Love is an interesting word with a lot of flexibility in English.
We use this word to describe a lot of relationships. We can say, “I love Christmas.” We can use this word in this sentence: “I love tamales.” We use the same word to describe our feelings about our families, friends, hobbies, homes, or even a good joke.
That’s an interesting word—if for no other reason than its sheer flexibility!
But its flexibility is actually its weakness: we use it so much that it can become much less meaningful. Do I love my spouse in the same way as I love Christmas lights? Of course not, but I use the same word. Throw that into the Bible’s context, and we miss the significance of “love” from the Bible’s point of view.
On this short “week” of Advent—it ends Wednesday, and then Christmas is here!—we find ourselves reflecting on the advent theme of love. We read in 1 John 4:9-12…
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:9-12, New International Version
Biblically speaking, love is righteous actions on someone else’s behalf. It has very little to do with emotions. Emotions are too unstable. Biblical love is based on a covenant relationship. The covenant relationship demands certain behaviors. These behaviors produce emotion. Slow down, and let’s read that again. The covenant relationship demands certain behaviors, and these behaviors produce emotion.
Our biggest problem with “love” isn’t even our overuse of the word. It’s our expectation for emotions to produce our relationships. But that’s just the opposite of how God designed it to work. Emotions don’t produce relationships, but relationships produce emotions.
In our relationship with the Lord, we have a God performing a righteous act. He sent His “one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (verse 9b). The stable where Jesus was born was not even the greatest action of the Father. The cross was.
The Apostle John even clarifies our perspectives on love by writing love is“not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin” (verse 10). We love because He loved us. We didn’t love the Lord first. We didn’t make the first move. He did.
The relentless, unimaginable righteous actions of God on our behalf (“love”) demonstrate how we can love other disciples of Jesus. While the love of God in our hearts causes us to love everyone, the aging Apostle is concerned first for disciples of Jesus.
Our righteous actions on each other’s behalf not only validates God’s life in us, but serves as the undeniable proof of God’s ability to transform us.
As it’s often said, “When we understand the bad news, we can properly appreciate the good news.” If we understand what we are without Jesus, we can better appreciate how far He stooped down to love us. If He can manage that feat, then our love for each other is a piece of cake.
I’m sure there’s someone in your life who’s a little tough to perform righteous actions for. I suggest you find a way to go out of your way to perform these righteous acts on their behalf. Not (necessarily) because they deserve it, but because of the change the Lord has made in your heart. The Lord’s love for you causes us to love like He does.
The countdown to Christmas is nearing zero. Love like He does.
Happy Advent and Merry Christmas!
Life Meets Theology 