1. GOD IS LOVE, & HE LOVES US:

1Jn.4:8b – God is love

A. God’s love for us:

Jer.31:3 – I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee
Rom.8:38,39 – I am persuaded, that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God
Eph.2:4-6 – God…for His great love wherewith He loved us…hath raised us up
1Jn.3:1 – What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us
1Jn.4:10 – Love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
(See also Zeph.3:17)

B. How God showed us His love:

Jn.3:16 – God so loved the world, that He gave His only…Son
Rom.5:7,8 – God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
1Jn.4:9 – In this was manifested the love of God…God sent His Son into the world, that we might live through Him

C. Jesus’ love for us:

Jn.10:11 – I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep
Jn.15:13 – Greater love hath no man…that (he) lay down his life
2Cor.8:9 – Though He (Jesus) was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye…might be rich
Eph.3:19 – Know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge
Rev.1:5 – Jesus Christ…loved us, & washed us from our sins in His Own blood

D. Dwelling & abiding in God’s love:

Jn.14:21 – He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, & I will love him, & will manifest Myself to him
Jn.14:23 – If a man love Me…My Father will love him, & we will come unto him, & make Our abode with him
Jn.17:26 – That the love…may be in them, & I in them
1Jn.2:5 – Whoso keepeth…Word, in him is love of God perfected
1Jn.4:19 – We love him, because He first loved us
Jude 21b – Keep yourselves in the love of God

2. THE FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT TO LOVE GOD:

Deut.6:5 – Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, & with all thy soul, & with all thy might
Deut.10:12 – What doth the Lord require of thee, but to love Him…with all thy heart & with all thy soul
Deut.30:20 – Love God, &…cleave unto Him: for He is thy life
Josh.22:5 – Take diligent heed to…to love the Lord your God, & to cleave unto Him
Josh.23:11 – Take good heed unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord
Mat.22:37,38 – Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart…this is the first & great commandment
(See also Deut.30:6; Mk.12:30.)

3. THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR:

Lev.19:18 – Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
Mat.22:39 – The second (commandment) is like unto it (the first), Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
Jn.13:34 – Love one another; as I have loved you
Jn.15:12 – This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you
Jn.15:17 – These things I command you, that ye love one another
1Jn.3:11 – This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another
1Jn.3:23 – His commandment, That we should…love one another

4. LOVE ONE ANOTHER:

A. God loves us so we should love one another:

Jn.13:34 – As I have loved you…ye [ought to] love one another
Eph.5:2a – Walk in love [one to another], as Christ also hath loved us, & hath given Himself for us
1Jn.4:7a – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God
1Jn.4:11 – If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another
1Jn.5:1b – Every one that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him

B. God gives us love to love others:

Rom.5:5 – The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us
Gal.5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit is love…longsuffering
1Thes.3:12 – The Lord make you to increase & abound in love one toward another, & toward all men
1Thes.4:9 – Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another
2Thes.3:5 – The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God
2Tim.1:7 – God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of love
(See also Eph.6:23)

C. To love is the greatest law of God:

Mk.12:33 – To love (God)… & to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all…offerings & sacrifices
Lk.10:25,27,28 – To inherit eternal life…love God with all thy heart… neighbour as thyself. This do, & thou shalt live
Gal.5:14 – All the law is fulfilled in… this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

D. Love is the most important virtue:

1Cor.13:13 – Faith, hope & love…the greatest of these is love
1Cor.13:2b – Though I have faith…& have not love, I am nothing
Gal.5:6 – Faith…worketh by love
Eph.3:17 – (Be) rooted & grounded in love
Eph.3:19 – The love of Christ…passeth knowledge
Col.3:14 – Above all these things put on love
Rev.2:3,4 – For My name’s sake hast laboured…(but) I have somewhat against thee…thou hast left thy first love
(See also Eph.1:15,16; Col.1:3,4; Phlm.5.)

