?

   
   

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.

This is why we should live God’s love—because He has so graciously loved us.

I John 4:19:

We love him [God], because he first loved us.

He loved us when we were lost and unlovable, and He loved us into loving. Now we can love with His love as His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, did.

John 13:34,35:

A new commandment I [Jesus] give unto you, That ye love [agapaō] one another; as I have loved [agapaō] you, that ye also love [agapaō] one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love [agapē] one to another.

We want to take the love we have inside and bring it into evidence outwardly. So how do we live this love? Our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, is our greatest example—he loved with God’s love in all that he said and did. He always did the Father’s will. As we look at Jesus Christ’s example in the pages of God’s Word, we discover that we can live God’s love by renewing our minds to put on the mind of Christ, think his thoughts, and walk powerfully in his steps.

Philippians 2:2-5:

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, controlled his thoughts and actions in every situation that he faced. He chose to seek God’s will rather than his own, and he chose to live God’s love in all he did.

We have the God-given ability to walk in God’s love. We know this agapē love we have residing in us is the same divine, spiritual love that God demonstrates. God, Who loved us first, has enriched us with this love. And we can choose to live it as His Son, Jesus Christ, did and walk in the strength and beauty of what we have been given.

So, what does it actually mean to walk in that love day to day? How is God’s love different from normal, human love?

The Bible speaks of human love and brotherly love, using Greek words like philia and philadelphia. Any person can love with philia love, which is basically friendship. However, agapē love is so much more. God’s love can only be manifested by those who are born again of God’s spirit. It has a strength and beauty above any other type of love that ever existed.

Earlier, we read Jesus’ commandment in John 13 to love one another as he loved us. Loving one another with this spiritual love of God became fully possible on the day of Pentecost, when becoming born again of God’s spirit was made available. Now we can actually manifest it.

3. How do we live God’s love in our everyday life?

   
   

I Corinthians 13 shows us exactly what this love looks like in action:

I Corinthians 13:4-6:

Charity [agapē] suffereth long [is long-tempered], and is kind [good, gentle]; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly [has a concern to do things properly, such as good manners], seeketh not her own [is not selfish], is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.

Showing God’s love means we practice patience and are kind. We aren’t selfish. We display good manners. We are not thinking evil, but rather, we are endeavoring to think only good of others according to God’s Word. Human love, philia, doesn’t always line up with these characteristics, but God’s love certainly does.

When we live God’s love with one another, it unites God’s believing family and draws others who also want God’s love. Our human families are made up of many parts—father, mother, sister, brother, and so on. When we’re born again, we become part of God’s spiritual family with Jesus Christ as our big brother and God as our heavenly Father. God’s Word tells us in Colossians 3 that living God’s love is the bond of perfectness.

Colossians 3:14:

And above all these things put on charity [agapē, the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation], which is the bond of perfectness.

Agapē love is the bond of perfectness. It binds. It holds tight. This love ties God’s family together and shows others the limitless beauty and strength of God’s love. Others see how we care for one another in our spiritual family. They see how connected and united we are, and some will want to become a part of God’s family.

Living God’s love with one another takes renewing our minds. We’ve seen what God’s love is—it is divine love, not human love. It is the love that God Almighty loved us with and gave us so that we could love Him and others. In showing God’s love we practice long-suffering, kindness, unselfishness, and good manners. We want to live God’s love because God’s family is known by His love, and this love wins others to God. Let’s live that love, being powerful witnesses to the world as we hold God’s Word in mind and act on it.