Topical Bible: Love to Man: Explained

◄ Love to Man: Explained ►

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Love to man, often referred to as "brotherly love" or "charity," is a central theme in Christian theology and ethics. It is rooted in the character of God and is a fundamental expression of the Christian faith. The Bible provides numerous teachings and examples that illustrate the importance and nature of love towards others.

Biblical Foundation

The command to love others is deeply embedded in Scripture. In the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18 instructs, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." This command is reiterated and expanded upon in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, when asked about the greatest commandment, responded by linking love for God with love for neighbor: "The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31).

The Example of Christ

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of love to man. His life and ministry were marked by compassion, healing, and service to others. The Apostle John emphasizes this in 1 John 3:16: "By this we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." Christ's sacrificial love is the model for Christian love, calling believers to selflessness and service.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The ability to love others as Christ loved is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 states, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." The Spirit enables believers to transcend natural inclinations and to love with a divine love that reflects God's own nature.

Practical Expressions of Love

The New Testament provides practical guidance on how love to man should be expressed. In 1 Corinthians 13, often referred to as the "Love Chapter," the Apostle Paul describes love as patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. Love is not self-seeking or easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. This passage serves as a blueprint for Christian conduct.

Furthermore, the Epistle of James emphasizes that love must be active and not merely theoretical. James 2:15-16 challenges believers: "If a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, stay warm and well fed,' but does not provide for their physical needs, what good is that?" True love is demonstrated through tangible acts of kindness and generosity.

Community and Unity

Love to man is also essential for the unity and health of the Christian community. In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands His disciples, "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." The love among believers serves as a testimony to the world of the transformative power of the Gospel.

Challenges and Perseverance

While love is a divine command, it is not without challenges. Human relationships are often fraught with difficulties, misunderstandings, and conflicts. The New Testament acknowledges these challenges and encourages perseverance. Colossians 3:13 advises, "Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." This call to forgiveness and forbearance is crucial for maintaining love in the face of adversity.

Conclusion

Love to man, as taught in the Bible, is a reflection of God's love for humanity. It is a command that encompasses all aspects of life and is essential for personal holiness, community harmony, and the witness of the Church. Through the example of Christ, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and the guidance of Scripture, believers are called to embody this love in their daily lives.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity braggs not itself, is not puffed up,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

1 John iv. 7, 8
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. <. ... The natural man makes
Self the centre and end of all. Love impels man to go beyond self ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iv 7 8.htm

Showing How the Inward Man Should Exercise Himself, that He May be ...
... God ever become the creature; as I explained to you ... And so in such an inward man,
whom God has ... introversion but his enlightened reason and his active love. ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter viii showing how the.htm

1 John iv. 9-10
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. ... their guilt and made it his own;
his all-devoting love entered into the whole feeling of man's guilt and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iv 10-sep.htm

1 John iv. 19, 20
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. <. ... "We love him because he
first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iv 19 20.htm

1 John iv. 12
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. <. ... And hence the more
a man has shut his heart against love, the more he is sunk in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iv 12.htm

1 John ii. 15
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. ... In this sense he says: "If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." It is in this sense ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john ii 15.htm

1 John ii. 11
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. ... its full power and glory can best
unfold; yet this by means excludes the universal love of man, which from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john ii 11.htm

The Love that Constrains
... He said that a dead Man had appeared to him and ... easy method of saying, 'Insane.'
And Paul explained himself by the great word of my text, 'The love of Christ ...
/.../romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the love that constrains.htm

1 John ii. 5
The First Epistle of John, Practically Explained. ... John knows indeed of no other love
to God. He beholds in man a being estranged from God; over whom impends the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john ii 5.htm

Love Unknowable and Known
... of knowing the love of Christ which 'passeth knowledge' is to be explained by taking ...
You and I believe, I hope, that Christ's love is not a man's love, or at ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/love unknowable and known.htm