What is Love? (Understanding True Love, Infatuation, Lust, and Passion) - 1

 

Every human in his right senses desires love. The domestic animals desire and express love. Wild animals such as lions, tigers, elephants, birds, and beasts can express love when we train them. If animals and humankind desire to love, how do we define love because a false definition of love leads to destruction?

It is said that all religions rest on the foundation of love. I have never seen a man (includes a woman) that does not desire love. It is only insane, and demons possessed vessels that hate love. First and foremost, I will define love and further explain the types of love.

I will use the Holy Scriptures as my foundation of this truth because that’s the final and ultimate authority in the world (probably for Christian believers). 

 

1. Love is the nature of the Holy Spirit.

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

We can see from the Holy Scriptures that love is a seed of the Holy Spirit. We find peace, joy, faith, meekness, temperance, gentleness, patience, and moral integrity within love. Any man that professes to express love and lacks any of these virtues is not expressing the love of the Holy Spirit.

When you see a tree bearing oranges fruits, you would observe that its seed is an orange. That is how the Holy Spirit works. Anytime you see a man exhibiting joy, peace, faith, patience, temperance, humility, moral integrity, and gentleness, such a man is expressing the love of the Holy Spirit.

When a man exhibits these virtues, the Holy Spirit influences his life. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, no man can express love because the source of love is the Holy Spirit. Love outside the domain of the Holy Spirit leads to destruction.

I will write in detail the types of love so keep reading.  Let's take children, for instance. Children express love with an innocent heart. A child has no evil thought in his heart when expressing love because the Holy Spirit has total control over him.

As the child grows and begins to experience the world's injustice, the influence of the Holy Spirit (the seed of love) begins to diminish. A time comes when the seed of sin begins to wear off the seed of love within the child.

We know that seed grows with time, and if love is a seed of the Holy Spirit, we can grow in the love of the Holy Spirit. Some Christian believers have a weak seed (love), whiles others have a strong seed (love). To grow in the seed of love, you must constantly build yourself with God’s Word and exhibit joy, peace, patience, faith in God’s Word, meekness, gentleness, moral integrity, and joy in life.

 

2. Love exceeds human reasoning.

…love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 3:19 KJV

Apostle Paul writes that the love of Christ Jesus outruns knowledge. The love of Christ Jesus brings the glory of God upon the earth. The human mind cannot understand us when we express the love of Christ Jesus because it exceeds knowledge.

Ask yourself, how can a man forsake the comfort of his home, work, neigbours, and country and migrate to a dangerous environment to win souls for God's kingdom. Some people may call this man insane because it is "abnormal" to leave his comfort zone and enter dangerous ground.

After all, he wants to win souls for God's kingdom. Several Christian missionaries have died in different countries because of the gospel. Some families disintegrate because the man wants to build the kingdom of God with his life.

A man without the influence of the Holy Spirit cannot explain the force (love) behind the man’s decision because what are his benefits for risking his life for a selfish and lost man in a corrupt world.

Numerous Christian missionaries die in Islamic countries and several countries, yet missionaries dare to enter these countries to win souls for God's kingdom. Without the love of Christ Jesus, no man will be willing to risk his life for this death assignment.

It takes the love of Christ Jesus to face this painful death. If you read Fox's Book of Martyrs and God's Generals, you will realize that many Christian believers died painfully for the gospel. That’s the love of Christ.

Natural senses cannot explain this love because a spiritual force controls it. The carnal mind cannot explain this love because it overrules the limitations (knowledge) of men. This love brings the fullness of God on earth. In the book of Romans, we see how Apostle Paul expresses this love.

 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35:-39 KJV

Apostle Paul writes that persecutions, tribulations, distress, famine, humiliation, war, demons, and no human can stop him from spreading the gospel because of love. This means love can push a man to die for the gospel.

It is the seed of love that compels a man to suffer for the church. You can never leave your comfort zone, family, work, and country to win souls for Christ Jesus if you don't have a love of God.  When Prophet Agabus prophesied that Paul would suffer at the hands of the Jews at Jerusalem, some disciples of Christ Jesus persuaded and warned Paul to cancel that trip, but Paul refused. You can read Paul’s response after he received the prophecy.

