As human beings, we are guaranteed to do ONE thing in our lives no matter what: we will love. Love is a timeless feeling that can be exciting, deep, passionate and even unreasonably loyal. But there are also bad things about love: it can cause wars, pain, suffering turmoil.
Therefore, as Christians, we should learn about God’s eternal love. If we do, we can do our best to truly love people in our lives. Our love can be selfless instead of selfish. The best place to learn about God’s love for us is the Bible.
In the Bible we see that God loved us so much that He gave up His only Son for our sins and us. If it were not for this eternal, unconditional act of love, we would not be saved. Praise God and read the Bible verses below for a better and fuller understanding of love!
# 20 – Psalm 42:11
Why are you cast down, my soul? and why are you troubled in me? do you hope in God; for I will yet praise him who is my face and the health of my God.
The most important message contained in this verse is this: we should not be in despair. Psalm 42:11 tells us that we have no reason to be despaired or rejected. We humans who love and worship God are saved. We praise him because he loves us and he gave up his only son for us. We should rejoice in His love!
Therefore, there is no reason why we are sad! Every time you experience sadness or depression in your life, all you have to do is remind yourself of God’s unnecessary love for you.
# 19 – Proverbs 5:19
Let her be like the loving behind and comfortable roe; let her breasts satisfy you all the time; and always be overheard with her love.
As you read this verse in Proverbs, take a step back to truly understand the big picture. It teaches us to be happy with our chosen partner in life. We must be happy with this person’s love as an infant is kept happy with her breast milk. If the wife loves the husband and the husband the wife, it is a recipe for happiness.
So remember, when choosing your partner, you must be satisfied both mentally and physically. This must be someone who you respect, love you back. If so, you will always be happy in his or her love.
# 18 – Proverbs 10:12
Hatred rebellion strikes, but love covers all sins.
Sin, strife and negativity are carried by hatred – that’s always the case! But as this verse in Proverbs says, LOVE “covers” these sins. Love, goodness and happiness will always conquer hatred, evil and sin. Therefore, each of us must fill our lives with as much goodness as we can.
Love will heal us, so we must look to the love of God whenever we need healing, support, and guidance.
# 17 – Proverbs 13:24
He who spares his spell hates his Son; but he who loves him punishes him at times.
If you love your children, always try to teach them, even if it means punishing them from time to time. You would do them a bear service if you “spared the rod” and did not punish them when they did wrong. If you love your family – teach them what’s right and good, whatever you can.
As a parent, it can be difficult to scold a child whom you love so much (more than yourself, even). But you must be strong! Teach the child what is good and what is bad – even if it sometimes requires chastening. They will be better at it.
# 16 – Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves all the time and a brother is born for adversity.
This verse from Proverbs is a little confusing – both a friend and a brother should know love. However, it is a friend’s nature to show love at all times. However, a brother’s love is different from a friend’s. Although he should love at all times, he must always strive to fight for and protect his brother, though he may face adversity while doing so.
Therefore, a brother’s love is MORE powerful … though he may have to endure strife and hardship to protect his relatives.
# 15 – Solomon’s Song 1: 2
Let him kiss me with his mouth kiss; for your love is better than wine.
The song of Solomon is full of colorful, passionate language about love. This verse is a simple celebration of love at its most basic expression – kiss! The kiss can unite lovers, families and friends. It is universally understood as an expression of love. Love between two people can be more exquisite and entertaining than all other earthly pleasures!
# 14 – Solomon 4:10
How fair is your love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is your love than wine! and the smell of your ointments than all the spices!
This is yet another verse in the Book of Solomon celebrating the simple beauty and joy of love. Although there are many different kinds of love, they all share a similar core that brings us joy. How lucky they are to be able to love God, family and friends!
Love is compared to many pleasant things throughout history: a wine, a flower, a sound or an odor. And while we may be wrapped up in the poetry of love, we must never forget what a serious, passionate feeling it can be.
# 13 – Solomon 8: 6
Lay me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is as cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are balls of fire which have a very fiery flame.
All of us must be able to carry the love we have in our hearts, as badges of honor on our sleeves. Love can be passionate – so passionate that it feels it even surpasses death itself! And while love can inspire jealousy that feels as cruel as torture, it’s always worth the risk!
You must be proud of the unconditional love you have for people. It’s a great thing to have. Every time we love someone, we honor God’s love for us. Be proud!
# 12 – 1 Corinthians 13: 4
Love suffers long and is kind; charity is not envy; charity does not honor itself, is not inflated,
This verse in the Corinthians reminds us that by giving to others we can express our love. Love, a common expression of love, represents some of the most important things about what is called love. It is kind, long, it does not envy, and it does not deal with itself. It is completely selfless – a perfect expression of God’s immortal love for us.
Here we are reminded that love must be selfless. If we love someone, we should not care to receive anything in return, even if it is something we desperately want.
# 11 – 1. Corinthians 13:13
And now faith, hope, charity, these three abide; but the greatest of these is charity.
