Biblical Love: A Choice Beyond Emotion

 

Summary

In today's exploration of love, we delved into the profound difference between cultural and biblical love. Often, we confuse love with like, using the word to describe our preferences and emotional attachments. However, biblical love, as defined by the Greek word "agape," is not rooted in emotion but in decision. It is a conscious choice to compassionately, righteously, responsibly, and sacrificially seek the well-being of others. This kind of love can be commanded because it is a decision, not an emotion. Jesus exemplified this when He commanded us to love God and our neighbors, emphasizing that love is an actionable decision rather than a fleeting feeling.

Biblical love is about making a decision to meet the needs of others, even when emotions are absent. This is why God can command us to love our enemies; it is not about feeling good towards them but about choosing to act in their best interest. Love, in this sense, is expressed through actions rather than words. When we have the capacity and opportunity to help but choose not to, we are closing our hearts and not operating in God's love.

Furthermore, when we love as God defines, it can override the guilt and condemnation we feel from past mistakes. God, who is greater than our hearts, can overrule the self-condemnation that haunts us. Our acts of love are like charitable deductions that reduce our spiritual debt, allowing us to repair our relationship with God. We are saved for good works, created to be conduits of God's love in the world. Good works are not just good deeds but actions to which God is attached, reflecting His love and bringing Him glory.

Key Takeaways:

- Biblical love is a decision, not an emotion. It involves choosing to compassionately, righteously, responsibly, and sacrificially meet the needs of others, regardless of how we feel. This decision-based love can be commanded because it is an act of will, not a response to emotion. [01:53]

- Love is expressed through actions, not just words. When we have the capacity and opportunity to help others but choose not to, we are closing our hearts and not operating in God's love. True love requires us to act, even when we don't feel like it. [05:02]

- God's love can override our self-condemnation. When we love as God defines, He can overrule the guilt and condemnation we feel from past mistakes. Our acts of love are like charitable deductions that reduce our spiritual debt, allowing us to repair our relationship with God. [08:03]

- We are saved for good works, created to be conduits of God's love in the world. Our purpose is to represent God, who is love, through our actions. Good works are not just good deeds but actions to which God is attached, reflecting His love and bringing Him glory. [11:03]

- A good work is a good thing to which God has been attached. While anyone can do good things, a good work in the biblical sense involves God's presence and purpose. It is through these God-attached acts that we truly reflect His love and receive credit for the future and repair of the past. [13:34]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:35] - Defining Love vs. Like
[00:58] - The Greek Word for Love: Agape
[01:18] - Love as a Decision
[01:53] - Commanding Love
[02:37] - Compassionate Action
[03:07] - God's Sacrificial Love
[03:43] - Love Beyond Emotion
[04:21] - Love in Action
[05:02] - Closing Your Heart
[06:00] - Being a Conduit of Love
[07:01] - Overruling Condemnation
[08:23] - God's Overruling Love
[09:33] - Charitable Deductions
[10:52] - Created for Good Works
[11:34] - Representing God in the World
[12:28] - The Kindness of God
[13:34] - Defining Good Works

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 John 3:16-18
2. Ephesians 2:8-10
3. Matthew 5:16

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 1 John 3:16-18, how is love demonstrated according to the passage? What does it mean to "lay down our lives for the brethren"? [04:21]

2. In Ephesians 2:8-10, what is the relationship between grace, faith, and good works? How does this passage describe our purpose as believers? [10:52]

3. How does Matthew 5:16 describe the purpose of good works? What is the intended outcome of letting our light shine before others? [13:34]

4. The sermon mentions that biblical love is a decision rather than an emotion. How does this concept challenge the cultural understanding of love? [01:18]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of love as a decision, rather than an emotion, impact the way believers are called to love their enemies? What practical steps can be taken to love those we may not like? [01:37]

2. In what ways can believers act as conduits of God's love in the world, according to the sermon? How does this align with the idea of being created for good works in Ephesians 2:10? [06:00]

3. The sermon suggests that acts of love can override self-condemnation. How might this understanding affect a believer's view of past mistakes and their relationship with God? [08:03]

4. What does it mean for a good work to have God "attached" to it, as described in the sermon? How does this differ from simply doing good deeds? [13:34]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent situation where you had the opportunity to help someone but chose not to. What was the reason for your decision, and how might you respond differently in the future? [05:02]

2. Identify a person in your life whom you find difficult to love. What specific actions can you take this week to demonstrate decision-based love towards them, even if emotions are absent? [01:37]

3. Consider the concept of being a conduit of God's love. What are some practical ways you can allow God's love to flow through you to others in your daily life? [06:00]

4. Think about a past mistake that still causes you guilt or self-condemnation. How can acts of love help you to move past this and repair your relationship with God? [08:03]

5. How can you ensure that your good deeds are also good works, with God attached to them? What steps can you take to invite God's presence and purpose into your actions? [13:34]

6. Reflect on the idea that we are saved for good works. What is one specific good work you feel called to pursue, and how can you begin to take action on it this week? [11:03]

7. How can you let your light shine in a way that glorifies God, as described in Matthew 5:16? Identify one area of your life where you can be more intentional about reflecting God's love. [13:50]

Devotional

Day 1: Love as a Deliberate Choice
Biblical love is not an emotion but a conscious decision to act compassionately, righteously, and sacrificially for the well-being of others. This love, known as "agape," is a choice that transcends feelings and preferences. It is a love that can be commanded because it is rooted in the will, not in fleeting emotions. Jesus exemplified this when He instructed us to love God and our neighbors, highlighting that love is an actionable decision. This kind of love requires us to meet the needs of others, even when we do not feel like it, demonstrating that true love is expressed through actions rather than words. [01:53]

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you find it difficult to act lovingly. How can you choose to demonstrate love through your actions today, regardless of your feelings?


