What is Love?

The Apostle Paul defines Love in I Corinthians 13: 4-7 (King James uses the word Charity’)  ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. – NLT This definition is important because of the passage detailed in Mark 12:28-31. In this reading, Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment. Take note of the 31st verse as it is key: ³¹ And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Jesus makes reference to Leviticus 19:18. Remember that Leviticus is considered the Law Book, so that reference has even more importance; not just a commandment, but law. This same passage is noted in Matthew 22 and Paul makes reference to the law in Galatians 5: 13-14 . Now this is the third time (Biblical number) the law is mentioned- Love thy neighbor as thyself. Breakdown that statement ‘as thyself’, in other words: Love yourself

• How can you truly love others if you don’t love yourself- misery loves company. Subconsciously you may work at bringing others down – depression, drama, etc.
• Love Yourself – Not in vanity but in the true spirit of the word defined earlier in I Corinthians 13:5 as noted above: ...It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged

Examine that last sentence “…and it keeps no record of being wronged” What does that mean? Do you agree God is Love? Well examine yourself, repent of your sins, trust and BELIEVE that God has forgiven you and move on…Love keeps no record of being wronged” When you get rid of your hang-ups and love yourself, the love of Christ in you will abound! Making you more than capable of loving your neighbor Who is my neighbor? Even the scribe asked Jesus of this in Luke 10:29 Jesus' reply in Luke 10:30-37 details the story of the Good Samaritan. When reading this passage you come to understand your neighbor could be a complete stranger. Finally in closing I leave you with Romans 13:8-10 :  ⁸ Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Verse 10 is the key and worth repeating: ¹⁰Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  Love your neighbor and be blessed!