E. Love one another fervently:

1Thes.3:12 – Increase & abound in love one toward another
1Pet.1:22b – Love one another with a pure heart fervently
1Pet.4:8 – Above all things have fervent love among yourselves

F. Love sincerely & genuinely:

Judg.16:15a – How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?
Rom.12:9 – Let love be without dissimulation (hypocrisy)
1Pet.1:22a – Obeying the truth…to unfeigned love of the brethren (See also 2Cor.6:6; 8:8.)
Phi.1:9,10 – That your love may abound yet more & more…that ye may be sincere & without offence

G. The benefits that loving others brings us:

Jn.13:35 – By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another
2Cor.13:11 – Live in peace; & the God of love shall be with you
Eph.3:17-19 – Ye, being rooted & grounded in love…might be filled with all the fulness of God
1Jn.2:10 – He that loveth his brother abideth in the light
1Jn.3:14 – We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren
1Jn.4:7b – Every one that loveth is born of God, & knoweth God
1Jn.4:12 – If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, & His love is perfected in us (See also 1Jn.2:5)
1Jn.4:16 – God is love; & he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, & God in him

5. REAL, GENUINE LOVE:

A. Whatever you do, do it in love:

1Cor.16:14 – Let all your things be done with love
2Cor.5:14 – The love of Christ constraineth (compels) us

B. The qualities that genuine love will have:

1Cor.8:1b – Love edifieth (builds up, strengthens)
1Cor.13:4 – Love envieth not; vaunteth (exalts) not itself, is not puffed up (proud)
1Cor.13:5 – Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil
1Cor.13:6 – Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth Col.3:14 Love…is the bond of perfectness
1Jn.4:18 – There is no fear in love…love casteth out fear

C. Genuine love results in unity of believers:

Col.2:2a – That their hearts might be…knit together in love
(See also 1Sam.18:1; Eph.4:15,16; Phi.2:1,2.)

D. Real love will not give up or fail:

Song 8:7 – Many waters [troubles] cannot quench love…drown it
1Cor.13:4 – Love suffereth long
1Cor.13:7 – Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things
1Cor.13:8 – Love never faileth
Heb.13:1 – Let brotherly love continue (keep up, not fail)

E. Love is not pushy:

Rom.12:10 – With brotherly love; in honour preferring one another
Phlm.8,9a – Though I might be bold…to (command, impose upon) thee…yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee

F. Love is considerate of others’ weaknesses:

Rom.14:21 – It is good [not to do] any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak
Rom.15:1 – We…ought to bear the infirmities of the weak
Rom.15:2 – Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good
Gal.5:13 – By love serve one another
Eph.4:2 – With longsuffering, forbearing one another in love

G. Love will not hurt or do wrong to others:

Rom.13:9,10 – Love worketh no ill to his neighbour

H. If we have love, we will be kind & courteous:

1Cor.13:4a – Love suffereth long, & is kind
Eph.4:15 – Speaking the truth in love [not inconsiderately blunt]
Eph.4:32 – Be ye kind…tenderhearted, forgiving one another
1Pet.3:8 – (Have) compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous

6. REAL LOVE RESULTS IN GOOD DEEDS:

A. Putting love into action:

Mat.14:14 – Jesus…was moved with compassion toward them, & He healed their sick
Mat.25:35 – I was an hungered…I was thirsty, & ye gave
Lk.6:31 – As ye would that men should do to you, do ye to them
Lk.10:30-35 – [The good Samaritan took loving action & helped]
Gal.6:10 – Let us do good [deeds] unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith
1Jn.3:18 – Let us not love in word [only]…but in deed & truth
2Jn.6 – This is love, that we walk after His commandments

B. Sacrificial love, giving our lives for others:

Jn.15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends
1Jn.3:16 – He (Jesus) laid down His life for us: & we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren
Acts 15:25,26 – Barnabas & Paul…hazarded their lives for the name of Jesus (See also Acts 20:24)
Phi.2:30 – For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death

C. Be concerned about others’ welfare; not just your own:

1Cor.13:5 – (Love) seeketh not her own
Phi.2:4 – Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others
1Thes.4:9 – As touching brotherly love…love one another

D. Selfishness shows a lack of love:

1Jn.3:17 – Whoso…seeth his brother have need, & shutteth up his…compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Jam.4:17 – To him that knoweth to do good, & doeth it not, to him it is sin

E. Doing good to our brethren is doing it to Jesus:

Mat.25:35-40 – Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of My brethren, ye have done it unto Me
Heb.6:10 – Love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints
(See also Eph.6:5-8; Col.3:22-24.)

