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2. TONIGHT’S SHOW Investigate The Truth Concerning TRUE BIBLICAL LOVE “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” --- I John, 4:8

3. Varied Ideas In Our Time About “Love” “Lust;” sexual attraction Sexual intimacy A warm, fuzzy feeling Fondness for someone or something The Greek language has various words that have been translated “love” in English. These words have a wide range of meanings. There is a danger that we will plug wrong ideas into the Biblical texts that speak of love. This can lead to serious misunderstandings and misuse of God’s word.

4. Biblical Love Is Not: Primarily a feeling: Primarily a feeling: Biblical love may affect emotions, feelings - but is not ruled by emotions) Biblical love may affect emotions, feelings - but is not ruled by emotions) Irrational, uncontrollable attraction Irrational, uncontrollable attraction Biblical love is: Essentially an intentional exercise of one’s will Thus, it is commanded, and we can obey A genuine concern; active good-will; seeking the best interest Thus, we can love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

5. LOVE IS BASIC TO PLEASING GOD – MATTHEW 22:35-40 The Great/First Commandment: The Great/First Commandment: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind Love God with all your heart, soul, mind The Second (like the first): The Second (like the first): Love neighbor as self Love neighbor as self “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” This principle is essential to pleasing God, and is stated numerous times in His Word. This principle is essential to pleasing God, and is stated numerous times in His Word.

6. LESSONS ABOUT LOVE FROM - I JOHN 4:7-11 Love is of God – verse 7 Humans did not think up “love” It is divine in origin Those who do not love do not know God – verse 8 I Corinthians 8:3 – “But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” God is love – verse 8 Love is a part of God’s nature Love is not God’s only attribute Example: Romans 1:18 - “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven…” God showed us how to love – verses 9-10 Love gives what is needed He gave us His Son Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

7. LOVE IS AN ACTIVE PRINCIPLE: (It has been said that, “Love does not exist where it is not expressed.”) John 14: 15 - “If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14: 21 - “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” Galatians 5:6 – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” I John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. Remember: Love of God is the First/Great Commandment. If we love God and His Son we will follow God’s word. If we are disobedient to God, we are showing a lack of love to God.

8. LOVE AND MORAL CHARACTER I Thessalonians 4:1-7 Speaks of living so as to please God – through His commandments – verses 1-2 Warns against sexual immorality – verses 3-5 One who commits immorality takes advantage of - defrauds his brother – verse 6 “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” verses 7-8 People claim they commit fornication because of love. Immorality shows a lack of proper love for God and for the other person.

9. LOVE AND MORAL CHARACTER Romans 13: 8-10 Our one ongoing debt is love – verse 8 When we love others we treat them accordingly – verses 9-10 “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” verse 10 What about one who mistreats his/her spouse repeatedly, but claims to love him/her?

10. LOVE AND SERVICE I John 3:17-18 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Love must be genuine, selfless Saying “I love you” is not enough Think how many “human” problems would be avoided if we loved as we should. Galatians 5:13-15 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”

11. A VITAL POINT The First Commandment is to love GOD. (Matthew 22:35-40 – from earlier) Some think being a “good neighbor” is all there is to pleasing God. We cannot properly love others without loving God first. Surely, we do not love God as we should if we do not love others I John 4:20-21 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” Loving others is essential to loving God. But loving others is in “second place” in the commands. Loving others is not all there is to loving God.

12. DOES GOD INSTRUCT US TO: Believe? Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24 Repent? Luke 13:3, 5 Confess faith in Christ? Romans 10:9-10 Be Baptized? Acts 2:38; 10:47-48 Remain Faithful? Revelation 2:10 Can we disobey these things and claim to love God as we should?

13. Is Insistence On Obedience To God’s Instructions Unloving? Ephesians 4:15 “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” Are reproof and correction demonstrations of a lack of love? Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

14. WHAT ABOUT DISREGARD FOR THE LORD’S WILL IN ANYTHING? Worship? Worship? Work of the church? Work of the church? Sound doctrine? Sound doctrine? John 14: 23 – 24 “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

15. LOVE IN PERSPECTIVE – Closing Thoughts I John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Revelation 12:10-12 “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.’”

16. “LOVE” IS VITAL FOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS LIFE. “LOVE” IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP. “LOVE OF GOD” IS THE GREATEST COMMAND OF ALL. JOHN 15: 9-10 “AS THE FATHER LOVED ME, I ALSO HAVE LOVED YOU; ABIDE IN MY LOVE. IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE, JUST AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHER’S COMMANDMENTS AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.”

17. Call To Speak To Us Live! Call And --- Call And --- Ask For A Copy Of This Presentation Ask For A Copy Of This Presentation Ask To Be Added To The Beacon’s Mailing Ask To Be Added To The Beacon’s Mailing Ask For A Free Bible Correspondence Course Ask For A Free Bible Correspondence Course Call With A --- Call With A --- Biblical Question Or Comment Biblical Question Or Comment Receive a Biblical Answer – “Book, Chapter and Verse” Receive a Biblical Answer – “Book, Chapter and Verse” Call (828) 327-9459 or - WHKY