 

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done

Acts 21:13-14 KJV

The disciples were weeping for Paul because of the prophecy, but Paul declared that he was not only ready to receive the harsh treatment of the Jews and Romans, but he was also ready to die at Jerusalem because of the love he had for Christ Jesus.

Why do you think Paul never feared pain and death? It was because of his love for God and the church. When a man decides to die for a good cause, we can declare that such a man is expressing love. Haven’t you read books and watched movies where a man dies for a woman?

In some cases, women commit suicide because they want to prove their love. I remember watching some movies, Titanic and the other Romeo and Juliet. After watching these movies, I felt so emotional! I felt love was such a strong force that binds people.

The actors expressed an emotional love; I will write on that love, so keep reading. The real love that emanates from the Holy Spirit is the kind of love I am stressing about. When we talk of true love (agape) of God, the human mind cannot explain.

After hearing the prophecy of Apostle Paul, the disciples of Christ Jesus persuaded Paul several times, but Paul did not submit to their words. Paul desired to accomplish God’s will. Apostle Paul is a true representative of pure love.

Child of God, you can never risk your life for the gospel if you have not developed the love of the Holy Spirit in your heart. Like Christ Jesus, He exhibited the love of the kingdom when he saw people selling in the house of God.

 

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Matthew 21:12-13 KJV

The love of Christ Jesus compelled Him to sack the greedy people from the house of God. These people did not realize the purpose of the church. God's house is supposed to be an arena of prayer, but these gentiles and religious unbelievers turned the church into a market.

Love can make a man defend the church with his life. Monitor a man whose heart (love) is after God; such a person commits all he has to the church. He may not get some benefit, yet he pays the price to suffer for the church and God’s will (Meditate on Matthew 26:39, 42).

 

3. Love is a shred of evidence that proves that the Holy Spirit influences an individual.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love

1 John 4:7-8 KJV

God created us in His image and likeness, and since God is the manufacturer of love, we will express love (Meditate on Genesis 1:26-27). Any man that exhibits love has the seal of God. When you encounter a man who cannot express or desire love, such a man carries a demonic spirit. Intercede for such a man or disconnect to save your life.

 

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:16-21 KJV

When you truly love someone, you have little or no fear in the person. Like a child's love, he always feels safe in the arms of his parents because he has no fear. Any man who professes that he loves God but resents and envies his neigbour is false because love shows signs in our character, words, and actions.

 

4. King Solomon's definition of love.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Proverbs 10:12 KJV

You will always find war, confusion, and hatred in an environment void of love (Meditate on James 3:16). As Solomon writes, love protects a man from sin. If you truly love someone, you will not do anything to make him walk outside God’s will.

Your love will compel you to protect your neigbour from perishing. If you love someone, you will not devise anything that will lead him to destruction.  You will not reveal a man’s weakness if you genuinely love him because love covers a man’s vulnerability.

The seed of love in you will drive you to forgive offenders because love covers sins. It doesn’t matter how intense the offense is because you love the person; you are always ready to forgive and move on (Meditate on 1 Peter 4:8).

 

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 KJV

Solomon states that love is as strong as death. That’s a powerful revelation from the wise man. When death comes upon a man, it takes the mercies of God to receive deliverance. Because of sin, death reigns (Meditate on Romans 8:23).

Death increases in strength when sin abounds. Death has defeated great giants and leaders. If Solomon compares love with death, then love is a great force that human strength cannot stop. Like gold and diamond, you can buy it with money, but you cannot buy it with all your wealth when it comes to love.

You may "buy" love for a temporal season, but as time passes, that love will pass away. Love is such a great force that it is priceless. No valuable commodity on earth can measure up with love. If someone expresses love to you, analyze that he has given you a priceless treasure.

You cannot win the heart (love) of someone when the person doesn’t love you because nothing in this world can buy the seed of love. If someone truly loves you, he will do anything in his power to save you.