F. Failing to do good to our brethren is failing to do it to Jesus:

Mat.25:41-45 – Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me

7. LOVE VS. HATE:

A. We do not truly love God if we don’t love our fellow man:

1Jn.4:20 – He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?
Tit.3:3-5 – [Before we were saved] we…(lived) in malice & envy, hate ful, & hating one another
Jam.3:9-12 – Bless we God…& curse men. My brethren, these things ought not so to be (See also Jam.3:14; 1Jn.3:17.)
1Jn.4:21 – This commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also
(See also Mat.5:23,24)

B. We are commanded not to be hateful:

Lev.19:17,18 – Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart…but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

C. When we don’t love one another:

1Jn.2:9,11 – He that hateth his brother is in darkness…blinded
1Jn.3:10 – He that loveth not his brother…is not of God
1Jn.3:14b – He that loveth not his brother abideth in death
1Jn.3:15 – Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer
1Jn.4:20a – If a man say, I love God, & hateth his brother… liar
1Jn.4:8 – He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love

D. The bad fruit of hatred:

Gen.37:4 – They hated him, & could not speak peaceably unto him
Pro.10:12a – Hatred stirreth up stifes
1Jn.3:15 – Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer
(See also Gen.4:3-8; Pro.26:26; Ezk.25:15.)

8. SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF LOVE:

A. We are to love all men:

Mat.5:46,47 – If ye [only] love them which love you…what do ye more than others? (See also Lk.6:32,33)
1Thes.3:12 – Increase & abound in love…toward all men
Heb.12:14a – Follow peace with all men

B. We are to especially love brothers & sisters in the Lord:

Jn.13:35 – By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another
Gal.6:10 – Especially unto them who are of the household of faith
1Pet.2:17 – Honour all men. Love the brotherhood
(See also Heb.13:1; 1Pet.4:8. Also compare Tit.3:15; 2Jn.1; 3Jn.1 re: “loving in the faith”.)

C. Examples of unusually great love &/or admiration:

1Sam.18:1 – The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, (he) loved him as his own soul (See also 20:17)
2Sam.1:26 – [David declared his deep love for Jonathan]
Mk.10:17-21 – [Jesus was moved with love for the rich young ruler]
Jn.11:3,5 – [Jesus' special love for Mary, Martha & Lazarus]
Jn.13:23 – [Jesus had a special love for the apostle John] (See also Jn.19:26; 21:7,20.)
1Thes.5:13 – Esteem them very highly in love for their [good] work’s sake

D. We are even to demonstrate God’s love to our foes:

Pro.25:21,22 – If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread…& if he be thirsty, give water…& the Lord shall reward thee
Mat.5:43-47 – Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good…that ye may be the children of your Father
Lk.6:27-30 – Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, & pray for them
Lk.6:32-35 – If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? Sinners also love those that love them
Lk.10:30-37 – A Samaritan [adversary of the Jews]…when he saw him [a wounded Jew], he had compassion on him

9. LOVE, FORGIVENESS & MERCY:

A. To love means to be forgiving:

Pro.10:12b – Love covereth all sins
1Pet.4:8b – Love shall cover the multitude of sins

B. God is merciful to us:

Num.14:18a – The Lord is longsuffering, & of great mercy, forgiving iniquity & transgression
Num.14:19 – Pardon…the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy mercy
Psa.103:8 – The Lord is merciful & gracious, slow to anger, & plenteous in mercy
Psa.103:10,11 – He hath not dealt with us after our sins…great is His mercy toward them that fear Him
Lam.3:22,23 – It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not…new every morning
Isa.63:7 – The great goodness…He bestowed on them according to His mercies, &…multitude of His lovingkindnesses (See also 2Sam.24:14; Isa.54:7,8.)
(Re: God’s lovingkindness, see Psa.25:6; 36:7; 40:11; 69:16; 103:2-4; 119:149; Jer.9:24.)

