love_is

 

 WHAT IS IT?

(All scriptures are quoted from the New American Standard version.)

 

A popular musician years ago had a song with the phrase "All we need is love.” For many, many years up to and including today’s time, most churches teach, "All you need is love.” Sadly, very sadly, many today in the assemblies are also teaching, "All we need is love.” The folks in the assemblies do have verses to justify their teachings; however, we must harmonize ALL the Scriptures, not take some here and there to prove a point, especially when that point is taking us further from our Heavenly Father. Some of the Scriptures they use are:

  • John 15:9, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
  • John 15:12, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
  • Romans 12:10,”Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;”
  • Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), no doubt—"a" fruit of the Spirit.

There are many, many verses such as the above. Generally, what goes hand-in-hand with the "feel-good, all you need is love” teaching, is that all mankind is our "brother.” You could go into most any church today and hear something very similar to the above.

Before going too far into "love,” let’s quickly determine who our "brother” is because some of what you will read is in regards to our "brother.” Yahushua said very clearly who our "brother” is—Matthew 12:50, "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother," and Mark 3:35, ""For whoever does the will of YAHWEH, he is My brother and sister and mother." If someone is going to church on Sunday, calling on a Greek name, and worshipping trees, are they your brother? If someone believes in the trinity, or twinity (belief that Yahushua was not created, that He always existed along with YAHWEH—two "Almightys”), or believes we no longer have to keep the law, they likewise are NOT your brother! Do NOT misunderstand, could they become your brother? Absolutely. The fact that they are NOT your brother does not mean you are mean, nasty, and do not plant "seeds,” and we must love them as well (Deuteronomy 10:18 for instance). But they are NOT your brother!

Would "love” be watching your brother or sister go away from His word and not try to show them what they are doing? That would be like watching your brother walk into traffic without saying "stop"! If you love them, you will stop them or at least make every attempt to.

How did Yahushua love the apostles? Enough to teach them the right ways, enough to give them instructions, which were essentially confirming all that YAHWEH gave them (and us) in the so-called Old Covenant (original Scriptures, "Tanakh"). Enough to encourage them in all things right, proper and good.

There are so many verses on "love” in scriptures. We are going to look into just a few of them but would highly recommend you look at these yourself, but remember "the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth;” Genesis 8:21 and "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9.

First category of love we’ll look at is "loving your neighbor.” There are many more than what will be listed, but you will get the idea from these:

  • Leviticus 19:18, 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am YAHWEH.
  • Deuteronomy 10:17-18, "For YAHWEH your Elohim is the Elohim of elohim and the Master of masters, the great, the mighty, and the awesome Elohim who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
  • 2 Chronicles 19:2, Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate YAHWEH and so bring wrath on yourself from YAHWEH? [Sidenote: Who "hates” YAHWEH? The ones who KNOW but disregard His laws, perhaps? The ones who disregard YAHWEH as being the TRUE Elohim, claiming that Yahushua is EQUAL to Him? How about the ones who insist on Yahushua’s name being anything other than containing "Yah” (as His Father’s Name in His)? How about those who disregard the salvation through Yahushua’s blood?]
  • Micah 6:8, He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does YAHWEH require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?
  • Zechariah 8:17, 'Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,' declares YAHWEH."
  • Matthew 5:43-46, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [Sidenote: Can a brother be an "enemy”? Ideally, no; practically, absolutely. Most of us (if we’re being truly honest) know we are not "loved,” or do we love all who we fellowship with, for example.]
  • John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

The next category is YAHWEH’s love for us. This is unbelievable when we realize the depth of His love! Who would not want to stand in absolute awe of His might, His power, His protection?

  • Deuteronomy 7:7, "YAHWEH did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because YAHWEH loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, YAHWEH brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
  • Deuteronomy 7:12-13, "Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that YAHWEH your Elohim will keep with you His covenant and His lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you.
  • Deuteronomy 10:15, "Yet on your fathers did YAHWEH set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. [Sidenote: people use this "circumcise your heart” as a so-called New Covenant concept—here it is in the original scriptures!]
  • Deuteronomy 10:17-18, "For YAHWEH your Elohim is the Elohim of elohim and the Master of masters, the great, the mighty, and the awesome Elohim who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
  • Song of Solomon 8:6, "Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of YAHWEH.
  • Isaiah 43:4, "Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
  • Isaiah 56:5-6, To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. Also the foreigners who join themselves to YAHWEH, to minister to Him, and to love the name of YAHWEH, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant;
  • Jeremiah 31:3, YAHWEH appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
  • Ezekiel 16:8, "Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares YAHWEH, thy Elohim.
  • Hosea 14:4, I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them.

We have seen just a sampling of how we are to love our neighbors and our brothers. We have seen just a sampling of how YAHWEH shows His love for us. Now, the most important category of all: How do we show our love for YAHWEH? We do not have to guess at this, He gave us an Instruction Book and included in there are the ways that HE desires us to show our love for Him.

  • Deuteronomy 5:9-10, 'You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, YAHWEH your Elohim, am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
  • Deuteronomy 10:12-13, "Now, Israel, what does YAHWEH your Elohim require from you, but to fear YAHWEH your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve YAHWEH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep YAHWEH'S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?
  • Deuteronomy 13:3, You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for YAHWEH your Elohim is testing you to find out if you love YAHWEH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.
  • Joshua 22:5, "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of YAHWEH commanded you, to love YAHWEH your Elohim and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
  • Psalm 97:10, Hate evil, you who love YAHWEH, Who preserves the souls of His righteous ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
  • Psalm 119:47-48, I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love and I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love; and I will meditate on Your statutes.
  • Jeremiah 2:2, "Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says YAHWEH, "I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothals, Your following after Me in the wilderness, through a land not sown. [sidenote: He’s remembering their zeal perhaps?]
  • Daniel 9:4-5, I prayed to YAHWEH my Elohim and confessed and said, "Alas, O YAHWEH, the great and awesome Elohim, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances.
  • John 14:21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
  • John 14:23, Yahushua answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
  • John 14:24, "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.

The verses we have studied on "love” thus far only went up to John 21:15. There are quite a few after that.

There are also several other "categories” of love such as love between very close intimate friends even of the same sex (such as David and Jonathan); family love between husband and wife or parent and child; and love misused such as Samson’s wife in Judges, or Amnon’s love for his brother’s wife in 2 Samuel.

When you hear someone speaking about love, especially if it is in a teaching capacity, check it out! Love is good, YAHWEH is love. We show OUR love for Him by abiding by His words, NOT relying on some spiritual application—it is a doing application (truth is--the physical first, then the spiritual so you should have both)!

One last thought: YAHWEH punished His people, severely at times—where was the love? Someone shows his brother in scripture how he will NOT make it to the kingdom if he continues going against YAHWEH’s law—where’s the love? Love can be seemingly harsh but weighed against the alternative, love will shine through.

HalleluYAH!