Love is a central theme running through the entire bible and is most clearly expressed in the book of 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian letters were written by the apostle Paul from Ephesus where he had received two letters from the troubled Church at Corinth, these letters outlined a number of problems and sought Paul's guidance and advice on these matters. Corinth in Greece was known to be ethnically diverse and wealthy, it had a reputation for decadence and sexual immorality and was a vibrant commercial centre popular with merchants and a stopping off place for travelers. Paul identifies the problems in this early Church as being centered on human pride and a lack of true love for one another. The Church at Corinth had not protected itself from the decadent culture of the city. it became factional, prone to disputes with one another, tending to follow contending Christian leaders rather than Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy spirit.
In Greek language there are at least three words that express the one English word for love. 1) Agape Love which is the selfless concern for the well being of others. 2) Philos which is brotherly love akin to a friendship. 3) Eros which is erotic love, a physical sexual expression. Paul is urging the Church at Corinth to practice Agape love above all others because Gods love is of perfect Grace whereas human love has a tendency to be self serving. In Corinthians 1:13 a passage which is very popular at weddings Paul describes love as being patient, kind and without envy. It does not boast, it is not rude, it is not self seeking. It is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.
Human love can be very impressive but can also express itself in a kind of backscratching arrangement where we love solely on the basis of what we ourselves can get out of it. Sometimes love is expressed as power by one person being dominant over another. But Paul states that we should love unconditionally, even those whom we do not like, even those who seem unlovable to us. Jesus goes even further and calls us to love our enemies. The love that Jesus describes is often difficult, gritty, and resilient. It is much more an act of will than a warm, fuzzy, romantic feeling. Something to give rather than to receive and that reward comes when we stick together through difficult times. When couples are interviewed who have been married many years and asked the secret of their relationship they will often say things like 'give and take' 'being honest' accepting difference' 'forgiveness' 'lots of affection'. These attributes apply to all types of relationships.
God has given us a great capacity to love. In our time of prayer we call on his grace by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit is there to strengthen and guide us in our relationships with others . We declare our love for God and are thankful for his grace and what he has done for us through the teachings, life, death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ. We begin to experience Gods love when we commit ourselves to. and have faith in him. We love because he loved us first and we love voluntarily in relationship rather than the result of an impersonal law based rule or instruction .
Love is portrayed in many ways in contemporary culture , it is often seen in very fluffy terms laden with romance and gooey feelings. A never ending chocolate box of flowers. candlelit meals , ribbon wrapped gifts and undivided attention and whilst these are special things in themselves, in the day to day these images are unrealistic and not very true to life. High expectations and disappointment often go hand in hand. The bishop of London during his address at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton spoke of the unreasonably high expectations we have of one another in our relationships and this is reflected in one survey which cited the most common reason for divorce as being boredom. Do we want to be served rather than to serve in our relationships?
Love is also often portrayed in physical terms where disproportionate emphasis is placed on how people look and a stereotype of what people should find attractive to the exclusion of a persons personal qualities and characteristics. We are often encouraged to love the body rather than the heart of a person, this is endlessly reinforced through image and fashion in various media leading to the objectification of the individual. For others love is solely bound up with sex and the sensory pleasure that we can give or receive.
The word love is mentioned over 500 times in the bible, that God is himself love, that's his nature. Many find this concept problematic because God also has expectations and his desire for justice confronts the worst aspects of our human nature but he is looking to guide us lovingly to the path which causes us least harm. The bible tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God and that love calls us to its own purpose. Love allows truth and honesty which in turn cements trust and faithfulness. When we do not love we become spiritually poorer to the point of being dead in spirit. Love fulfills the requirements of the old testament law because it strengthens us and drives out all fear including the fear of punishment.
The sacrificial nature of love is embodied in the crucifixion, that Jesus died an unjust excruciatingly painful death, took on the sin of all mankind so that we could be made right with God. It reminds us that sin has a cost and is the opposite to love. Love has no greater expression than when we lay down our life for our fellow man. Jesus showed us the way by laying down his life for us. Paul's letter to the Corinthians is showing Christians in the early Church at Corinth just how to love and echos the two most important commands by Jesus. To love God with all our heart mind soul and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We are also to follow the golden rule to treat others as we too would like to be treated