The Biblical Concept of Love
Pre-marriage Counseling Session 1 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Look up the following passages of Scripture to discover love from God's perspective. What is the central thought or example in each passage?
1. Proverbs 17: 17.
A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.
2. Matthew 6: 24.
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
3. Matthew 22: 37-39.
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
4. Luke 6: 27-35.
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
5. Luke 10: 25-37.
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
The man answered, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
6. John 3: 16.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
7. John 13: 34.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
8. Romans 13: 8-10.
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
9. Romans 14: 15.
And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
10. 1 Corinthians 8:1 “Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.”
11. Galatians 2: 20.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
12. Galatians 5: 13.
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
13. Ephesians 4: 2.
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
14. Ephesians 5: 2.
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
15. Ephesians 5: 25.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
16. Titus 2: 3-5.
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.
17. 1 Peter 4: 8.
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
18. 1 John 3: 16-18
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
First Corinthians 13:4-7 gives the Bibles definition of love. These verses indicate that love consists of many elements.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
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.[1]
As you consider them below, give three creative examples of how each should be applied in your marriage. Be specific.
1. Patient. Love endures Offenses., is not hasty, waits for the Lord to right all wrongs.
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c.
2. Kind. Love is not inconsiderate, seeks to help, is constructive, blesses when cursed, helps when hurt, demonstrates tenderness.
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c.
3. Not jealous. Not jealous of another person's success or competition.
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c.
4. Not proud. Love chooses the path of humility. It is not haughty., but lowly and gracious.
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c.
5. Not boastful. Love does not show off, Try to impress, Want to be the center of attention.
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c.
6. Not rude. Instead, chooses to be courteous.
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7. Not selfish. Love does not demand its own way. Chooses to put others ahead of self.
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8. Not irritable. Love chooses the path of being good tempered.
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9. Not historical. Love does not keep a record of wrongs committed.
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10. Not delight in bringing another person's sins to light. Instead, love rejoices when other persons obey the truth.
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11. Bears up under all circumstances (never gives up- to endure something unpleasant or difficult). Love is not rebellious, but brave; is circumspect when it comes to another person's wrongdoing.
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12. Is not suspicious. Love never loses faith. Instead of being suspicious., love chooses to be trustful and not cynical. It makes every allowance, looking for explanations that will show the best in others.
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13. Hopeful. Love does not give in to despondency. It holds on to hope. Dash does not give up because it has been deceived or denied.
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14. Endures through every circumstance. Love cannot be conquered, but is invincible. It can outlast problems.
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[1] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.