00:05Day 1. The Entity of Love
00:08As Christians, we must understand that our definition of love is not built on a shifting
00:14foundation of human feelings, but on the nature of a person. The Bible tells us plainly that God
00:20is love. This means love is not just something God does. It is who He is. It is the highest
00:27entity, the creator of the heavens and the earth. To truly model love, we cannot look to our own
00:34hearts or cultural trends. We must look at how He expresses Himself. The first time the word
00:41love appears in Scripture is in an unexpected and challenging context. Genesis 22 verse 2.
00:48God speaks to Abraham and says, Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the
00:55land
00:56of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering. In this law of first mention, we see a picture
01:03of
01:03love that is inseparable from obedience, sacrifice, faith, and trust. Abraham did not falter. God
01:11identified Abraham's love for his son within the framework of a sacrificial request. True Biblical
01:18love, therefore, is not a passive sentiment. It is an active, obedient, and faithful commitment.
01:24Many people today try to villainize the Old Testament, claiming the God of that era was
01:30not loving. They try to pick and choose only the gentle parts of the New Testament that seem to
01:36condone every behavior. But the love of God has a standard and a value system. The Old Testament
01:43serves as a type and shadow of the ultimate love shown in Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us
01:50while
01:50we were yet strangers. We cannot claim to walk in the love of God while living in direct contradiction
01:56to His Word. Having the Holy Spirit does not mean God has lowered His standards. It means He has given
02:03us the power to meet them. As we begin this study, we must leave our biases behind and look at
02:10the true
02:10ideal of love, one that is forged in truth and lived out in obedience.
02:15Prayer
02:16Lord, thank you for the opportunity to study your Word. We ask that as we study the depth of true
02:23Biblical love, we would see you clearly. We leave our biases at the door and ask for hearts that are
02:30teachable and ready to conform to your truth. Help us to love according to your standard and not our own.
02:37In Jesus' name, Amen.
02:40Amen.
