If the story of God and man had to be boiled down to one word, what would it be? What is the entire book really about? In my opinion, the word would be LOVE. That word sums up the entire history of man and his story on earth as given to us in the Bible. It is the story of a love that knows no ends. It is the story of a love that brings a Father to the point of being murdered so that He may rescue His child who has been kidnapped. It is the story of a Man who loves his bride so much that He forgives her adultery over and over and over and over again. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, what was his response? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…..” What was the second greatest commandment according to Jesus? “Love your neighbor as yourself” He said there is no commandment greater than those! He said they summed up the entire law! Jesus himself said….Love sums it all up!!
I find it interesting that love not only seems to be what the story is all about but that it also happens to be the one word He gave us the most comprehensive definition for in the entire Bible. Faith, hope, grace, mercy, peace, etc… are all foundational words within the scriptures but not one of them has been given a definition within the scriptures so comprehensive as that of the word love! Did any other definition really matter? It’s as if our Father said “They simply can’t get this word wrong. They must know what I meant about this one thing. I must define it so comprehensively that there can be no excuse that they didn’t know what I meant. If they don’t get this right, nothing else will matter. If they get it right, they get everything right”
We would do well as Christians to study that great and comprehensive definition we find within the Word. I love reading the amplified version of many passages. Consider this great and mighty passage below. Their is a good chance the answer to your current problem is found in one word….LOVE
1 CORINTHIANS 13—AMPLIFIED BIBLE
If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c]in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as [e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand [f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been [g]fully and clearly known and understood [[h]by God].
13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Author: Mike Mazyck
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