Defination: A strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, as that arising from kinship or close friendship. A feeling of devotion or adoration toward God or a god. When asked to quote a Bible verse on Love most would answer with the words of the Lord Jesus. 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.
The word LOVE appears 442 times in the KJV. 240 times in the Old Testament and 202 times in the New Testament.
Looking at the times the Apostle Paul mentions LOVE in each of his 14 epistles.
We should love God Ephesians 1:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: When we love God it shows. Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, A restatement of John 3:16. Ephesians 2:4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, The Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. The way we should be toward each other. Ephesians 4:2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; How every believer should live. Ephesians 4:15-16But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Because of Christ. Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. A command to husbands. Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. The Apostles final word to the Ephesians. Ephesians 6:23-24Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
The Apostle reaffirmsJohn 3:16. Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Faith, Belief is all that counts. Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. It’s stated in Leviticus, Cited by the Lord Jesus inMatthew 5:43 19:19, Mark 12:31, andRomans 13:9. Galatians 5:13-14For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love a gift from the Spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Mentioned 12 times The Apostle seeks to atone for his first letter. (which was needed) 2 Corinthians 2:4For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. Forgiveness includes love 2 Corinthians 2:8Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. It’s the Love of Christ in us that should show forth. 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: Love given by the Holy Spirit is real. 2 Corinthians 6:6By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By God’s grace, let your love show forth. 2 Corinthians 8:7-8Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 2 Corinthians 8:24Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. Let love guide in your giving. 2 Corinthians 9:7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. The apostle states, no matter, he still loves them. 2 Corinthians 11:11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. Again He states his love. 2 Corinthians 12:15And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. The Apostles final word to the Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Mentioned 5 times The Apostle quotes Isaiah 64:4… Yeah, we don’t know what Heaven will be like. 1 Corinthians 2:9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Corinthians were departing from Paul’s teachings so ….. he writes: 1 Corinthians 4:21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? When a believer love God, it should show. 1 Corinthians 8:3But if any man love God, the same is known of him. Hell awaits for those who don’t believe. 1 Corinthians 16:22If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The Apostles final word to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Mentioned 14 times As the lord Jesus stated in John 3:16, Paul states the LOVE of God is put into the heart of all believers. Romans 5:5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. A restatement of John 3:16: Romans 5:8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We need to trust God in all things, He loves us. Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We are HIS forever: Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Don’t live defeated lives: Romans 8:37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Is this “Once saved always Saved”? Romans 8:39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s impossible for God to hate, but those who don’t believe will be punished! Romans 9:13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Don’t hide your love, exercise it. Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Paul concludes concerning the LAW “ therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:8-10Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. The Apostles Paul’s final words to the Romans should also be ours to each other: Romans 15:30Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
A place of burial. A study of the word GRAVE as recorded in the New Testament proves to be very interesting. Reading of Christ’s crucifixion in Matthew 27 many times causes some confusion: Matthew 27:52-23 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. At 1st reading it looks like the graves opened and people arose on the day. But reread vs 23; This happened AFTER HIS RESSURECTION The Lord Jesus speaking to the religious leaders: Luke 11:44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. The Lord Jesus speaking to Jews who sought to kill him: John 5:28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, The Lord Jesus Raises Lazarus from the dead John 11. John 11:17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. John 11:31The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. John 11:38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. John 11:44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. The people started to believe Him: John 12:17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. The Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 5:8 1 Corinthians 15:55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Although Paul does not use the word Grave, He does talk about the dead rising (from their graves) when Christ returns in the air, at the time of the Rapture. Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 The Apostle John writes about the two witnesses during the first half of the Tribulation: Revelation 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Fear not the Grave! True believers go to be with the Lord when they die 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. OR are Raptured. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
A Defination: The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed. The Apostle Paul includes worship in His Epistles:
The problem with Religion : Romans 1:25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Colossians 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Colossians 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Jewish History — Old Testament Ministry of the Lord Jesus — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Transition from Jews to Gentiles — Acts Events after the Rapture — Revelation
God desires all to be saved — 1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth., 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Christ Died for all — 1 Timothy 2:6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time., Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man., 1 John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. People are lost because they refuse to believe — John 3:18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Evangelism offers salvation to anyone who believes — Acts 16:31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house., Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Grace can be resisted or rejected — Matthew 23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Condemnation results in rejecting Christ — John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Study the Scripture 1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 2 Timothy 2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
