How can I learn to love unconditionally?

Talk is Cheap

I hear so many Christians talking about loving God and loving your neighbor. Talk is cheap!

Love is Action!

The feeling of love is fantastic. But, Paul clearly defines love in 1 Corinthians 13 as an action to be chosen. It is not a feeling to be strived for or talked about having. Not by God’s standards. And any other standard is useless or vanity!

It Profits Me Nothing

Paul says that any work apart from love profits him nothing. Not only is it useless, but it is extremely offensive to people and to God. It is a stink in His nostrils that induces nausea. Deception is obvious to everyone except for the deceived.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. – 1Co 13:1 NKJV
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, but have not love, I am nothing. – 1Co 13:2 NKJV
And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. – 1Co 13:3 NKJV

Learn the Action of Love

To learn to love, you must first know love. He is a person. Knowing Him is life eternal (John 17:3). Meditate on the following Scripture receiving that this is how God loves you! This is how God loves the whole world. That is why “Agape” is translated as “charity” in KJV. Love gives and gives.

Love suffers long [and] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; – 1Co 13:4 NKJV
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; – 1Co 13:5 NKJV
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; – 1Co 13:6 NKJV
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1Co 13:7 NKJV

What does God expect in return? For His children to believe and receive.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]. – Mar 11:24 KJV

Give to Give

This very act produces delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

God Rests in His Love

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. – Zep 3:17 KJV

God can rest in His love and so can we. Why? Because love never fails.

Love never fails. But whether [there are] prophecies, they will fail; whether [there are] tongues, they will cease; whether [there is] knowledge, it will vanish away. – 1Co 13:8 NKJV

A Purpose for All

Christians aren’t raptured as soon as we are born again because we have a very good purpose here in this world. Jeremiah 29:11 and Revelation 12:11 reveal our general purpose as children of God sojourning.

Your Specific Calling

God gives you the desires of your heart and expects you to believe Him and be guided by them to discover your very unique calling or purpose. Mine is absolutely perfect for me. And yours is absolutely perfect for you.

Put Away Childish Things

Paul explains in 2 Timothy 3:15-17 that we should know the Scripture from a child. We must be born again (1 Peter 1:23). Then we grow as obedient children (Hebrews 5:13-14). We put away childish things moving on unto perfection (Hebrews 6:1-2).

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. – 1Co 13:9 NKJV
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. – 1Co 13:10 NKJV
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. – 1Co 13:11 NKJV
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. – 1Co 13:12 NKJV

The Greatest is Love

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love. – 1Co 13:13 NKJV