The Bible declares that God is love. Therefore, by definition, everything pertaining to love is manifested in God. Keeping this in mind, we can now use biblical references to discuss Apostle Paul’s 16 qualities of what love should and should not be.
- Love is patient:
God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him — 2 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 30:18
- Love is kind:
We should have been dead, but God shows His love for us this way: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Romans 5:8, Ephesians 4:32
- Love does not envy:
Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind — Psalm 37:1, James 3:16, 1 Peter 2:1
- Love does not boast.
He did not boast about his magnificent and majestic throne. Rather, he gave away his divine privilege to become a man so that he can humble himself to death — Philippians 2:7-8.
- Love is not proud.
“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” — 1 Peter 5:6
- Love does not dishonor others.
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44)
- Love is not self-seeking:
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers — Mark 10:45, 1 John 3:16
- Love is not easily angered:
The God of compassion and mercy is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” — Exodus 34:6, James 1:19-20
- Love keeps no record of wrongs:
“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” —- Isaiah 43:25
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities — Psalm 103:10.
“I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” —- Hebrews 8:12.
- Love does not delight in evil:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope — Jeremiah 29:11
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.” —- Romans 12:9
- Love rejoices with the truth:
“You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.” — Exodus 20:16
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” —- Proverbs 12:22
- Love always protects:
‘When you go through the deep waters in great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through the rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior.’ — Isaiah 43:2-3.
“God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. — 2 Samuel 22:3
- Love always trusts:
For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4
- Love always hopes:
“There is hope for your future,” says the LORD. “Your children will come again to their own land. — Jeremiah 31:17
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13
- Love always perseveres:
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
- Love never fails:
Nothing is impossible with God. Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises (Luke 1:37, Romans 4:21).
“So be strong and courageous! …… He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever (Psalm 118:1).
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Now My Dear Friends:
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” —- 1 Corinthians 13:13
For love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10).
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another (John 13:34).
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).
Reference: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Trust Faith! 