Lesallan
Published August 8, 2025
What is Love – A Biblical Definition
Lesallan
Published August 8, 2025
Love lies at the heart of Christian teaching, serving both as the defining characteristic of God’s nature and the highest standard for human relationships. Through the lens of the King James Bible, love is not merely an emotion but a deliberate choice embodied by patience, kindness, and sacrifice. This post examines three foundational passages—1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Matthew 22:37-39; and John 15:13 (KJV)—to articulate a biblical definition of love.
Love Defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV).
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians offers the most detailed portrait of love in Scripture. He writes that love is patient and kind; it envieth not; it vaunteth not itself; it is not puffed up; it doth not behave itself unseemly; it seeketh not her own; it is not easily provoked; it thinketh no evil; it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; it beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things (1 Cor. 13:4–7, KJV). These attributes describe an active, selfless commitment rather than a passive feeling.
The Greatest Commandment: Deuteronomy and Matthew (KJV)
Jesus affirms that true love begins with devotion to God and extends to neighbor. Quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, He declares, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37, KJV). He then expands this command: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:39, KJV). Together, these twin commands establish love as both vertical (toward God) and horizontal (toward others), forming the ethical foundation of Christian life.
Love Demonstrated Through Sacrifice
Jesus models the ultimate expression of love in John’s Gospel: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, KJV). Sacrificial love involves risk, loss, and vulnerability. It transcends natural inclinations, reflecting the holiness and self-giving of Christ Himself. In the Christian context, every act of service, forgiveness, or compassion echoes this supreme standard.
The King James Bible reveals love as a multifaceted virtue: a choice to act patiently and kindly, a commandment to honor God and neighbor, and a willingness to sacrifice. Far from a mere sentiment, biblical love demands transformation of character and conduct. As 1 John 4:8 summarizes, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (KJV). By embracing this divine paradigm, believers participate in God’s redemptive work, testifying that love truly bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things.
Blessings in Christ,
Lesallan
References:
The Holy Bible: King James Version. (n.d.). Retrieved from
