Topical Bible: Character of Christ: Loving

Bible > Topical > Character of Christ

◄ Character of Christ: Loving ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The character of Christ as loving is a central theme throughout the New Testament, reflecting the essence of His mission and His relationship with humanity. The love of Christ is not merely an abstract concept but is demonstrated through His actions, teachings, and ultimate sacrifice.

Demonstration of Love

Christ's love is evident in His interactions with individuals from all walks of life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love" (John 15:9). This statement underscores the divine origin and nature of His love, which is both perfect and unconditional.

One of the most profound demonstrations of Christ's love is His willingness to lay down His life for humanity. In John 15:13, Jesus states, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." This sacrificial love is the cornerstone of Christian faith, exemplified by His crucifixion, where He bore the sins of the world.

Love for the Marginalized

Christ's love extends to those marginalized by society. In the Gospels, He consistently reaches out to the outcasts, sinners, and those deemed unworthy by the religious elite. In Matthew 9:36, it is written, "When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." His compassion is a direct expression of His love, driving Him to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and offer forgiveness to sinners.

Teaching on Love

Jesus' teachings emphasize love as the greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:37-39, He instructs, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" These commandments encapsulate the essence of the Law and the Prophets, highlighting love as the fulfillment of God's will.

Furthermore, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges His followers to love their enemies, saying, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). This radical call to love transcends human inclinations and reflects the divine nature of Christ's love.

Love as a Model for Believers

The love of Christ serves as a model for believers, who are called to emulate His love in their own lives. In Ephesians 5:2, Paul exhorts, "Walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God." This call to walk in love is a directive to live a life marked by selflessness, compassion, and service to others.

The Apostle John further emphasizes this in 1 John 4:19, stating, "We love because He first loved us." The love of Christ is the foundation and motivation for believers to love one another, reflecting the transformative power of His love in their lives.

Conclusion

The character of Christ as loving is a profound and transformative aspect of His nature. His love is sacrificial, inclusive, and serves as the ultimate example for believers to follow. Through His life, teachings, and sacrifice, Christ embodies the perfect love of God, inviting all to experience and share this love with the world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 13:1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 15:13
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Impossible that Marcion's Christ Should Reprove the Faithless ...
... Reprove the Faithless Generation Such Loving Consideration for ... Characters Confronted
and Instructed by Christ in Samaria ... take on myself the character [4375] of ...
/.../chapter xxiii impossible that marcions christ.htm

Christ's People --Imitators of Him
... Imitate Christ in you loving spirits; speak kindly, act kindly, and do kindly, that
men may ... There is a wondrous power about the character of Christ, for the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/christs peopleimitators of him.htm

Character of the Gospel.
... Character of the Gospel. ... John when he undertook the task of outlining the ministry
of Christ. ... is the deepest, the highest, the most tender and loving, the most ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/character of the gospel.htm

Blessing the Children
... gardener. By gentle touches, by loving ministrations, seek to fashion their
characters after the pattern of the character of Christ. ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 56 blessing the children.htm

The Precept of Loving One's Enemies it is as Much Taught in the ...
... Chapter XVI."The Precept of Loving One's Enemies It ... is not a different thing which
Christ enjoined to ... which proceeds from knowledge of character, [4072] upon ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xvi the precept of loving.htm

Christ on the Road to the Cross
... and although that is a side of the Lord's character which is ... of Him, as the embodiment
of all loving, gracious, gentle virtues, but Jesus Christ as the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/christ on the road to.htm

Life and Character of John
... [580] By no other apostle is Christ called the Logos. ... Does not the character of John
belong to this order ... and thunderbolt, so in those two loving and passionate ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 41 life and character.htm

Growing up into Christ
... love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of His character. ... Christ in His purity and
holiness, Christ in His ... It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending wholly ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 8 growing up into.htm

Christ the Arrester of Incipient Evil and the Nourisher of ...
... brings it into an erect position, and then gives it water and loving care ... There is
no dimness in this light, that is to say, Christ's character is perfect, His ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/christ the arrester of incipient.htm

Melted by Kindness
... name in addressing him, means either to assert His knowledge of his character, or
His ... It is useless to talk about loving Jesus Christ and trusting Him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/melted by kindness.htm