C. God loves mercy more than “justice” & retribution:

Mic.7:18 – God…pardoneth iniquity…He delighteth in mercy
Mat.9:13 – I will have (desire) mercy, & not sacrifice (See also Hos.6:6)
Jam.2:13b – Mercy rejoiceth against judgment
Rom.5:20 – Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
Pro.16:6 – By mercy & truth iniquity is purged

D. He often refrains from justly punishing us:

Exo.32:14 – The Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people
Psa.103:9,10 – He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities
Psa.130:3,4 – If Thou…shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee
2Sam.24:16 – The Lord repented of the evil, & said to the angel that destroyed the people, Stay now thine hand
(See also Gen.18:20,23-26; Jon.1:1,2; 3:10; 4:11.)

E. God mercifully forgives our sins:

Psa.103:12 – As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us
Isa.1:18 – Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…as wool
Mic.7:19 – He will have compassion upon us…& cast all their sins into the depths of the sea
Isa.43:25 – I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions
Isa.44:22 – I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy…sins
Heb.8:12 – I will be merciful…& their sins…remember no more
(See also Psa.32:1,2; Isa.38:17.)

F. God is especially merciful to those who love & fear Him:

Exo.20:6 – Showing mercy unto…them that love Me, & keep My commandments
Deut.7:9 – God…keepeth covenant & mercy with them that love Him
Psa.103:11 – As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him
Psa.103:13 – Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him
Psa.103:17 – The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him
Lk.7:47,48 – Her (many) sins, are forgiven; for she loved much
Acts 26:18 – Turn…from darkness to light…that they may receive forgiveness of sins

10. WE ARE TO BE MERCIFUL & FORGIVING:

Mic.6:8 – What doth Lord require of thee, but to…love mercy

A. We should forgive others as God has forgiven us:

Mat.18:33 – Shouldst not thou also have…had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Lk.6:36 – Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful
Eph.4:32 – (Forgive) one another, even as God…hath forgiven you
Col.3:13 – Forbearing one another, & forgiving one another… even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye

B. Have longsuffering & great mercy & keep forgiving:

Lk.17:4 – If he trespass against thee 7 times in a day, & 7 times… repent; thou shalt forgive him
Mat.18:21,22 – Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, & I forgive him? Until 70 times 7 (times)
Pro.17:9 – He that covereth (passes over) a transgression seeketh love

C. Make mercy a rule in your heart:

Pro.3:3,4 – Let not mercy & truth forsake thee: write them upon the table of thine heart

D. Forgive sincerely; don’t harbour grudges or hatred:

Lev.19:17,18 – Thou shalt not bear any grudge…but thou shalt love
Mat.18:35 – From your hearts forgive…every one his brother
Eph.4:31,32 – Let all bitterness…be put away from you, with all malice: forgive one another (See Heb.12:15)
Jam.5:9 – Grudge not against another, brethren

E. God shows mercy to us if we are merciful & forgiving:

Psa.18:25 – With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful
Mat.5:7 – Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy
Mat.6:12 – Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
Mat.6:14 – If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you
Mk.11:25 – Forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father… may forgive you your trespasses
Lk.6:37 – Condemn not, & ye shall not be condemned: forgive, & ye shall be forgiven

F. But woe to the unmerciful:

Mat.6:15 – If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will (God) forgive your trespasses (See also Mk.11:26)
Mat.18:23-35 – So…shall (God) do also unto you, if ye…forgive not every one his brother their trespasses
Jam.2:13 – He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy

G. The self-righteous feel they don’t sin & don’t need forgiveness; therefore they are unloving & unforgiving to others:

Lk.7:47b – To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little
Lk.15:25-30 – [The faithful older brother was angry that his father forgave the penitent prodigal son]
Lk.18:9 – Certain trusted in themselves that they were righteous, & [therefore] despised others

11. THE LIMITS OF FORGIVENESS:

2Pet.3:9 – The Lord…is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should (repent)

A. Even God’s forgiveness is balanced with justice:

Num.14:1-3,11-23 – [Although God pardoned them (vs. 19,20), the Jews weren't allowed to enter the promised land]
2Sam.12:7-14 – [God forgave David, but because his sin was so serious, he was still punished & his child died]
1Chr.21:1-14,17 – [David sinned, then repented & begged forgiveness, but the Lord still sent a severe punishment]
2Chr.36:15,16 – He had compassion…but they mocked, despised…wrath of the Lord arose…till there was no remedy
Pro.29:1 – [Hardened rebels] destroyed, & that without remedy
Mat.21:33-41 – [After showing mercy & patience, God destroyed the unrepentant wicked] (See also Mk.12:1-9)
(Compare 2Chr.33:1-19; Jer.15:1-4 – & compare Mat. 5:44,45; Heb.6:7,8.)