This verse in the Corinthians reminds us what we should love in our lives: faith, hope, and charity. However, it emphasizes that charity must be the most important thing. Love helps others, and it is a completely selfless expression of true love. It is the best way to spread God’s love to the world’s people!
Just think what the world would be like if more people were charitable! It would be a friendly, loving place and no one needs to fear. And while there are many very giving people in the world, it is not all of us all of the time. We should work more often to be so!
# 10 – Colossians 3:14
And above all, these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
This verse in Colossians teaches us again about the importance of charity – it is the selfless expression of love that we must show to the world as faithful Christians. Through charity, we can improve the lives of others without asking for anything in return!
Sometimes it is difficult to put this into practice. If we are charitable, we receive nothing in return. We have to think about what God and Jesus would do in our day. Would they worry about receiving? Or would they give? Just as Jesus gave up his life for our sins?
# 9 – 1. Peter 4: 8
And above all, Ide has a love among you: for charity must cover the diversity of sin.
This verse in Peter means that if we are converted, loving Christians … we must try to show other love. By being charitable, we can show others and God that our love is pure and meaningful. Do your best to make the world a better place when you repent of your sins.
It may not always be easy, but it is best for your life and the lives of others if you are charitable and repentant. Volunteer, be selfless and always put the needs of others before your own.
# 8 – 1 John 3:16
Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he gave his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
This verse tells us that we must use God’s ultimate example of unconditional love — He gives up His only Son for our sins — as a guide in our own lives. If God was able to give up His Son for us, we should be able to provide for our brothers and sisters in a similar way.
Every day of your life doesn’t have to be full of extravagant, love-filled movements, but we must always remember that the least we can do is treat people with kindness. If the Son of God gave up his life for us, we can at least be about being nice to our fellow man.
# 7 – 1 John 4: 9
In this, God’s love for us was manifested because God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we could live through Him.
Again, this verse from the Book of John instructs us how to treat the other people in our lives. If we can try to love others even a fraction of the way God loves us, we could make their lives and ours better.
That is why keeping God at the center of our lives can be so much! Our lives can take on a whole new meaning if we try to love our brothers and act like true Christians. We must be filled with love – not hate!
# 6 – 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear plagues. He who fears does not become perfect in love.
Every time we are truly deeply in love with someone, we should not feel fear. There is no fear in love – only passion, understanding and kindness. Fear results in torment, misunderstandings and heartache. When we love God and others, we must be faithful in that love.
If we are in love with someone, the worst thing we can do is fear. We must be consumed by love. Some fear change or commitment, but we should not. Love is a pure, amazing thing. Humans are imperfect and things can happen, but the act of love will always be the same.
# 5 – 1 John 4: 8
He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.
This is an extremely important verse in the Book of John. This verse tells us that God IS love. If God is love and we want to get closer to God, we should learn to love deeper and more completely than ever before.
This is possibly the most straightforward biblical advice on love in existence. If God is love, then love is good (like God). It is also pure and holy. This is why when we feel love, we need to remember that it is sacred. It must be treated with respect – and so should our fellow human beings.
# 4 – Solomon 8: 7
Many waters cannot extinguish love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give all his house to love, it would be utter disdain.
This verse in Solomon’s song defines so eloquent love – it cannot be drowned and it must be one of the most important things in our lives. Take this to heart as you think about your love for God. This love (and God) should be the center of your life.
If so, you can be strong in times of strife. You can survive against the raging waters and not drown.
# 3 – John 15:13
Greater love has none than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
If any of us were to lay down our lives for our loved ones, we would imitate the greatest act of love of all: Jesus dies on the cross for our sins. If we could put our loved ones first in our lives, we could get so much closer to God.
This is never easy to do, but we should always strive to do so. Just think about how a mother would feel about her children: she has an immortal, unconditional love for them. If we could express a fraction of this love for more people, we could improve so many lives – even souls.
# 2 – Solomon 2:16
My beloved is mine and I am his; he nourishes among the lilies.
This simple verse of the Solomon song sums up love famously – if you love someone and they love you, you will be in such a wonderful world, as if sweet-smelling lilies surrounded you. Now the real world is not fantasy, but true love is real. And when you love, your world can be so much better.
Each of us has a different mental picture of what love it likes – you can think of sweets, flowers, perfume, silk or passion. But love is a universal language. Whatever it means to each of us, we all feel the same love!
# 1 – Ephesians 5:25
Men, love your women, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it;
This last verse of love from the Book of Ephesus is one of the best verses to read when you are curious about love in any relationship you are currently in. It applies to every one of us, and we should take it to heart. Husbands must love their wives and wives must love their husbands – it’s as simple as that. Relationships can be complicated, but if we can maintain unconditional love at the very heart of our hearts, we can make our lives and the lives of others so much better.
So learn to love God more deeply and genuinely if you want to get closer to him – if you need help understanding, read more on GodVine’s online Bible!