Do You Really Know What Biblical Love Is?

It can be easy to mistake a cultural view of love with the Biblical view of love. Doing so can lead us astray in our thinking and subsequently in our actions. J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) writes about what biblical love is and what it is not in his book Walking With God. Hopefully his thoughts will help you develop a God-honoring biblical view of Christian love. Don't settle for a cheap imitation.
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Love is not just giving to the poor. Paul says plainly that someone may 'bestow all his goods to feed the poor' (1 Corinthians 13:3) and not have love. Love does not mean that we never condemn anybody's behavior. Biblical love does not mean we are to ignore sin or to speak well of immorality. Biblical love does not mean that we should never disapprove of anyone's religious opinions. True love says, 'Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

Let us consider what love is. First, it is love to God. Whoever has this love wants to love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. Secondly, it is love to man. Biblical love will show in a Christian's actions, making him ready to do good to everyone, without looking for any reward. It will show itself in willingness to bear evil. It will make him patient when provoked, forgiving, meek and humble. He will often deny himself for the sake of peace and will be more interested in promoting peace than in securing his own rights. True love never envies, and never rejoices in people's troubles.

The perfect pattern of this love is found in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was hated, persecuted and criticized, but he endured patiently. He was always kind and patient to everyone. Yet he exposed wickedness and rebuked those who sinned. He denounced false doctrine and false practices. He spoke as freely of hell as of heaven. He showed that perfect love does not approve of everybody's life or opinions, and that it is possible to condemn evil and still be full of love. This, then, is what true Christian love is.