B. He does not forgive wicked or unrepentant offenders:

Isa.22:12-14 – This iniquity not…purged from you till you die
Mat.12:31,32 – [Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit rejecting Jesus, Jn.15:26 - not forgiven now or ever]
Rom.1:29-32 – They which commit such things are worthy of death (See also Rom.2:2,3; Heb.10:26-31.)

C. Sometimes interceding prayer will not make Him forgive:

(See Jer.7:16; 14:7-12; 16:5; Compare Jer.15:1 – & Ezk.14:14,18,20.)

D. It is right and godly to hate the anti-God wicked:

Eccl.3:8 – A time to love, & a time to hate
2Chr.19:2b – Shouldest thou help the ungodly, & love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee
Psa.26:5 – I have hated the congregation of evildoers
Psa.97:10 – Ye that love the Lord, hate evil
Psa.139:21,22 – Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies

E. The unrepentant wicked are not forgiven & must pay for their evil-doing:

2Thes.1:6-9 – It is a righteous thing with God to (pay back) tribulation to them that trouble you
Rev.6:9-11 – [Saints in Heaven pray for God to avenge their blood on the wicked who killed them]
Rev.16:5,6 – Thou art righteous, O Lord…because Thou hast judged…for they have shed the blood of saints
(Caution: Pro.25:21,22; Rom.12:19,20; Deut.32:35.)
(See also Gen.6:5-7,11-13; 7:21-23; 2Pet.2:4-6; Jude 6, 7,14,15.)

12. EVEN ERRING CHRISTIANS MUST REPENT TO BE FORGIVEN:

A. No obligation to forgive unrepentant brethren:

Lk.17:3 – If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; & if he repent, forgive him (See also Mat.18:15)
(See also Rom.16:17; 1Cor.5:11,13; 2Thes.3:6,14; Tit. 3:10; 2Jn.10,11 – re: not forgiving those who wilfully sin against the truth)

B. There is a time to be firm:

1Cor.4:18,21 – What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or love
Tit.1:13 – Rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith

C. Show mercy & patience in order to help them repent, & do not pardon them until they do:

Lk.13:6-9 – [Parable of patiently tending the unfruitful tree, warning it will be cut down if it doesn't respond]
Rom.2:3-6 – [Don't mistake God's patience for forgiveness; "the goodness of God" is to "lead thee to repentance "]
(See also Gal.6:1&)

D. Serious offenders must change, not merely be “sorry”:

Isa.55:7 – Let the wicked forsake his way…& let him return unto the Lord, & [then] He will have mercy…& pardon
Mat.3:8 – Bring forth fruits meet for (worthy of) repentance
Mat.3:10 – Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down [judged] (See also Mat.7:19; Lk.3:8,9.)
(See also Psa.51:10; 101:3; Jer.3:10b; Hos.6:4.)

E. They must confess their sin & ask for forgiveness:

Psa.32:5 – I acknowledged my sin unto thee…& Thou forgavest
Psa.86:5 – Thou, Lord, art good, & ready to forgive; & plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee
Acts 3:19 – Repent ye…that your sins may be blotted out
1Jn.1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful…to forgive
2Cor.2:6-8 – [After punishment] ye ought to forgive him, lest [he] be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow

F. Don’t use this as an excuse to be unforgiving:

Mat.5:22 – Whosoever is angry with his brother without a [legitimate] cause shall be in danger of the judgment

G. God still loves the wayward, & you should too:

Psa.89:30-33 – I will visit their transgression with the rod…[but] My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him
2Thes.3:15 – Count him not as an enemy, but admonish as a brother
(See also Jam.5:19,20)

H. When they repent, He will love them freely:

Hos.14:4 – I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him

Special chapters:

1Cor.13; 1Jn.4.

7. Love & Forgiveness, Copyright © 1998-2012, The Family International