Key Takeaways
- True love for God is all-encompassing: What does the bible say about true love? The Bible commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:4,5). No parts of our lives should be withheld from Him.
- God’s love is sacrificial and demonstrated: He showed His love by giving His Son for the salvation of the world (John 3:16), and He continues to care for us daily.
- Loving God involves action: Saying we love God is not enough. We must live it out by sharing the gospel, obeying His Word, and reflecting His love to others.
- Our love is a response to His love: We love God not because He needs it, but because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). That’s both our motivation and our model.
The question “What does the Bible say about true love?” is answered in Scripture as follows:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
The word “love” is thrown around these days to mean everything but its original meaning. In today’s verse, we see this word in the deepest sense, including the definition of true love in the Bible.
How much should we love the LORD?
As much as humanly possible, “with ALL thine heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy might.” That is a BIG love. True love.
And what does the Bible say about true love? It means that nothing should come between us and the love that we have for God. If only we could love God with the same kind of love that He loves us.
We say we love Him, but what are we doing to show Him we love Him? Love involves action.
Love in Action: What Are We Doing?
- Are we telling people that the wages of sin are death (Rom 6:23)?
- Are we taking the message to people we see, that He gave His only begotten Son as the Savior from certain death because of that sin?
- What the Bible does say about true love also means that we should be telling people the good news that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead (1 Cor 15:3,4).
God’s love for us is expressed through His Son as He gave of Himself for the good of the whole world (John 3:16).
God demonstrates His love for us continually by caring for us and providing for us as we live on this planet. There is no true love definition in the Bible. Not directly. But that is the kind of love we get from God.
Does God need our love?
No, He does not need anything from us; He is God. He is all-powerful and the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
The better question in understanding what the Bible does say about true love is:
How and why do you love God?
We are commanded to love God wholly; that heart, soul, and might kind of love … that is the “how”.
We love God because He first loved us … that is the “why”. True love is acted out wholly without strings.
So again, ask yourself:
What are you doing to show God that you love him wholly?
Things to Think About and Do
The Bible doesn’t explicitly use the phrase “true love,” but it gives numerous discussions and importance of love, particularly in the context of God’s love and love for one another. These questions and activities will guide you towards what the Bible does say about true love.
- What are you doing to show God that you love Him wholly? Jot down your answer to this question.
- Find at least one Bible verse that tells us why we love God.
- Find three other words in the Bible that describe “love”.
To Learn More About the Definition of True Love in The Bible
Visit Christianity Every Day. We have a wide range of spiritual growth books that can help you deepen your love for God and other people, as well as other online Christian resources from experienced Biblical counselors to help you on your journey.
Pamela Rose Williams, Founder of Christianity Every Day, is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her husband, Dr. Michael L. Williams have served in Christian ministry since 2001. She has Master of Ministry in Biblical Counseling and Bachelor’s in Christian Education degrees. Most of her time is spent as a professional editor and writer, working with many Christian authors and artists. She also uses her extensive experience in information technology providing Christ-centered teaching tools and resources for people all over the world. To learn more about Pamela visit her About page.
