I was recently told that my church talked too much about love. I was floored. Absolutely floored. They said we focus too much on love and that we don't talk about the Bible enough. I think they go hand-in-hand. Every message we have flows from God's word. I felt attacked, they were talking about my family. But I also felt like they have missed something from all their Sunday school classes and rules and doing the "Christian" thing. Sure, obedience is important, but it flows from love.
I just thought it would be interesting to type love into BibleGateway and see how many results came up. With the NIV alone, I got almost 700 results.
Here are a few favorites:
Matthew 22:36-39
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'c]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]
Luke 6: 32-35...
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Ephesians 5:1-2
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 John 3: 18
18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 4:8
8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Oh I could go on forever.
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