What is Love? Considering Jesus' View of Love

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Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to a thoughtful sermon on the importance of love in the Christian life.  And this is undeniable.  Consider the words of Jesus when asked, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"1 Jesus replied, "Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself."2 Elsewhere, He said, "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."3 Surely, love is paramount in the life of the Christ follower. 

However, it is also worth noting that the Christian concept of love is quite different from the culture definition that many hold today.  As Sean McDowell explains in his recent book A Rebel's Manifesto:

"One reason it is so challenging to love our neighbors today is that our culture operates under a different definition of love than held by Jesus.  Today, love means affirming someone's behavior and beliefs.  It means accepting someone for who they believe themselves to be.  And it means agreeing with however someone feels about themselves.  If not, you're hateful."4

One can obviously see this type of love played out in our culture daily.

But what was Jesus' view of love?  McDowell continues:

"...Jesus held a different view of love.  The apostle John said, 'By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers' (1 John 3:16).  According to the example of Jesus, love involves a willingness to sacrifice for the good of another.  It is commitment to the well-being of another person, even if he or she does not recognize or accept the reality of the good.  Love does not necessarily imply that others recognize we are acting in their best interest, which is why many confuse loving actions for hateful ones.  After all, people jeered at Jesus on the cross, thinking they were doing what was right.  Biblically, love involves being committed to the objective good of others regardless of how they feel."5

In other words, biblical love requires that we tell someone the truth even if it is difficult for them to hear.  We see Jesus doing this very thing throughout the gospels.  And it is for this reason that it is critical for the Christian to understand and practice biblical love in a manner modeled after Jesus.

Courage and Godspeed,

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