Love: The Biblical and Essential Meaning of the Word

To know how true love feels and looks, we have to know the true Source of it.

Have you ever asked the eternal question, what is love?

What does it feel and look like?

How does it feel to be loved entirely and genuinely?

Have you ever wondered if you will ever experience it?

If I tell you you can and you will, will you believe me?

Allow me to introduce you to Someone who can do it just as you are, with no judgment and no holds barred. 

What is Love?

Perhaps one of the most complex things in life that people try to understand is love.

How do we define it, and how do we perceive it?

What does God say about it, and how does the Bible define it?

What is love according to human standards?

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines love as a constant or intense feeling of affection towards another person.

It is perhaps the simplest way to describe it.

But if you try to search for the meaning online, you will get various definitions.

It seems that every person has a different interpretation of it.

Maybe this is why some people keep searching for it from one relationship to another and still can’t find it.

The way one person looks at it might be different from the other. 

In Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages, he discusses how every person has a different way of giving and receiving love.

Learning these love languages is said to help maintain relationships.

This not only applies to romantic relationships but also to families, parent-to-child or child-to-parent relationships. 

So, if we try to define it by human standards, we won’t get just one answer because the way one person wants to be loved and how they show it is different from the next. 

Definition of love according to the Bible

While love can seem complicated, the Bible is straightforward about it. 

1 John 3:16 tells us that the way to know is when Jesus gave His life for us.

As His followers, we are to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

Simply put, the Bible tells us it is about sacrifice and selflessness. 

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a more detailed version of love from a biblical perspective.

What it is and what it’s not.

It teaches us that love shows kindness and patience and how not to be envious or easily angered.

It also teaches us that it doesn’t bear grudges or delight when bad things happen to others but rejoices when justice and truth win.

While the world teaches us that it means prioritizing our own needs, God’s Word teaches us that it is not self-seeking but putting others first. 

The biblical and essential meaning of love

While many verses in the Bible talk about love, the most significant and influential meaning is this:  

God is love

God doesn’t just merely love; He is love.

It is His being, His character, prioritizing, and, therefore, the source of it.

He is the only one who can do it fully and ideally because it is who God is.

If we do not know God, we will not know how it is genuinely.

1 John 4:8 says that anyone who doesn’t love doesn’t know the Lord.

By understanding and drawing near to God, we will learn to do it as He does. 

1 John 4:16 tells us that God is love, and when we live in it, God also lives in us.

When we finally learn and understand the truth of God’s love, we can then know how it is to do it to others.  

Bible Verses About Love

The Bible teaches us about love in various scriptures.

We previously mentioned the “chapter of love,” 1 Corinthians 13.

Here are a few more endearing and powerful verses about it:

1 John 3:17-18

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Loving is not only about saying it but showing it in truth and action.

If we see someone in need and say we pity them and do nothing to help them when we can, that is not love. 

1 John 4:19

“We love because he first loved us.”

We can be loving because God loved us first. 

1 Peter 4:8

“Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

The scripture tells us to love each other deeply because love makes us willing to forgive plenty of sins. 

John 15:13

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

The most extraordinary kind is giving his life for his friends. 

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God loved us, the world, so much that He gave His only Son to suffer and die on our behalf.

It is so that whoever believes in Christ can have a life of eternity with Him. 

1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

There is no fear wherever God’s love is because His perfect love drives away fear. 

1 Corinthians 16:14

“Do everything in love.”

It should be the driving force of everything we do. 

Colossians 3:14

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

The most significant thing to do in our new life in Christ is to love one another.

Everything is held together in perfect unity by this command. 

What are the Different Kinds of Love?

The Ancient Greeks have different names for love, each about its type or kind. 

Agape

Agape is perhaps the highest form of love.

It pertains to the kind that God has for man and that man has for God.

It describes the selfless and unconditional love of the Lord for humanity. 

Eros

Eros is a passionate or romantic love named after the Greek god of fertility.

It is dangerous because it is also described as wanton. 

Philia

Philia is the friendship type of love.

It is described to be platonic or devoid of physical attraction. 

Storge

Storge is the kind of love that shows natural affection among family members.

