Bible Study

Title: Active Love
Date: Sep 23, 2008
Topic(s): Faith/Trust, Jesus, God's Love
Scripture: Ephesians 5:2, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:13, Ephesians 2:4-7, Galatians 2:20, John 13:34, John 3:16

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Love is more than words; it involves action. Love is visible. If someone says, "I love you," but doesn't seem interested in you or affectionate toward you, you'd question that love. Well, you never have to worry about that with God. His love is active. He offers more than words; He backs them up with His actions.

What Does God Say?

The most obvious example is found in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (ESV).

God loved...so He gave. Not just a few flowers or a card but He gave His Son. God the Father loved us (the world) so much that He sent God the Son, not just for a visit but for a particular purpose. The Son came to die so that we could have eternal life and loving fellowship with God the Father.

Now, that's a pretty amazing gift. Look at Ephesians 2:4-7: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (ESV).

Once again, God loved and He acted. He sent Christ to make us alive, to raise us up, so we might share in the riches of His grace for all eternity. You can tell it's real love because it's active.

My Thoughts

In 1 John 4:7-21, we learn more about God's love and how to follow His example.

• Where does true love come from (4:7-8)?
• How is God's love for us made visible (4:9-10; 14-16)?
• What are we to do with that gift of love (4:11-12; 19-21)?
• What do we gain from this love (4:12-17)?
• What about the problem of fear (4:16-18)?
• How will others know that God's love lives in us (4:19-21)?

My Part

Real love, rooted in God, takes action. It serves others and sacrifices for them. It means we put them ahead of ourselves and give up that "me-first" thinking in order to care for them.

That's what Jesus did for us; just look at John 3:16; 15:13, Galatians 2:20 and Ephesians 5:2. It should also activate us to love others. Jesus puts it pretty clearly in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (ESV).

So, how are you doing in this area? Do you rely on your words to let others know you love them? Or can they tell by your actions? Are you willing to set aside your own agenda in order to serve in love? Are you following Jesus' command to love sacrificially, just as He did? What can you do today to make sure your love is active?

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