FIRST-TRUMP#top..........Sound the alarm in Zion..... ...........................

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LOVE

³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13)

Just what is this thing called love?

I see the word everywhere. I see it written on billboards. I see it written in the sky. I see it in the Bible. I see it written at the end of letters. I see it on the cover of porno magazines.

I see and hear the word everywhere. But just what is it? What is this thing that everyone talks about?

"We love everybody" I read in magazine articles. "We love you all" says the performer on stage as he or she blows a kiss to the audience. "We love our customers" reads the sign over the door of the meat market.

Everybody loves everybody it seems. But just what is this thing called love?

A man is brought to court for beating his wife and kids. The unfaithful husband pleads with his wife not to divorce him. All this, according to the one who has offended, out of that thing called "love."

A man has a reputation for having had sex with hundreds of women. He is called a "Great Lover." Is sex then a definition of love? Is it a physical union between just as many people as one is capable of? Is that what the sign over the door of the meat market is referring to? Is this what the performer on stage means when he or she says they love their audience? According to the tabloids it appears as if that is what they hope it means.

Just what is this thing called love?

This may seem to be a facetious question I'm asking because you, in your heart, know just what you mean when you say you love someone. But as you can see above, not everyone means the same thing when they say "I love you." Love is different things to different people. And that attitude might well change toward any given individual over time, yet the words used would remain the same.

Much of the use of the word love is merely a formality. Certain things are expected at any given time. For instance a letter is expected to begin with "Dear So-'n-So," even though the recipient of the letter is not even known to the writer of the mass-produced form letter. It is expected.

On the other end of the letter the word "Love," or "All my love" is written, and thus expected in order to properly conclude a letter.

This is what is expected. But just what is this thing called love that is expected of us?

The Bible tells us that we should love one another:

³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:)

It is even commanded of Jesus that we love one another. If we don't have this thing called love, then we are not a disciple of Jesus. We are not in the family of God, and we have no assurance whatever that we are saved. It is imperative that we have this thing called love.

But just what is this thing called love?

³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.

¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. ²And 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. ³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1Cor 12: & 13:)

Is love an action? This is apparently what the "Great Lovers" believe. And if they are correct, then the prostitutes are the ones who know best what love is. Is love beating one's family? If this is so then we go to the abusive parent to discover the meaning of love.

According to Paul in the Scripture above, love is not a physical behavior. Regardless of what we do, we do not possess love. Love is something besides that which we do.

It appears to me that love is not something so easily understood as we would suppose. Besides and beyond this, we humans have confused the issue even farther by making the word love a word to be tossed about as one would toss a kiss to the wind.

LOVE LOST

As a child, my life was devoid of love. As far as I can recall, the word was never mentioned in my family, nor was it ever exhibited. I heard the word mentioned elsewhere. I witnessed what might be considered love in homes that I visited. But for me the word had no meaning.

When my mother was young, she being the oldest, had to care for the family when her mother was ill. Her mother was always ill. Illness was feigned in order to escape a life she was unable to handle. Because of this, my mother had to be the mother when she was yet a child.

Her mother would tell her how much she loved my mother. The words where present, but there was no action behind her words. My mother's thinking was: if she really loved me, she would get out of that bed and take the burden of motherhood off my shoulders.

Love, the word and the demonstrative behavior behind the word had no meaning to my mother. In order to deal properly with her own children, my mother decided to do just the opposite of what her mother had done. She gave no apparent show of affection.

A pendulum moves from one extreme to the other, eventually coming to center if not disturbed. The hope is that over time, and with considered effort, our behavior will find its proper place and balance. However, in the process of our experimenting and making many errors, lives are effected, and the perfect is lost within those faulty attempts.

Having no example to follow, I became just the opposite of my parents. I sought love, but I neither knew where to find it, nor, because of having it not shown toward me, I felt totally unlovable. I made many errors in my attempt to understand what love is, and where to find it. In the process, I left many troubled souls in my wake.

Is love physical?

I discovered that it is not. In fact the physical display of love can counter, distort, and nullify the reality of love. Most people it appears never discover this. And because they have not done so, they continue searching in this illusive arena.

Is love emotional?

