Biblical Answer

The Test of Love in Everyday Life

What is the Test of Love?

Love is the final objective test of our Christian profession. It is a test that reveals whether we have truly been born again and are living a life that reflects our faith in Jesus Christ. As 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 states, "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal... 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." Love is the foundation of our faith, and without it, we are nothing.

The Social Test of Love

In everyday life, love is put to the test when we interact with others. Our closest relationships are a reflection of our love for God and others. As Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). The social test of love involves how we treat others, particularly those who are difficult or challenging to love. It requires us to have a servant's heart, to put others before ourselves, and to look out for their interests as well as our own. This is not natural to human beings in their fallen state, but it is evidence of new birth and a life lived in the light of God's love.

The Consequences of the Test of Love

When love is put to the test in the chaos of everyday life, it reveals whether we are living a life that reflects our faith in Jesus Christ. If we are not loving others as we should, it is a sign that we need to examine our hearts and our relationship with God. However, if we are loving others as we should, it is a sign that we are living a life that is pleasing to God. As 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Love is the greatest of these, and it is the test that reveals whether we are truly living a life that reflects our faith in Jesus Christ.