Love Is The Greatest

            The Godhead said, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13. There is “a time to love.” Ecclesiastes 3:8. These things will continue but love includes faith and hope, 1 Corinthians 13:7, but without love, faith and hope are meaningless.  Love is greater than faith or hope. Jesus points out that the first and great commandment is to love God supremely and ones’ neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22:36-39.   Love is the greatest subject in the Bible. Why? First, it is a subject that affects all people. Second, it is a subject that has life change power. Love has to power to change our attitude, our marriage, our congregation, and our future.  

            The Bible tells us of God’s love for us. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10. Here is the greatest news that our ears will ever hear. God loves us! The Bible is God’s Word, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and God has “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue…” 2 Peter 1:3. God loved you and me while we were sinners and did not love Him. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8; cf. 1 John 4:10. The love of God sent Jesus to the cross. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17. If we “walk in the light, as He is in the light” we will never be separated from God’s love. Romans 8:38-39.

            The Bible tells us of God’s love in our hearts. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts…” Romans 5:5. We learn of the love of God through the Word of God.  John 16:13; 17:17; Acts 24:25. The Bible says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men… For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 3:2; 4:6.  “Love is patient and is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not brag, is not arrogant, does not behave improperly, does not seek its own, does not irritate, does not reason evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Love forbears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never falls short.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (MLV).  The Bible tells us that God loves the lost. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. Jesus said, “Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2. We are to love lost people. Jesus came “to seek and save the lost.” Luke 19:10. Paul wrote, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 3:10-11. Preaching and teaching without love is just “noise.” “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1. We are to speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15. 

            We are to love people as they are. This is how Jesus loved. His love can make them what they ought to be. To the one who has never obeyed the Gospel of Christ they must come to realize that salvation is “in Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:10. When one is “in Christ” they have “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ…” Ephesians 1:3. The Bible tells us HOW to be “in Christ.” Faith comes by hearing God’s Word. Romans 10:17. The Bible tells us if we do not believe that Jesus is the Christ we will die in our sins. John 8:24. We must repent or perish. Luke 13:3. We must confess that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 8:37. However, these do not put us “in Christ.” The Bible says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27. After obeying these commands, the Lord adds you “to the church.” Acts 2:47. One must be faithful to what God has commanded, Revelation 2:10, in order to have heaven as their home. Bobby D. Gayton