I am bothered by the cultural interpretation of love as an emotion. Love is much more than that, for we are commanded to love our enemies(Matthew 5:44). The Bible tells us to "love the Lord your God (vertical) and yourself (internal) and your neighbor likewise (horizontal) (Luke 10:27)."

I Corinthians 13 is the love chapter, but it welcomes a strange intrusion in verses 8-12 with the subject of knowledge. What does knowledge and love have to do with each other?

Well, it suggests that love is cognitive. It's an act of the will not an act of the emotion. It also suggests that love is related to maturity (vs.11). "When I was a child, I spake..." The implication is that, love requires us to look beyond the act, and investigate the internal intent. Partial knowledge (vs. 9) "now we know in part.." produces premature judgment. Premature judgment produces inmature speech. It is not until perfect knowledge appears, that we exercise perfect love.

In our relationships with people, our goal should be knowledge/understanding. View them as they are, not as they do. For this is what grace is. This is how our redemption through Christ was purchased!

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Is it really a feeling or a decision often under girded by a feeling? The Biblical references to love seem to imply that love is a minimum of emotion, but a maximum of the evaluation of need. It feels good to receive love, but giving love is often very costly, for it seeks the best interest of the recipient. Perhaps, the rupturing of our relationships is caused by the frequent determination to receive love rather than to give it!
Very good discussion. When I thought about the question and really did not have to think long. Immediately I said within God is love, and the only way to know love is to really know Jesus. I just recently learned that, and I'm 38 been a Christian for many years and what I thought love was really wasn't. I thought love was a feeling, I found out that love really is I Corinthian 13.

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love is giving your ALL to Jesus. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he "gave" his only begotten Son,.. God gave us his all and we must give him all that we have. When I began to practice I Corinthians 13 I began to give love, I began to see people as lovely. People started seeing me as being lovely and radiant.

A very simple answer, yet so hard to obtain.

Please pray that I will always walk in love.
Pardon me if my replies are unwelcomed, I have the gift of teaching, it requires that I challenge people to think. Please take no offense.

I noticed that you referred to I Corinthians 13, the chapter I began the discussion with and yet you concluded by saying that love is "giving your ALL to Jesus!" This chapter makes no direct reference to him, in fact in verse 8 Paul talks about the fragmentary role of spiritual gifts contrasted from love. Is salvation really a prerequisite for love? Does Paul even insinuate that? I don't think so.

I believe more importantly Paul is summoning believers to prioritize the decision to love over the desire to exercise impressive or ecstatic gifts like prophesy or tongues. He is suggesting that the height of spiritual maturity is in looking beyond the surface and seeing the inner core of one's true essence as God created them. Unsaved mothers do it for their children. Unredeemed spouses do it in courtships and marriages, believers should do so with everyone, especially fellow believers.

The divorce rate is as high inside the church as outside of the church. I believe it's because we use religion to judge and we do not love according to grace. We preach, shout, prophesy, speak in tongues and then judge those close to us as if we needed none of God's grace. That's the antithesis of the gospel that saved us. One can work for Jesus and not be like him!
Mighty man of God your replies are always welcomed. I love to be challenged and corrected when needed.

I responded to your question only, it was later that I saw your discussion intro. I agree with your comment above. In my comment I was trying to express that it is only through my love for Jesus that I can live out God's word in I Corinthians 13.
I see! Grace and Blessings through Christ to you this day and throughout eternity!

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