Is not love the answer?
Introduction. A primary question should be, what is Biblical love? To many people "love" is an inexplicable warm feeling, lust, or a liking of something or someone. "Love" is used to justify disobedience to God's laws, adulterous marriages, and the disciplinarian neglect of children.
A look at Biblical love. Agape and agapao love are defined as: "Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments... Love seeks the welfare of all..." (W.E. Vine). Love is the activator of saving faith. Hear Paul: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5: 6). Love truly prompts obedience (1 John 5: 3).
Love must be properly directed. Love, generally viewed, must have the right direction. We must not love darkness (John 3: 19, 20), the world (1 John 2: 15-17), sinful pleasure (2 Tim. 3: 4), and human praise (John 12: 42, 43). Conversely, we are to love God (Matt. 22: 37), God's commands (Ps. 119: 127), enemies (Matt. 5: 43-48), and the truth (2 Thes. 2: 10-12). When true love is present there will be no envy, no joy in sin, but hope and endurance (1 Cor. 13: 4-7).
The value of Biblical love. Biblical love motivates to serve God (John 14: 23), produces true confidence (1 John 4: 17, 18), and works not ill toward another (Rom. 13: 10). Love causes one to serve another (Gal. 5: 13). Biblical love is so great it is said to be the "bond of perfectness" (Col. 3: 14). Love unites all things worthwhile and makes them complete.
Conclusion. We must never use "love" in such a way as to make it exclusive of anything God has required (such as obedience). We must also understand what Biblical love actually is. Biblical love is the answer!
A look at Biblical love. Agape and agapao love are defined as: "Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments... Love seeks the welfare of all..." (W.E. Vine). Love is the activator of saving faith. Hear Paul: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5: 6). Love truly prompts obedience (1 John 5: 3).
Love must be properly directed. Love, generally viewed, must have the right direction. We must not love darkness (John 3: 19, 20), the world (1 John 2: 15-17), sinful pleasure (2 Tim. 3: 4), and human praise (John 12: 42, 43). Conversely, we are to love God (Matt. 22: 37), God's commands (Ps. 119: 127), enemies (Matt. 5: 43-48), and the truth (2 Thes. 2: 10-12). When true love is present there will be no envy, no joy in sin, but hope and endurance (1 Cor. 13: 4-7).
The value of Biblical love. Biblical love motivates to serve God (John 14: 23), produces true confidence (1 John 4: 17, 18), and works not ill toward another (Rom. 13: 10). Love causes one to serve another (Gal. 5: 13). Biblical love is so great it is said to be the "bond of perfectness" (Col. 3: 14). Love unites all things worthwhile and makes them complete.
Conclusion. We must never use "love" in such a way as to make it exclusive of anything God has required (such as obedience). We must also understand what Biblical love actually is. Biblical love is the answer!