It would appear on the surface that love is indeed an emotional experience. It seems the closest any person can experience of love is that of the emotions. However, emotions are fickle. They wax and they wane as they please, leaving the one in possession of the depleted emotion to make recompense for the promises and the actions taken in the heat of the now past emotion.

Emotion is the closest I have come to love. I rarely express myself in a "loving" way except when I am experiencing the emotion of love. However, even at these junctures, I am full aware that the feeling will pass, and my exclamation of love will have been proven a lie.

What is love?

Love, I have found, is none of those things I would associate with love. Love is not what I have thus far explored or experienced. The only reality I have of love is that I do not possess it. And because I am aware that I do not possess it, I refrain from expressing it except when I express the emotion of the moment.

What is love?

LOVE DIAGNOSED

Love is a word. Love is a word misconstrued, misapplied, and certainly misunderstood. It would appear then, since love is a word, that the first place to look for understanding of the word is in the dictionary.

LOVE -noun

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

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

3. sexual passion or desire.

4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love? 6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.

7. sexual intercourse; copulation.

8. (initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.

9. affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.

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

11. the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.

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

13. Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.

14. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.

-verb (used with object)

15. to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.

16. to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).

17. to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.

18. to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

19. to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.

20. to have sexual intercourse with.

-verb (used without object)

21. to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

--Verb phrase

22. love up, to hug and cuddle: She loves him up every chance she gets.

--Idioms

23. for love, a. out of affection or liking; for pleasure.

b. without compensation; gratuitously: He took care of the poor for love.

24. for the love of, in consideration of; for the sake of: For the love of mercy, stop that noise.

25. in love, infused with or feeling deep affection or passion: a youth always in love.

26. in love with, feeling deep affection or passion for (a person, idea, occupation, etc.); enamored of: in love with the girl next door; in love with one's work.

27. make love, a. to embrace and kiss as lovers.

b. to engage in sexual activity.

28. no love lost, dislike; animosity: There was no love lost between the two brothers.

It would appear then that those who write the dictionary have about as much understanding of love as I do. However, besides presenting even more confusion over the word, there are two aspects briefly mentioned here that has yet to be covered, that is concern for another, and the love God has for His creation. Let us explore these potentialities.

First, let us further investigate what the Bible means by the word "love."

LOVE G25 agapao Perhaps from agan (much; or compare [H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368.

G5368 phileo From G5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while G25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as G2309 and G1014, or as G2372 and G3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specifically to kiss (as a mark of tenderness): - kiss, love.

It seems to me that what we have here is, first the social love, that is a concern for people in general or specifically; and the affectionate display of caring, whether it in fact exists or not. I think of those cultures that greet one another with a kiss, whether they like the person or not; and the kiss of Judas when he was in the process of betraying his Lord.

There are some words used in the Bible that are derivatives of love, or are akin to love, but are differently interpreted. John for instance uses the word "charity" when describing his concept of love. Let's take a look at these other words and draw them into the discourse.

CHARITY G26 agape From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.

It would appear that the word John uses is very similar to the first Greek definition for the word love, and it appears to stem from the same word as well. It would also appear as if they both have the same meaning, and that is to have a concern, a caring for another.

AFFECTION G794 astorgos From G1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of stergo (to cherish affectionately); hard hearted towards kindred: - without natural affection.

As I read this, the word interpreted "affection" here is actually the state of being without affection (Rom 1:31; 2Tim 3:3).

G4698 splagchnon Probably strengthened from sple¯n (the "spleen"); an intestine (plural); figuratively pity or sympathy: - bowels, inward affection, + tender mercy.

All through ancient, and even some modernt cultures, different emotions were thought to be derived from various parts of the body. This is true of thought as well. For instance, the American Indian believed that thought was from the heart rather than the head because that's where the feeling is experienced, or the physiological result of the thought occurred. Many cultures believed the head was merely to hold the eyes, nose and mouth.

G5426 phroneo From G5424; to exercise the mind, that is, entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): - set the affection on, (be) care (-ful), (be like-, + be of one, + be of the same, + let this) mind (-ed, regard, savour, think.

G2442 himeiromai Middle voice from himeros (a yearning; of uncertain affinity); to long for: - be affectionately desirous.

G5387 philostorgos From G5384 and storge (cherishing one's kindred, especially parents or children); fond of natural relatives, that is, fraternal towards fellow Christians: - kindly affectioned.