It is the kind that parents express to their children or children to their parents.

It can also be described as patriotism, allegiance, or loyalty to the same team. 

Philautia

Philautia pertains to self-love.

It stems from the notion that we must learn to be mindful of ourselves before caring for others. 

Xenia

Love in the concept or idea of hospitality is called Xenia.

Sometimes, it is also translated to or called “guest-friendship.”

It’s the kind that shows hospitality or generosity towards guests or foreigners. 

Whom Should We Love?

Human logic tells us that we should only love those who choose to do so for us.

However, the Word of God contains a different command about whom we should love.

It may defy reason, but Isaiah 55:9 says that God’s ways and thoughts are always higher than ours.

That is why, for us to understand it, we must experience it first. 

Love God

It is the Lord’s number one and greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

We are to love God with everything we have: all our minds, hearts, souls, and might.  

Loving God means knowing Him, desiring Him, prioritizing Him, worshipping Him, and obeying Him. 

It’s hard to be loving without knowing the person first.

It will be hard for us to understand this without knowing the Lord, more so His commandments.

That is why we need to spend time reading His Word. 

Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate on the scriptures day and night to keep His commands.

Psalm 119:11 also says to hide God’s Word in our hearts to keep us from sinning against Him. 

Loving God means worshipping and praising Him.

Luke 4:8 says that God should be the only One we worship and serve.

Praise and worship do not only mean singing songs about Him; they should be a lifestyle.

It means that whatever we do, we do it to glorify the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31). 

Putting God first means that we will obey and surrender to Him in every aspect of our life.

It truly means loving Him with all our minds, hearts, might, and soul.

1 Samuel 15:22 says that the Lord delights in obedience rather than sacrifice.

He desires for us to follow Him because He knows what’s best for us. 

Love your Neighbours

What does it mean to love our neighbors?

The second command of the Lord, as it says in Mark 12:31, is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Admittedly, it is a hard commandment to follow, especially when it comes to loving difficult people.

That is why we have to understand and experience God’s loving character first before sharing this with others

Once we experience it, we know that His love is filled with grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.

It is the same kind of love we are to show our neighbors and is the mark of faithful followers of Christ (John 13:34-35). 

Love your Enemies

Loving our neighbors is already challenging, but God still wants us to go the extra mile to love even our enemies.

You might think it’s ridiculous, but Jesus had already set the most remarkable example by dying for us while we were still enemies of God (Romans 5:10).

Even in His agony and death on the cross, Jesus chose forgiveness over anger.

He prayed to His Father, asking Him to forgive those who hurt Him, as they did not truly understand what they were doing (Luke 23:34).

Jesus commands us in Matthew 5:44-46 not only to be considerate of our enemies but to even pray for those who persecute us.

He further explains that God shows no partiality to the just and the unjust, so we offer them the same grace, compassion, and forgiveness.

We have to rely on God to do this, for it is quite a feat.

But as Philippians 4:13 says we can do all things through Jesus, the source of our strength. 

Why Do We Have to Love?

Loving God

It will take us to the verses Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27, where the scripture states that this is the first and greatest commandment.

We are commanded to love God. 

We were also made in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26).

He gave man the ultimate privilege of being able to think, feel, and love like Him.

We can do it because God made the first move in loving us (1 John 4:19). 

God also cares for us and is so mindful of us.

As the psalmist says in Psalm 8:4-6, God cares for us so much that He made us just a bit lower than the angels and even crowned us with glory and honor.

The Lord even made us rulers over His creation!

Not only that, but He wants us to live abundant lives (John 10:10; Romans 8:31-32). 

Finally, God loves us even while we live in deep sin (Romans 5:8).

He loves us despite our brokenness and even offers His rest when we get tired from the cares of this world (Matthew 11:28).

How can we not worship a God who loves us unconditionally like that?

Loving others

Returning to the verse Mark 12:31, this is the second greatest commandment of the Lord.

Christ has given us the great commission that we are to go and make disciples of every nation.

John 13:34-35 that the mark of faithful followers of Christ is how we show it for others, showing no partiality.

We are not only to consume for ourselves but also to share them with other people to spread the hope and light of Christ. 

