Biblical Answer

The Command to Love

The command to love is paramount in the Christian faith. It is the supreme test of whether one loves God with one's whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus teaches us that we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). This command to love is not a suggestion, but a requirement for those who claim to be followers of Christ. In fact, Jesus says that if we love him, we will keep his commandments, including the command to love one another (John 14:15). The command to love is not just a feeling, but a choice that we make every day. It is a choice to put the needs of others before our own, to serve, to sacrifice, and to put the interests of others ahead of our own.

The world's understanding of love is often different from the biblical understanding. The world's love is often self-centered and focused on our own desires and interests. But biblical love is selfless and focused on the needs of others. Jesus teaches us that we must love our neighbors as ourselves, which means that we must put their needs ahead of our own. This is not always easy, and it requires us to make sacrifices and to put the interests of others ahead of our own. But it is only by loving others in this way that we can truly say that we love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

In order to prioritize love in a world that is against us, we must remember that love is not just a feeling, but a choice that we make every day. We must choose to put the needs of others before our own, to serve, to sacrifice, and to put the interests of others ahead of our own. We must also remember that the world's understanding of love is often different from the biblical understanding, and that we must not confuse the two. By prioritizing love in this way, we can truly say that we love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and that we are living out the command to love that Jesus teaches us. This requires us to be willing to make sacrifices and to put the interests of others ahead of our own, but it is only by doing so that we can truly experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from loving others in this way.