This appears to be referring to a concern for others, but in a higher form than that which we experience for those outside our circle of attachments. Again this word stems from the first word in this series of definitions: Philo.

G3806 pathos From the alternate of G3958; properly suffering ("pathos"), that is, (subjectively) a passion (especially concupiscence): - (inordinate) affection, lust.

Now we've entered into high emotions being expressed, but it does not appear to be a proper form of emotion that we should be desirous of lending our self to. I would say that this word might be akin to the sexual word for love: eros.

G3804 pathe ¯ma From a presumed derivative of G3806; something undergone, that is, hardship or pain; subjectively an emotion or influence: - affection, affliction, motion, suffering.

It would appear to me that this is the kind of love we're looking for. I should think this love is what Jesus experienced for His disciples. However, according to Gal 5:24 and Col 3:5 this is not always the case. Yet 1Pet 5:9; Heb 10:32; 2:Tim 3:11:Heb 2:9 and 2Cor 1:5-7 as examples show us that this is the very love Jesus has for us, and that we are to have for Him, and for one another. This love is one that takes us to the cross for the one we express love for. Is this the love, do you suppose, that is being expressed over the meat market door that says "we love our customers"?

THE BIBLE AND LOVE

There are many verses of Scripture dealing with the word love, far too many to present here. For a more complete investigation of the word I would suggest consulting a good concordance such as the Strongs' (which is the one I use and prefer). I am only going to present a sampling of occasions the word is used, and I'm sure there are other verses better suited to exemplify my presentation than the one I settled on.

³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34)

¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Eph 5:)

⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:)

¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:)

²⁰If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1John 4:)

We show our love for the Lord by demonstrating our love for His family, His sheep. Words are of no value if there is no action behind them. And if the performance of love is present, there is no need for words.

⁵Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. ²⁶But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:)

Those who don't follow Jesus, regardless of their claim to know and love God, do not hear the voice of God. Those who follow their Shepherd become accustomed to hearing His voice and will respond to no other. Those who do not follow the Good Shepard will be led astray by false shepherds. It is in our listening to, and in our following the instructions of the Shepherd's voice that we learn His voice. If we do not follow, we are either not a part of His flock, or we become left behind as a lost sheep: a prodigal that must hope that we will be rescued; or else we may become lost amidst the wolves that pray on the sheep.

²¹And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. ²²Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. (Luke 18:)

There was a ruler, probably a Pharisee highly dedicated to the law of Moses, and serving God as he saw prescribed in the Word. This ruler was apparently aware that there was something else needed beyond what he had learned in order to obtain favor with God, and thus eternal life. Jesus affirmed that there was something more he must do in order to gain that which he thought he most desired, and when he discovered his lack, he was unwilling to surrender what he had for that which he wanted.

Another such Pharisee who was very devout and dedicated is Saul of Tarsus, later to be called Paul. He was sincere in his efforts to follow the law to the letter, and to do his utmost for what he believed: and he found all his efforts were nothing and that he was running the wrong direction, in spite of all his dedication and his education (Phil 3:8).

Education, words, and dedication are not enough. Works may prove our dedication, but it does not prove our understanding of the Truth. There are a great many dedicated people willing to give up everything for their belief, even to blowing themselves and other up; but their sacrifice is nothing if not according to the will of God (1Cor 13:3).

²⁶If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:)

To be a disciple of Jesus, we must sacrifice everything. According to the above verses, we must not only be willing to leave everything and follow Jesus to the cross, but to do as He says we are to do.

In order to understand then what Jesus, thus God the Father, wants us to know, we must be a part of the Lord's flock; we must listen to His voice, which means follow Him and stay within hearing range; we must give up our family, our desires (thus our "flesh"); and we must take up our cross and follow the Lord even to giving up our lives. And evidence that we have done these things is that we love one another.

Surrender is the way in which we may be able to understand the Words of the Lord, that is, the Bible.

But who can do such a thing? We are asked to do everything that goes contrary to what we are told by our family, by our friends, by our church, by the world, and by our own good sense. Yet, if we do not do all that we are told, then we will remain blind to what the Bible is saying to us.

Who, I ask, can do what God expects of us?