Loving our enemies

Matthew 5:44-46 again states that both the kind and bad people experience the sun’s rising, and God shows no partiality between the just and the unjust.

God doesn’t want us to live in bitterness and hatred.

He doesn’t even want us to take revenge.

The Lord will be the one to avenge us as God deems fit (Romans 12:19). 

All He tells us to do is love and pray for those who hurt us.

He wants us to hold on to what is good and hate what is destructive(Romans 12:9) and, if possible, to live harmoniously with everyone (Romans 12:18).

God doesn’t want a troublesome life for us, but a life lived in peace.

How Should We Love

How can we show, express, or display our care and affection towards others?

What are the different kinds of love languages?

First off, let us learn about the love languages.

Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of the book “The Five Love Languages.” where he discusses ways in which people show love and receive love:

Words of Affirmation

This is how to express love through affirming words, encouragement, or praise.

If this is a person’s primary love language, they love to give compliments, motivation, and kind words.

They also love receiving well wishes and affirmations that they are doing great. 

Quality Time

Those who resonate with this love have their loved ones’ undivided attention.

Active listening, eye contact during conversation, and no cell phones or other distractions mean a lot to them.

They feel most loved when their loved ones remain focused and present when spending time with them. 

Physical Touch

People who identify with this love have physical displays of affection.

They also express their feelings through touch, hugs, cuddles, or holding hands.

Acts of Service

These people love to serve their loved ones.

They cook for them, clean, do the dishes, and help out.

They find satisfaction in serving and love it when other people do the same for them, even minor acts of service. 

Receiving Gifts

It doesn’t matter how big or small, how fancy or simple the gift is.

The people who identify with this love language think more of the thought behind the token.

They feel valued because their loved one has put some thought into giving them a gift.

They, too, love giving to others and would show their affection through keepsakes.

How do you discover your love language?

Perhaps the best way to discover your love language is to ask yourself when you feel most loved.

Is it when somebody spends time with you or does things for you without being asked?

Do you feel most valued when receiving a gift or when someone compliments you?

Do you feel secure and loved when you get hugs or when somebody holds your hand?

You may also want to ask and observe yourself.

How do you usually show someone you care about?

Do you give presents for no particular reason?

Do you like visiting friends and loved ones to spend time with them?

Or would you prefer giving hugs or holding someone’s hand?

Do you like doing things for others, like cooking or running errands for them?

Do you like giving compliments and encouraging others?

These questions might help you figure out what your primary love language is. 

Ways the Bible shows us how to love

Colossians 3:12-13 tells us that one of the ways to show love is to bear with one another and to forgive just as Jesus had shown grace and mercy and forgiven us.

Philippians 2:4 also says that we are to look out for one another’s interests.

It affirms what 1 Corinthians 13:5 says: love is not self-seeking.

It all boils down to what Jesus said in John 13:34: that we love one another just as He loved us.

Once again, that would mean we are to abide in Him so that we can have an attitude of kindness, gentleness, patience, compassion, and mercy toward others. 

The Greatest Display of Love

Romans 5:8 tells us how God had demonstrated His love for us.

And that is by dying on the cross for us while we were still deep in sin.

We are undeserving, yet Jesus did it anyway because of His great love for us.

John 3:16 says that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to die in our stead.

God knew we couldn’t save ourselves because sin runs in our blood, so the Lord made way for us.

He did it all because He loved us and wanted us to have that chance of eternal life with Him. 

When Jesus said in John 15:13 that there’s no greater love than laying down one’s life for a friend, He walked the talk.

He laid down His life for us to show us the most incredible display of love we could ever experience. 

In Summary 

The world views love so differently than God does.

While this world tells us to love only those who love us, God commands us to love even the unlovable.

While the world tells us to be partial to the generally good and kind people, God tells us that we are all the same in His eyes.

He shows no partiality. 

God shows us what true and unconditional love is.

No matter who you are, what your past is, or how badly broken you feel right now, God still loves you.

He wants us to experience that kind of love that we can never find in this world.

All we have to do is come to Him, for He is always ready to welcome and embrace us in His loving arms. 

EDITOR
Alex Shute
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.
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