Walking in the Love of Christ
By Peter Amsterdam
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In the book of 1 John we read the short but profound statement that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). John goes on to explain that “in this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).
While the phrase God is love isn’t found in the Old Testament, we read of God’s love throughout it. The most commonly used Hebrew word to express God’s love in the Old Testament is chesed, which is translated as steadfast love, lovingkindness, faithful love, and mercy. Of the 194 times this word is used, it refers to God’s love 171 times.
When God revealed Himself to Moses, He called Himself “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands” (Exodus 34:6–7).Twice in this verse He referred to Himself using the phrase steadfast love, and when repetition was used in ancient Hebrew, it was for the purpose of emphasis. Throughout the Old Testament, God refers to His steadfast love as “enduring to a thousand generations” and “from everlasting to everlasting” (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 103:17).
From Genesis through Malachi, God is portrayed as the One who faithfully and eternally loves. And the New Testament states outright that God is love. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as being His Father’s love for humanity. In John 3:16, we read that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus was the love of God manifested on earth, and He instructed those of us who love Him and believe in Him to follow His teachings so that we will abide in His love and reflect His love to others (John 15:9–10). In order to help us walk in His love, He sent “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, [who] will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is love (Galatians 5:22).
It’s helpful to understand that there are a few words that are translated into English as love, but which have different meanings in the original Greek of the New Testament. One of these Greek words is eros, which expresses the “being in love” feeling, and is not used in the New Testament. Another word translated as love is phileo, which is used for fondness, a close bond of deep friendship, love for fellow human beings, compassion, and brotherly love. A third word is storge, which relates to the love and affection people have for members of their family, especially parents for their children.
The fourth and the most commonly used word for love in the New Testament is agape. As used in Scripture, it means the love of God. For example, in 1 John 4:8 when it says God is love, agape is the original Greek word. Everything God does is motivated by and flows from His love. Agape also refers to the love we have for God and our neighbor, highlighted by Jesus as the greatest commandments (Mark 12:30–31), and the Christlike love we are to show others: “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” (John 13:34).
When we read about love (agape) in the Gospels and Epistles, we see love which chooses to put the needs of others before self, which accepts being inconvenienced, which voluntarily suffers for the benefit of someone else while not expecting to receive anything in return. It is a love that shows goodwill, faithfulness, commitment, and strong character. It is the love that Jesus displayed and that motivated Him to lay down His life so that we could live with Him forever.
Agape love is the sacrificial love that Jesus manifested and that we are called to imitate, as Paul wrote: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1–2).
It’s the love that Jesus said we are to give one another as Christians. “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” (John 13:34). It’s also the type of love we are to show even to those who persecute or mistreat us. “I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
In the King James Version, agape is often translated as “charity,” which helps us understand that this love is a giving, unselfish love. It does to others those things that you would want done for you. The call to imitate Jesus’ love is a call to love not only those we are close to and comfortable with, or those whom we think deserve our love. It means loving those we don’t feel are deserving; who think, believe, and act in ways we don’t agree with. After all, Jesus told us to love our enemies and those who wrong us or mistreat us.
The apostle Paul put skin on love (agape) when he defined what love is and does and how it is manifested in 1 Corinthians 13, which is often referred to as the “love chapter”:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7).
The NIV version uses other wording in places which helps deepen our understanding of this passage. It tells us that love “is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). The NLT version tells us that love “does not demand its own way. … It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7).
This challenging list is a good touchstone for us if we desire to emulate Jesus and we seek to walk in the love of Christ and embody His love, compassion, and kindness to others. Jesus gave examples of how to demonstrate this love in our daily lives: “Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:30–31).
Jesus went on to say: “Do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:35–38).
The book of 1 John echoes Jesus’ commands by focusing on love: “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18. It goes on to say that “if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12).
In his epistle, James gives us some concrete examples of putting our faith and Christ’s love in action: “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:15–17).
Having and exhibiting the love of Christ is vital as we strive to live a life that reflects Jesus. Love for the Lord and others are the basis for the attributes which help us move toward Christlikeness. Compassion, forgiveness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience are all rooted in love. Making the decision to develop Christian character, to put off the old self and put on the new self, as the apostle Paul wrote, is also rooted in love (Ephesians 4:20–24).
We love God because He first loved us, and based on His love, we want to be more like Him, to reflect Him and His love to everyone our lives touch each day—even if that reflection is only a dim glow of who He fully is. But as dim as that glow may be, it shines in this world of darkness and gives glory to the one who made, loves, and saved us, and with whom we will spend eternity.
May we each grow in Christlikeness to better reflect Him to others as we strive to become more like Jesus.
Originally published September 2018. Adapted and republished September 2024. Read by John Laurence.
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