• Love is like a force that pushes a man to do incredible things.
• Love is like an unbreakable cold that holds the pillars of the earth. In the eyes of men, some things may look impossible, but with the force of love, it is possible.
• Love is a currency that buys anything it desires. 
• With love, you buy the soul of humankind.
• Love can bring sorrow and joy to a community because it is as strong as death.  
• No instrument on earth can measure the force of love because it has no fixed shape.
• Love is a force of the human soul that runs in the thoughts and digestive systems of men.
• It permeates the hearts of man and brings out the good seeds within a man.
• Love can bring the heart of the most notorious man to his knees if expressed from the heart.
• Love is like an inflated balloon on water. You cannot drown the inflated balloon as long as the air remains in it.
• Love is like a combined broom; you can never break it. That’s how the force of love works in the heart of humankind.
• Love is like diesel and fire. When you add diesel (love) to fire (human soul), the man blazes. Either the man uses the fire (love) to build or destroy.

 

5. God's (Yahweh) definition of love.

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 KJV

These are some words God spoke to His people (the Israelites) as He spoke through Moses. God declared to the Israelites that His love for them was not based on their good deeds but because of His covenant He made with their fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

God declares that His love is not based on our good works because our good works cannot measure up with it. Because of His covenant, He has chosen to love us. Like a father expressing love towards his children.

The father demands absolute obedience. If the child disobeys the father, the father withdraws his love. That is not how God expresses His love. God’s love is unmerited. We cannot buy God’s love. Although in some cases, God demands obedience to express specific love (blessings) in our lives. The real love of God springs from Himself because He is the source of love. In the book of John, we see a profound Word.

 

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 KJV

God expresses His love by giving humankind His only begotten Son (Christ Jesus). Christ Jesus was neither born nor created. He existed with God (Yahweh) in the beginning (Meditate on John 1:1-14, Proverbs 8:22-31). Christ Jesus, the image and likeness of God, suffered and died for our sins because He was expressing the love of the Heavenly Father to humankind.

 

…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 KJV

God did not wait for us to repent before expressing His love. Christ died for us in our sinful state. This means the love of God has no foundation. God chose to love us in our rebellious state. We did not play any role to deserve God's love.

We were supposed to die and perish in the lake of fire because of Adam's sin, but Christ expressed God's love by dying willfully for us (Meditate on 1 Samuel 12:22). This means God expresses His love through sacrifice. If we want to express love, we must sacrifice for others.

 

6. Christ Jesus definition of love.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:15-17 KJV

Christ Jesus explained to Apostle Peter that the love of the kingdom is to feed the sheep and lambs. The sheep and lambs in the context of the Holy Scriptures are symbols of the Christian believers. If you want to express the love of Christ Jesus, win souls for God’s kingdom and build them in the knowledge of the Word (Holy Scriptures).

Christ Jesus' heart is after the lost souls. You can read my book, A Soul is a Soul, for more profound revelations. Christ Jesus cherishes the soul of men with all His heart. If you genuinely love Christ Jesus, become a kingdom laborer.

The harvest is plenty (See Matthew 9:35-38). Christ Jesus is calling us to embark on the work of an evangelist. After winning souls for Christ Jesus, intercede and build them in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. By doing so, you are expressing the love of God.

 

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:15 KJV

Christ Jesus further states that we will obey the Word (Holy Scriptures) if we love Him. A man that professes to love God and disobeys the instructions recorded in the living Word is not a faithful follower of Christ Jesus. Prove your love by keeping the Word of God. Meditate on these Holy Scriptures to confirm your love for Christ Jesus.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine…

John 14:21-24 KJV

 

7. Apostle Paul's definition of love.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.

 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.

 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.

 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 Love never ends…

 1 Corinthians 13:1-10 NET Bible

Being religious is not full proof of love. If Apostle Paul who was ready to die for the gospel could write these words, then love goes beyond religious works. Real love is kind; it does not exhibit any form of jealousy.