⁶By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, (2Cor 6:)

³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (Mat 26:)

The rewards are great for those who obey, and obedience is demonstrated by the sacrificial love we have for one another. Our sacrifice is our badge that tells the world that we are children of Christ. Sacrifice alone, without love will not provide us with God's approval, nor with eternal life as we might suppose. Sacrifice for the purpose of earning God's approval and rewards is works, that is, it is trying to earn something we want from God, placing Him in the position of being a debtor. God is never the debtor owing us anything. We are the ones who are in debt, even for our very lives and our daily bread (not steak and ice cream as is promised by so many false churches).

Failure to perform as we should is not merely losing out on rewards, it is losing our eternal life as well. This is especially true of those who have donned the uniform of a soldier of the Lord.

¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. ²I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. ³For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ⁴For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (1Cor 3:)

⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Rom 8:)

The carnal mind can not understand the ways of God. We, with our mind of Adam will follow the path that Adam and Eve took. We will listen to someone who tells us what we want to hear, and who tells us that there will be no punishment for disobeying God. The carnal mind is enmity with God. God can not look upon us if we are at variance with Him. The more we are in step with the will of God, the closer we are to Him, and the better we can hear His voice. And the clearer the voice of God, the better understanding we will have of His Word.

Without obedience, we will try to fit God's Word to our purposes, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn what God wants and demands of us.

³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.

¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. ²And 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. ³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1Cor 12: & 13:)

⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; ⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; ¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: ¹¹But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1Cor 12:)

Love, like grace, is a gift from God. We on our own can not love as God demands of us. It is not in the carnal man to sacrifice himself. It is only through God's Spirit that we are able to fulfill His demands of us. Our ability to love sacrificially is a sign that we possess the Holy Spirit. If we are not able to love sacrificially; if we expect God and His people to give to us, then it is possible that we do not in fact have the Spirit of God, or that the Spirit has not been given enough room within us to mature us. We are quenching the Spirit.

²⁰If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1John 4:)

³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:)

¹⁰And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? ¹¹He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. (Luke 3:)

Whatever we possess that is above our needs is taking from someone without.

¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:)

¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. ¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? ²¹So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:)

Bigger houses, bigger storage bens, bigger screen TV's. We like to follow the fads. And the world has many fads coming out constantly that we are told we must take part in. The church is certainly not immune to this. In fact it seems the higher up the preacher in the echelon of the church, the bigger his barn and the bigger and more fancy is his car. Is this the message being sent to the churches today? Is this a display of the sacrificial love Jesus commands us to exhibit?

¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Mat 7:)

It seems to me that today we are having this Scripture read to us backwards. We are told to follow the broad and brightly lit road. Which road do you follow?

CONCLUSION

As it appears to me, love is not a word but it is in fact an action. If we love, we will have actions to back up those words. And if the action is present, then the words are not necessary.

Again I refer to my mother who was given all the outward display of love, but without what she needed to prove that love was real. On the other hand, I have known others who have had parents who never told them that they love them, but because of their sacrificial behavior and their joy at being with them, those words were never needed. The reality of love was fully communicated.

Jesus exemplified this form of love by offering the perfect sacrifice. And to prove that we love the Father, and the Son, we are to offer this same sacrifice for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. If we are not prepared to do this, then all the words of love are for naught.

In this same way, I feel that if my actions are those of love, then a person will know that love is present. If the works of love is missing, then my love is in doubt (Mat 7:15-20).

I do not know what love is. Even after this study I do not know what love is. But I know what love does. If I do, from the heart without reservation what love is, then one can assume that I love, even though I don't have a grasp of what it is.

Perhaps this is what is meant when we are told:

¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Mat 5:)

²⁷For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Mat 16:)

¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Mat 20:)

References

¹If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, ²Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (Phil 2:)

¹⁰Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; ¹¹Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; ¹²Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; ¹³Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. ¹⁴Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. ¹⁵Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. ¹⁶Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. (Rom 12:)

⁵Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; ⁶That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. (Philemon)

¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; ¹⁸That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate (1Tim 6: )

²¹Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ²⁴Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of. (Mat 7:)

¹Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. ⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1John 5:)

⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Rev 2:)

¹⁰Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. ¹¹He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Rev 2:)

⁹As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. ¹⁰If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. ¹¹These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. ¹²This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:)