God’s Definition of Love: It’s Not What the World Told You

Chántelle Adanna
Jun 12
5 min read

black woman writing in a journal, with tea — Journal Your Life Away

Happy June!

Happy Month of Love, Light, Grace, and Favor of the one true Living GOD!

What Is God’s Definition of Love?

I want to first say that I love you all, and no matter what I may write or say that convicts you, I still love you, I'm just coming out of agreement with the abominations of sin.

Unfortunately, many have made these sins their identity, and so they take my words personally, but I'm speaking from the truth, the Word of the one true living God.

And if you don't remember anything that I ever say, just always remember that the truth is the truth no matter what you choose to believe, and it stands firm no matter who decides to come into agreement with it; it manifests anyway because God is God.

I want to be so clear about my intentions every time I speak, and it is to educate, spread love, and encouragement.

Misinterpreting the Bible Undermines God’s Definition of Love

However, I think that society and certain groups of people, no matter the race or any other outlandish way they choose to identify outside of Christ, have misconstrued what God's definition of love is, entirely. They choose to only harp on and listen to the parts of love that suit them, make them feel good, warm, and fuzzy inside. While I'm never knocking that, because let's be real, who doesn't want those feelings, I also advocate for balance, which is of God as He is the Lamb AND the Lion.

To anyone who makes the misguided argument that the Bible is merely written and interpreted by man, I want you to understand this: you're also dismissing the very promise Jesus gave us when He died on the cross for our sins at Calvary. Following His commands and believing in that promise are inseparable from the teachings in the Bible—they are all deeply connected, not mutually exclusive.

Love Is Obedience—Not Just Emotion

If people, but even more specifically Christians read the bible and read to understand like they study any and everything else for temporary relief or pleasure then you'd know every sin in the bible was accounted for by God...so read full context and not bits and pieces to fit what is convenient for your lifestyle.

Now, back to the misconstrued meaning of love this generation seems to have…

In the (KJV) version, 1 John 4:19, says, "We love him, because he first loved us." - love in the strongest concordance means "to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing.

When you're contented, you're what? Happy, at ease, delighted, and what is God delighted by?

Obedience!

Bare with me, so the popular verse you're probably familiar with is:

God’s Definition of Love Includes Accountability

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Charity sufferth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vauneth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeth not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

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."

OK, let me translate for those who are too lazy to look up the definitions of these words.

Charity:

· Love, goodwill, affection, benevolence, brotherly love

· Suffereth long = not to lose heart, to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles. To be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others

· to be mild slow in avenging

· to be longsuffering, slow to anger slow to punish

Kind: (Google definition)

· someone or something that is generous, helpful, and caring, often showing compassion or understanding.

Envieth:

· To burn with zeal

· To be heated or to boil with envy, hatred or anger

· busy oneself about him

Vauneth:

· to boast one's self

· an excessive self-display

Doth behave itself unseemly:

· to act becomingly (not acting attractive, suitable, or appropriate)...respectful

· doesn't seeketh her own (is not self-centered)

Evil:

· of a bad nature

· not such as it ought to be

· thinking, feeling, acting wrongly or wickedly

· troublesome, injurious pernicious (harmful in a subtle way), destructive, baneful (archaic, painful)

Iniquity:

· Injustice of a judge

· unrighteousness of heart and life

· a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness

Truth:

· what is true in any matter under consideration

· what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth

· the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention

Faileth:

· to fall from a thing, to lose it

· to perish to fall

· to fall powerless, to fall to the ground, be without effect

The last part, speaking prophecies or predictions, speaking in various languages, and special knowledge, will become useless, but love will last forever.

Cultural Love vs. God’s Love

So, in a nutshell, most of us have no idea what God's definition of love is, specifically those in Christ, or excuse me, carnal Christians, not covenanted Christians, which means worldly Christians, which means thinking that love doesn't mean accountability, responsibility, or self-discipline, to the degree that you will reap what you sow especially if you aren’t humbling yourself in the act of repentance daily.

2 Timothy 2: 7(KJV) "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

Fear:

· timidity, cowardice

Sound Mind:

· self-control

Speak the Truth in Love—Not in Silence

Love is not cowardly, it doesn't say stay quiet when the Holy Spirit says speak, it doesn't say be nice...it says be kind, which implies boundaries but still done in love. Love is not always going to feel pleasant, especially when you do not like to be corrected, convicted, or held accountable.

Love is self-discipline, and most think it’s a boundless feeling of free will without any consequences.

I just want people to wake up and be real.

Speak the truth without being demeaning, condescending, or prideful.

Speaking the truth about actions you take in private that you think no one sees, yet God is omnipresent, is not hate…it’s accountability.

Chantelle Adanna Publishing