LOGOS BIBLE STUDY
LESSON 207 – LOVE: IS OF GOD – (It is His Righteousness)
Matthew 22:36-40 – Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
I. The Ten Commandments are about LOVE – Romans 13:8-10.
A. The first four Commandments (paraphrased) are about loving God:
#1. I am the Lord your God, your creator; you shall have no other gods but me.
#2. You shall not make any image, idol, object or person to take my place so as to bow down to worship.
#3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God to use it in any vain, false or dishonoring way.
#4. Remember the sabbath day, the seventh day, and to keep it holy and separate as a day of rest
and reflection.
B. The last six Commandments (paraphrased) are about loving others (your neighbor, as one near you) – Galatians 5:14.
#5. Honor your father and your mother, for they have authority over you and responsibility for you:
that you may learn from them to live a long and happy life.
#6. You shall not unlawfully kill or commit a murderous act or thought.
#7. You shall not commit adultery or any sexual offense.
#8. You shall not steal anything that belongs to another.
#9. You shall not lie or bear false witness against anyone you have dealings with.
#10. You shall not covet the wife of another or any of his possessions.
C. Numerous references in the New Testament instructing us to love one another, fulfilling God’s Command.
1. John 15:9-17.
2. James 2:8.
3. 1 John 4:7-8.
II. What is LOVE – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
A. The word used here is “charity” because it is the God kind of love (agapeo) which is caring, giving,
and cherishing, being motivated by compassion.
NOTE: charity is used here because it expresses a caring and giving kind of love.
1. Recognize what charity (love) does.
a. Is long suffering – patient, and temperate.
b. Rejoices in truth – honesty and integrity.
c. Bears all things – tolerant.
d. Believes all things – is trusting.
e. Hopes in all things – having a positive outlook.
f. Endures all things – being faithful in all situations.
g. Never fails – is continual regardless of conditions or circumstances.
2. Recognize what charity (love) does not do.
a. Does not envy – not provoked to jealousy.
b. Is not vaunted or prideful – not selfishly motivated.
c. Is not puffed up – self exalting.
- d. Does not behave unseemly – not drawing attention to itself.
- e. Is not self-seeking – is humble.
- f. Is not easily provoked – is forgiving, patient and tolerant.
- g. Does not think of evil things – does not contrive wicked plans.
- h. Takes no joy in iniquity – is disturbed by rebellion and sin.
B. Loving others will cost you something as you give of yourself – John 15:13
1. Meeting the need of another even at your own expense.
a. Jesus gave us the story of The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:33-37.
i. Neighbor means a person neigh unto you, or near you.
ii. The injured person was unknown to the Samaritan but was near him being
encountered on the road.
iii. Notice the Samaritan paid for the man’s total care out of his own pocket.
iv. Note that the Samaritan was moved by “”compassion” – verse 33.
C. Love is having compassion, the care for the well-being or the benefit of others – Matthew 15:32.
1. A miracle occurred as a result of Jesus having compassion.
a. This is how the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit operate – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 & 31 - 13:3.
b. When you have compassion for another to meet their need, you become a channel through
which the Holy Spirit can move to provide the appropriate supernatural gift to reveal God’s
love to that person.
i. This opens the door for miracles to occur.
III. Love is the basis of God’s character and nature – I John 4:16.
A. GOD IS LOVE which regulates his actions toward mankind – John 3:16
1. God’s character and nature is referred to as the Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23.
a. Note the very first Fruit listed is LOVE.
2. God’s character and nature is referred to as His Glory (dignity) – Romans 3:23.
a. In addition to all mankind having sin, we also fall short of God’s Glory, His character and
nature, (image and likeness).
i. Jesus came to restore God’s character and nature to mankind; those who accept Jesus as
having paid the price for their sins.
3. Man was made in the image and likeness of God – Genesis 1:26.
a. That image and likeness was lost when sin entered when man was in the garden.
b. Jesus’ work was to restore God’s image and likeness to mankind which is why the
commandment to believers is to Love.
c. Born again believers are all given the ability to have the God kind of Love in them – Romans 5:5.
4. Why did God make man in His own image and likeness?
a. God wanted a being similar to Himself, in image and likeness, that He could identify with.
i. A being that He could love and who would love Him in return.
ii. A being that He could have a close relationship and fellowship with.
5. As God has conveyed His love toward us, we as His children, are to convey His love toward
others because we are His representatives on earth – 1 John 3:2 and 1 John 4:11 and 17, and Ephesians 5:1-2.
a. This is His commandment – 1 John 4:6-8.
IV. Godly love is not like the world’s version of love which is based on sexual, sensual, fleshly relationships,
desires and lusts.
A. Showing Love to others is giving for their benefit even at your own expense – 1 John 3:16.
Note: Loving God is easy because of who He is and what He has done for us. However, loving others
is not easy because of who they are and what they do to us, even treat us as adversaries.
1. Forgiving others is an act of Love and is required of believers as God’s representatives on earth – Matthew 6:14-15.
B. The foundation of God’s Kingdom, (His domain), is based on Love.
1. For God’s people to live in His domain, they must have His character and nature – love, etc. –
Galatians 5:19-24.
2. The result of Love being the dominant factor of God’s Kingdom is that it produces Righteousness,
Peace and Joy – Romans 14:17.
3. God’s children walk in His love, (which is righteousness), thereby demonstrating God’s Kingdom
to others here and now in this life – 1 John 3:1-2, 10, 23.
a. Remember that the opposite of love is selfishness which cause a sense of hate or despising
others – 1 John 3:10, 14-16.
C. Satan works to oppose God’s plan and purpose for mankind and uses a perverted form of love to accomplish it – John 10:10 and John 8: 44.
1. Jesus came to destroy the works (product) of the devil – 1 John 3:8 and 1 John 3:10.
2. Satan’s efforts were focused on man who was made in God’s image and likeness.
i. The devil worked to destroy that image and likeness of God in mankind.
ii. Satan has perverted man’s love into a purely sensual carnal expression driven primarily by lust.
iii. Jesus came to restore the lost image and likeness of God which becomes evident by Love –
1 John 2:3-5.
V. God has love for man even though being undeserving because of sin – 1 John 4:9-10.
A. We were considered enemies of God because of what we do and the way we live, as sinners –
Romans 5:10.
1. Now we as believers and children of God are to live the new, regenerated life.
a. This includes loving one another, our Christian brethren – 1 John 4:23.
b. This is evidence that we are children of God – 1 John 4:12
VI. CONCLUSION - GOD'S LOVE IS THE GREATEST POWER IN ALL CREATION!
A. Because it covers a multitude of our sins - 1 Peter 4:8 and James 5:20.
