Love and Forgiveness
1. GOD IS LOVE, AND HE LOVES US:
1 John 4:8 God is love
A. God’s love for us:
Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee
Romans 8:38–39 For I am persuaded, that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God
Ephesians 2:4–6 God … for his great love wherewith he loved us … hath raised us up
1 John 3:1 What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us
1 John 4:10 Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us
(See also Zephaniah 3:17.)
B. How God showed us His love:
John 3:16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only … Son
Romans 5:7–8 God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God … God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him
C. Jesus’ love for us:
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man … that [he] lay down his life
2 Corinthians 8:9 Though he [Jesus] was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye … might be rich
Ephesians 3:19 Know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge
Revelation 1:5 Jesus Christ … loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood
D. Dwelling and abiding in God’s love:
John 14:21 He that loveth shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him
John 14:23 If a man love me … my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him
John 17:26 That the love … may be in them, and I in them
1 John 2:5 Whoso keepeth his [Jesus’] word, in him verily is the love of God perfected
1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God
2. THE FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT—TO LOVE GOD:
Deuteronomy 6:5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might
Deuteronomy 10:12 What doth the Lord … require of thee, but to … love him … with all thy heart and with all thy soul
Deuteronomy 30:20 Love … God, and … cleave unto him: for he is thy life
Joshua 22:5 Take diligent heed to … love the Lord your God … and to cleave unto him
Joshua 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord
Matthew 22:37–38 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart … This is the first and great commandment
(See also Deuteronomy 30:6; Mark 12:30.)
3. THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT—TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR:
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
Matthew 22:39 And the second [commandment] is like unto it [the first]. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
John 13:34 Love one another; as I have loved you
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another
1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another
1 John 3:23 His commandment, That we should … love one another
4. LOVE ONE ANOTHER:
A. God loves us so we should love one another:
John 13:34 As I have loved you … ye [ought to] love one another
Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love [one to another], as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God
1 John 4:11 If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another
1 John 5:1 Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him
B. God gives us love to love others:
Romans 5:5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us
Galatians 5:22 The fruit of the Spirit is love … longsuffering
1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men
1 Thessalonians 4:9 Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another
2 Thessalonians 3:5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God
2 Timothy 1:7 God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of … love
(See also Ephesians 6:23.)
C. To love is the greatest law of God:
Mark 12:33 To love [God] … and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all … burnt offerings and sacrifices
Luke 10:25,27–28 To inherit eternal life … love … God with all thy heart … thy neighbour as thyself … this do, and thou shalt live
Galatians 5:14 All the law is fulfilled in … this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
D. Love is the most important virtue:
1 Corinthians 13:2 Though I have faith … and have not love, I am nothing
1 Corinthians 13:13 Faith, hope, love … the greatest of these is love
Galatians 5:6 Faith … worketh by love.
Ephesians 3:17 [Be] rooted and grounded in love
Ephesians 3:19 The love of Christ … passeth knowledge
Revelation 2:3–4 For my name’s sake hast laboured … [but] I have somewhat against thee … thou hast left thy first love
(See also Ephesians 1:15–16; Colossians 1:3–4; Philemon 1:5.)
E. Love one another fervently:
1 Thessalonians 3:12 Increase and abound in love one toward another
1 Peter 4:8 Above all things have fervent love among yourselves
1 Peter 1:22 Love one another with a pure heart fervently
F. Love sincerely and genuinely:
Judges 16:15 How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?
Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation
Philippians 1:9–10 That your love may abound yet more and more … that ye may be sincere and without offence
1 Peter 1:22 Obeying the truth … unto unfeigned love of the brethren (See also 2 Corinthians 6:6; 8:8.)
G. The benefits that loving others brings us:
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another
2 Corinthians 13:11 Live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you
Ephesians 3:17–19 Ye, being rooted and grounded in love … might be filled with all the fulness of God
1 John 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren
1 John 4:7 Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God
1 John 4:12 If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (See also 1 John 2:15.)
1 John 4:16 God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him
5. REAL, GENUINE LOVE:
A. Whatever you do, do it in love:
1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all your things be done with charity
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth [compels] us
B. The qualities that genuine love will have:
1 Corinthians 8:1 Love edifieth [builds up, strengthens]
1 Corinthians 13:4–6 Charity [love] envieth not; charity vaunteth [exalts] not itself, is not puffed up [proud], doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth
Colossians 3:14 Love … is the bond of perfectness
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love … love casteth out fear
C. Genuine love results in unity of believers:
Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be … knit together in love
(See also 1 Samuel 18:1; Ephesians 4:15–16; Philippians 2:1–2.)
