Biblical Answer

A. The Test of Love

Love is the final objective test of our Christian profession. True love, in the sense of self-sacrifice, is not natural to human beings in their fallen state. Its existence in anyone is evidence of new birth and acquired faith. According to 1 Corinthians 13:2, 8, 13, love raises questions that point beyond the present moment, questions that never end and without which we are nothing. Love is the surest test of having life, as it has already been shown to be the test of being in the light (2:10).

B. The Object of Love

The object of love is God, and perfect love for God shows itself in confidence before God (4:17) and a deep love for other believers (4:20-21). This is an application of the social test, which is a further elaboration of the three tests: the doctrinal test, the social test, and the missiology of love. The missiology of love is a response to the brokenness of creation, and it is a means of forgiveness. We find a vision of love that is so much deeper than our current hearts can hold, and a true intimacy better than our weak bodies could ever experience.

C. The Practice of Love

The practice of love is a choice to believe the best and hope the best. Love chooses to protect and trust, even when there is a gap. According to Paul, love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:7). When we love others, we make a difference in their lives. Our love is not a means of manipulation or control, but rather a means of forgiveness and healing. We find a diagnosis of the brokenness of creation and the promise that the outpoured divine love will at the last suffuse the whole of creation, generating the missiology of love. This missiology of love produces genuine and compelling signs of new creation in the world, opening up new possibilities for us and for others.