Walking in Love

This post has nothing to do with valentine's day .....trust me ...
  It may seem as if it were sheer coincidence, but today I will be talking about what it means to love one another.
   John 13:34 - 35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 
   Love is a way in which the true Children of God are identified. We, as believers, are to love one another unconditionally. The Bible asserts this under the clearest possible terms.  (If in doubt see John 15:12, 17, Romans 12:10, 13:8, Galatians 5:13, etc.)
   God is love (1 John 4:8). If God is love, and we are his children, then our lives should be characterized by love towards others.  Indeed, he that loveth not knoweth not God. (That's the first part of 1 John 4:8).
  What is love?  It is an emotion? Is it affection?
 Love, as used in the Bible, takes on a different definition than that which we apply to Love today. The word 'Love' gets the rather sad definition "An intense feeling of deep affection". The verb form of it is even sadder:
"[to] feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment".
   For once, I feel inclined to disagree with the dictionary. Love as described in the Bible does not lend itself to the shallow definitions of the modern dictionary.  It has a much deeper meaning than that.
   The Greek word for love is agape. Agape, although translated 'love' in our English Bibles, has a radically different definition.
   " selfless love of one person for another without sexual implications (especially love that is spiritual in nature)"
    It is this agape love which we are to have toward others.  Paul does a good job defining it, so I will spend the remainder of this blog quoting him.
   (Note: This is quoted from the KJV, which renders the word 'charity'.  As you see, the KJV translators will well justified in doing so)
    "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."
  God bless you all, and have a great week :).