God and religion: What’s love got to do with it? | Clergy
With Valentine’s Day coming soon, I find myself reflecting on love.
The Protestant Bible consists of 66 books — with 1,189 chapters, 31,173 verses, and a grand total of 807,361 words. Written over many, many years by many, many authors, the Scriptures hold wisdom that is both deep and timeless. Many subjects are addressed, but, if one were to sum it all up, one could say that the Bible’s main concern is love.
What can we learn about love in the Word of God:
We learn that love has its origin in God. Without God there is no love. The very substance of love not only originates from God but is the very essence of God. God is love. This is the message in First John 4 when God’s very nature is described: God is love.
We also learn that love is part of a double connection between us and God. Only by knowing God can we know love, and only by knowing love can we know God. It is by love, and love alone, that God is known. Our God is a god of relationship — of love.
We learn that human love is but a response to divine love: “We love because God first loved us.” This is explained by New Testament scholar A.E. Brooke: “Human love is a reflection of something in the divine nature itself.” Totally depraved and left to our own devices we could not love. It is only through the love of God that we know what it means to love and choose to love. This is true whether this love is directed toward God or one another. Clement of Alexandria taught that a real Christian practices being God by learning to love. When we love out of absolutely pure intentions, we are the closest to God that we can possibly be.
We can learn that love for God is inextricably connected to our love for others. “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” (1 John 3: 17) Our love for God finds expression in our love for one another, and our love for one another is only possible because of the love between God and us. This means that it is hypocritical for us to claim to love God while refusing to love our brothers and sisters — any of them! And one thing we know: hypocrisy disappoints Jesus greatly.
We can also learn that love drives out fear. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) With love comes trust, and with trust comes courage and boldness in the face of fear. If we truly understand what it means to be loved by God and to love God in return, then nothing can separate us from the love of God that we find in Christ Jesus. With God’s love, what is there to fear?
Scripture can teach us many things about the nature of love, but the learning is all in vain if we do not apply and practice it. Perhaps our most important lesson about love is that we should love our neighbors — all human beings. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) We love because God first loved us. This is both a statement of truth and a command! Love is found in expression, in action, and not simply in word or emotion. The Gospel’s message is clear: Love is not simply something we feel or say. Love is something we do. Love is a verb.
In John Mayer’s 2012 album, “Born and Raised,” he gives us a simple little song, “Love is a Verb,” that gives us a musical reminder of one of Scripture’s most important lessons.
“Love is a verb It ain’t a thing It’s not something you own It’s not something you scream
When you show me love I don’t need your words Yeah love ain’t a thing Love is a verb Love ain’t a thing Love is a verb
Love ain’t a crutch It ain’t an excuse No you can’t get through love On just a pile of I-O-Us
Love ain’t a drug Despite what you’ve heard Yeah love ain’t a thing Love is a verb Love ain’t a thing Love is a verb.”
Scott W. Hoffman is the senior pastor at State College Presbyterian Church.