Day 2: Love in Action
True love is demonstrated through actions, not just words. When we have the capacity and opportunity to help others but choose not to, we are closing our hearts and not operating in God's love. This decision-based love requires us to act, even when we don't feel like it. It challenges us to move beyond mere words and to engage in compassionate and sacrificial actions that reflect God's love. By choosing to act in love, we open our hearts and align ourselves with God's will, becoming conduits of His love in the world. [05:02]

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs help. What specific action can you take today to show them love in a tangible way?


Day 3: Overcoming Self-Condemnation with God's Love
God's love has the power to override the guilt and condemnation we feel from past mistakes. When we love as God defines, He can overrule the self-condemnation that haunts us. Our acts of love are like charitable deductions that reduce our spiritual debt, allowing us to repair our relationship with God. By embracing God's love and extending it to others, we can find freedom from the burdens of our past and experience the fullness of His grace and forgiveness. [08:03]

"For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a past mistake that still causes you guilt. How can you allow God's love to overrule your self-condemnation and bring healing to that area of your life?


Day 4: Created for Good Works
We are saved for good works, created to be conduits of God's love in the world. Our purpose is to represent God, who is love, through our actions. Good works are not just good deeds but actions to which God is attached, reflecting His love and bringing Him glory. By engaging in these God-attached acts, we fulfill our purpose and demonstrate His love to the world, becoming living testimonies of His grace and mercy. [11:03]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: Consider the good works God has prepared for you. What is one specific way you can represent God's love through your actions this week?


Day 5: Defining Good Works
A good work is a good thing to which God has been attached. While anyone can do good things, a good work in the biblical sense involves God's presence and purpose. It is through these God-attached acts that we truly reflect His love and receive credit for the future and repair of the past. By aligning our actions with God's will, we become instruments of His love and grace, impacting the world in meaningful and lasting ways. [13:34]

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a recent good deed you performed. How can you ensure that your future actions are aligned with God's presence and purpose, transforming them into true good works?

Quotes


The biblical the Greek word for love is agape its verb form agapao and it has to do with a decision biblical love does not start with an emotion it starts with a decision like starts with an emotion because it's how you feel about it biblical love may or may not not include an emotion that's why God can command you to love your enemies. [00:01:01]

Biblical love can be defined as the decision to compassionately righteously responsibly and sacrificially seek the well-being of another let me say that again biblical love is the decision to compassionately righteously responsibly and sacrificially meet the need of somebody else okay love is a decision that's why it can be commanded. [00:01:47]

What you are deciding in biblical love is to be of benefit to somebody else that has a need you're making a decision to execute compassion because of a need okay so there's a need you're going to be compassionate about it and you make the decision once the decision is made and the action taken love has been expressed even if there's no feeling attached to it. [00:02:50]

But whoever has the world's Goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him how does the love of God abide in him little children let us not love with word or with tongue but ined and in truth love is not just what you say it's what you do and the way you know you're not loving is you have the capacity to do it. [00:04:26]

You were saved to be an aqueduct not a reservoir you were saved to be a a a not a cesac but a conduit when God put his love on you and me he wanted it to flow through you not stop with you the moment he sees his love to you stop stops with you then the there is a stopper in the sink of how God will relate to you. [00:06:00]

He says when you love like I am defining love the decision to compassionate responsibly righteously sacrificially meet the need of someone else stay with me here he says the guilt you feel the condemnation you feel for the stuff you've done the failures you've had the regrets that gnaw at you the things you wish you could do over again. [00:07:06]

When you love like I say love the god who's greater than the condemnation that's killing you will overrule a heart that doesn't want to obey and he says I will be greater than the heart messing you up so if you look back at yesterday and you've got regrets and pains and mistakes and failures and you can't do it over again. [00:08:00]

The thing that will motivate God to override yesterday and move you into tomorrow and even the condemnation that comes with it is when he sees the love because you want to be right with him our government allows for charitable deduction in other words when tax time comes you write your deductions and part of those deductions are gifts you've given to charity. [00:09:05]

The Bible says we were saved for good works Ephesians 28:9 by Grace you sa you faith that not of yourselves is the gift of God not according to works so no man should boast verse 10 for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which he hath created beforehand that we should walk in them. [00:10:46]

Christians need to understand why we're here we're here to be him in the world and he defines himself as God is love and we are to represent that in the world but many of us are like teenagers who only come out of that room when they want something cuz when they come going to come out the room we come to church when we want something. [00:11:34]

A good work in the Bible is a good thing to which God has been attached Matthew 5:116 says let your light so shine that men see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven if God is not attached it's a good thing but not yet a good work so a good work is the attachment of God to a good thing. [00:13:31]

God is love and you are representing God by The Loving act that you do now God is attached to the ACT making it a good work for which you get credit for the future and also repair of the past cuz now you are involved in Good Works you're involved in Good Works. [00:14:00]

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Transcript
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