If you love someone, you will not be jealous when the person is rising above your status. Like John the Baptist, He said to himself; I must decrease whiles Christ Jesus should increase. In some churches, the head pastor does not want the associate pastors to accomplish anything for themselves. That isn't the love of God.

Real (agape) love lasts forever. Sometimes I marvel when parents claims they love their children. When the child makes a slight mistake or disobeys some instructions, the parent withdraws from the child. The parents have not realized that it takes love to build the character of children. Real love overlooks offenses.  I love the way this version of the Holy Scriptures expresses Apostle Paul's definition of love.

 

If I do not love, I am nothing. I may be able to speak different languages that people use. I may be able to speak languages that angels use. But that is worth nothing unless I love. It is only like someone who is making a loud noise. It is only like someone who is hitting a loud bell.

I may be able to speak messages from God. I may know all the facts and I may understand all the secret things. I may believe God enough so that I could move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love.

I may give all the things that I have to poor people. I may even let other people burn my body so that I die. But that is worth nothing if I do not love.

If I love, I will be very patient. I will be kind. I will not want to be like other people so much that I get angry with them. I will not tell people how good I am. I will not think that I am better than other people.

If I love, I will always be polite. I will think about what other people want. I will not think only about what I myself want. I will not get angry quickly. And I will not always be remembering the wrong things that other people have done to me.

If I love, I will not be happy about bad things. But instead, I will be happy about things that are right and true.

If I really love people, I will never stop loving them. It will not matter what happens. Whatever things may happen, I will still continue to love. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to believe. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to hope for good things. If I love then, during all things, I will still continue to be patient and strong.

 If I love, that will never come to an end…

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Easy English Bible

Apostle Paul concludes that love makes a man obeys the divine laws.

 

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:8-10 KJV

If you love God and your neigbour, you will not fornicate. That is, you will not engage in adultery, lesbianism, bestiality, gay, incest, bisexual, sex toys, masturbation, and phone sex if you have a love of God in you.

If you have a love of God in you, you will not kill or hate God’s creation. If you have a love of God in you, you will not do anything that will harm or bring destruction to others. Child of God, that’s the true definition of love.

 

8. The World’s definition of love.

Unbelievers have a way of expressing love. Its root often rests in the pit of the five senses (sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste). This love is based on temporal things such as cars, money, houses, and other mundane things. This love is full of seduction and deception.

It will never commit itself until it sees the benefit. This love is full of romance and sexual activities. This love has a short life span because of its weak foundation. Selfishness, greediness, the lust of the flesh, pride of life, and other evil hides in this love because the Holy Spirit has little or no influence in it.

 

9. Natural love.

We express this love towards God's creation, such as animals, family members, trees, seas, friends in the workplace and schools. Most often, husbands and wives express this love in marriage. When people of the same tribe meet, natural love flames within the jurisdiction. Because the Holy Spirit has little or no influence in this love, one must be careful when expressing and receiving it.

 

10. Religious love.

People of the same faith express this love. For example, Muslims may express greater love towards other Muslims because they share the same faith. A Buddhist may express a greater love towards other Buddhists because they share the same faith.  A dedicated religious person can give all he has to serve his god because of his love for the deity.

 

11. Soulish love.

This is one of the popular love we see in the world. We express this love when we encounter the vulnerable in society. Some people express this love through philanthropic activities. This love often emanates from songs we listen to, videos, and the books we read.

For example, listening to Celine Dion, West life, and other music creates some atmosphere. Your heart yearns for this love when you listen to particular music, watch a specific video or read certain books. In this love, we express sympathy, empathy, compassion, share tears, and endure some pains because it emanates from the soul of man.

Animals can feel this love because they can discern this energy. Apply wisdom when expressing this love because it can lead to destruction.

 

13. Self-love.

One of the most helpful yet destructive love is self-love. When a man loves himself, it builds his self-image. When a man lacks this love or does not love himself, it creates an inferiority complex. When a man exceeds this love or over love himself, it creates pride and hatred.

To be continued… 

Recommended read: What it means to love God 

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