D6-5: A Biblical Hebrew Would Not Have Recognized The Viewpoint Of Love As Promoted In Most Churches

Today, I want to talk about the true Biblical meaning of the word “love“.

The gentile church today says that “obedience” and “love” are mutually exclusive of one another.

A Christian pastor normally promotes the idea that when it comes to our relationship with God, love is more important than obedience.

That’s the common refrain often promoted from the pulpit.

However is that really Scriptural?

The answer is NO.

The Scriptures take the opposite position and say that one is evidence of the other.

God says to obey Him IS to love Him.

In fact, Biblically speaking, it is IMPOSSIBLE to separate obedience to God’s commands from love.

So how in the world did the meaning of the world “love” change?

What cause the shift that moved the concept of love from being mainly an ACTION versus being mainly a warm and fuzzy EMOTION?

Well, we can thank the Greeks and Romans for that.

It is Greco-Roman philosophy that led to this idea that love is just warm feeling of inner warmth as opposed to being an action.

The truth is the Biblical Hebrews would never have recognized the Christian viewpoint of love as it is promoted in the majority of the Gentile churches.

Let’s take a look at the dictionary definition of the word “love“.

–a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

–a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

-sexual passion or desire.

-a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.  (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like):Would you like to see a movie, love?

–affectionate concern for the well-being of others:the love of one’s neighbor.

–strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything:her love of books.

–the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.