What is Love?1) Unselfish, benevolent concern for another; brotherly concern; the object of brotherly concern or affection
2) - The self-denying, self-sacrificing, Christ-like love which is the foundation of all other graces
3) - Unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the well being of another
4) - The high esteem which God has for His human children, and the high regard which they in turn should have for Him and other people
To love, to have affection for someone; to be a friend; the love of brothers for each other
Now here are two very good verses on what is found in true love:"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) This last verse from Paul is a real mouthful. True love will always be kind.
True love will never flaunt itself for attention. True love will
never be jealous of others and their accomplishments. True love will always be
thinking of others and their welfare. True love will never rejoice or wallow in evil and sin.
The first verse from John states that there is no fear in love. Those who are trying to love you by trying to rule over you in fear are not truly loving you in the way God has intended. Those husbands who are physically and/or verbally abusing their wives in an effort to try and control them with fear are not operating in true love - contrary to what they may be thinking in their warped and debased minds.
They verbally and/or physically beat their wives down and then pick them up, and then tell them how much they love them so they can keep on perpetuating this cycle of violence and abuse. This is not true love - this is pure evil! The above verse from John says that perfect love will cast out all fear. If these men truly loved their wives, they would not be physically or verbally abusing and violating them in the ways that they have been. These kind of men are an abomination to the Lord - and what they call love - God calls pure evil.
So
many people's idea of love for another is to try and manipulate other people for their own personal gain and profit. The last verse from Paul says that true love will never think of evil, much less ever do evil to another - and that it will not seek its own, which means it will never attempt to love another person for his or her own personal gain, profit or ego.
As a result of all the contamination that is in this fallen world, many people have lost the ability to truly love other people in the pure way that God has intended. This is why all Christians need the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit started in their lives - so God can begin to get them cleaned up in their thinking and in their actions towards others.
