QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN SERIES LOVE Lesson Eight of Eight
2 Peter 1:5-9 INTRODUCTION:
Peter saved the best for last. Maybe it is because it takes so much to have
a real quality love. More than the superficial.
These qualities have steadily built themselves into a mighty fortress of strength in
which God's character and greatness is represented to all in the flesh of humanity.
In this lesson, let's look at some of the passages that discuss love and its real nature.
WORD DEFINITIONS:
Love - AGAPAO - and the corresponding noun AGAPE are used to describe a service
of the heart because of an attitude contained within. Love can be seen from the
action it prompts.
Used in John 3:16 - God so loved the world... He gave (action).
"Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of
all in the implicit obedience to His commandment - John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10."
A LOOK AT LOVE FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 13.
Love is contrasted - v. 1-3.
Greater than eloquence.
Greater than prophecy.
Greater than mysteries.
Greater than faith.
Greater than benevolence.
Greater than sacrificial giving of life for a cause.
Love analysis - v. 4-7.
Patient - suffers long.
Kindness - is kind.
Generosity - envieth not.
Humility - vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up.
Courteous - does not behave itself unseemly.
Unselfish - seeks not its own.
Good tempered - not easily provoked.
Guilelessness - takes not account of evil.
Sincere - rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in truth.
The defense of love - v. 8.
Never fails - it never fails - love will stand the test of time.
A LOOK AT LOVE FROM ROMANS - 12:9-21.
Love of the brethren - v. 9-13.
Principle of love: Without hypocrisy - v. 9 "Let love be without hypocrisy..."
Sensitivity of love - v. 9b "...abhor that which is evil..."
Purity of love - v. 9c "...cleaves to that which is good..."
Reality of love - v. 10a "In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another..."
Humility of love - v. 10b "...in honor preferring one another..."
Excitement of love - v. 11a "In diligence, not slothful..."
Earnestness of love - v. 11b "...fervent is spirit..." (inward attitude)
Genuineness of love - v. 11c "...serving the Lord..."
Buoyancy of love - v. 12a "Rejoicing in hope..."
Endurance of love - v. 12b "...patient in tribulation..."
Devotion of love - v. 12c "...continuing steadfastly in prayer..."
Unselfishness of love - v. 13a "Communicating to the necessities of the saints..."
Welcome of love - v. 13b "...given to hospitality..."
I Peter 4:9.
Love of all men - v. 14-21
Love blesses its persecutors - v. 14 "Bless them that persecute you, bless and curse not."
Love is interested in others - v. 15 "Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep"
Love seeks points of agreement - v. 16a "Be of the same mind toward one another..."
Love rejects unworthy ambitions - v. 16b "...set not your mind on high things..."
Love bends down - v. 16c "But condescend to things that are lowly.."
Love avoids self promotion - v. 16d "...Be not wise in your own conceits..."
Love refuses revenge - v. 17a "Render to no man evil for evil..."
Love endeavors to attract - v. 17b "...Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men."
Love strives for peace - v. 18 - "...If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men..."
Love trusts its cause to God - v. 19
Love returns good for evil - v. 20
Love always wins the true victory - v. 21
CONCLUSION:
"For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither
be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that
lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that
he is purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence
to make your calling an election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall."