D. Real love will not give up or fail:
Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters [troubles] cannot quench love … drown it
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity [love] suffereth long
1 Corinthians 13:7–8 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity [love] never faileth
Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue
E. Love is not pushy:
Romans 12:10 With brotherly love; in honour preferring one another
Philemon 1:8–9 Though I might be much bold … to [command, impose upon] thee … yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee
F. Love is considerate of others’ weaknesses:
Romans 14:21 It is good [not to do] any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak
Romans 15:1–2 We … ought to bear the infirmities of the weak … Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good
Galatians 5:13 By love serve one another
Ephesians 4:2 With longsuffering, forbearing one another in love
G. Love will not hurt or do wrong to others:
Romans 13:9–10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour
H. If we have love, we will be kind and courteous:
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffereth long, and is kind
Ephesians 4:15 Speaking the truth in love [not inconsiderately blunt]
Ephesians 4:32 Be ye kind … tenderhearted, forgiving one another
1 Peter 3:8 [Have] compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous
6. REAL LOVE RESULTS IN GOOD DEEDS:
A. Putting love into action:
Matthew 14:14 Jesus … was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick
Matthew 25:35 I was an hungered … I was thirsty, and ye gave
Luke 6:31 As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them
Luke 10:30–35 [The good Samaritan took loving action and helped]
Galatians 6:10 Let us do good [deeds] unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith
1 John 3:18 Let us not love in word [only] … but in deed and in truth
2 John 1:6 This is love, that we walk after his commandments
B. Sacrificial love, giving our lives for others:
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends
Acts 15:25–26 Barnabas and Paul … hazarded their lives for the name of Jesus (See also Acts 20:24.)
Philippians 2:30 For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death
1 John 3:16 He [Jesus] laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren
C. Be concerned about others’ welfare:
1 Corinthians 13:5 [Love] seeketh not her own
Philippians 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others
1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love … love one another
D. Selfishness shows a lack of love:
James 4:17 To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin
1 John 3:17 Whoso … seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his … compassion … how dwelleth the love of God in him?
E. Doing good to our brethren is doing it to Jesus:
Matthew 25:35–40 Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me
Hebrews 6:10 Love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints
(See also Ephesians 6:5–8; Colossians 3:22–24.)
F. Failing to do good to our brethren is failing to do it to Jesus:
Matthew 25:41–45 Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me
7. LOVE VS. HATE:
A. We do not truly love God if we don’t love our fellow man:
Titus 3:3–5 [Before we were saved] we … [lived] in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another
James 3:9–12 Bless we God … and … curse we men. My brethren, these things ought not so to be (See also James 3:14; 1 John 3:17.)
1 John 4:20–21 He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also
(See also Matthew 5:23–24.)
B. We are commanded not to be hateful:
Leviticus 19:17–18 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart … but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
C. When we don’t love one another:
1 John 2:9,11 He that … hateth his brother, is in darkness … blinded
1 John 3:10 He that loveth not his brother … is not of God
1 John 3:14–15 He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar
D. The bad fruit of hatred:
Genesis 37:4 They hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes
1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer
(See also Genesis 4:3–8; Proverbs 26:26; Ezekiel 5:15.)
8. SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF LOVE:
A. We are to love all men:
Matthew 5:46–47 If ye [only] love them which love you … what do ye more than others? (See also Luke 6:32–33.)
1 Thessalonians 3:12 Increase and abound in love … toward all men
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men
B. We are especially to love brothers and sisters in faith:
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another
Galatians 6:10 Especially unto them who are of the household of faith
1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood
(See also Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 4:8. Also compare Titus 3:15; 2 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1, regarding “loving in the faith.”)
C. Examples of unusually great love and/or admiration:
1 Samuel 18:1 The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, [he] loved him as his own soul. (See also 20:17.)
2 Samuel 1:26 [David declared his deep love for Jonathan]
Mark 10:17–21 [Jesus was moved with love for the rich young ruler]
John 11:3,5 [Jesus’ special love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus]
John 13:23 [Jesus had a special love for the apostle John] (See also John 19:26; 21:7,20.)
1 Thessalonians 5:13 Esteem them very highly in love for their [good] work’s sake
D. We are even to demonstrate God’s love to our foes:
Proverbs 25:21–22 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread … and if he be thirsty, give him water … and the Lord shall reward thee
Matthew 5:43–47 Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good … that ye may be the children of your Father
Luke 6:27–30 Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them
Luke 6:32–35 If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? Sinners also love those that love them
Luke 10:30–37 A Samaritan [despised by the Jews] … when he saw him [a wounded Jew], he had compassion on him
9. LOVE, FORGIVENESS, AND MERCY:
A. To love means to be forgiving:
Proverbs 10:12 Love covereth all sins.
1 Peter 4:8 Love shall cover the multitude of sins
B. God is merciful to us:
Numbers 14:18–19 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression … Pardon … the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy
Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy
Psalm 103:10–11 He hath not dealt with us after our sins … great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Isaiah 63:7 The great goodness … he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and … multitude of his lovingkindnesses
Lamentations 3:22–23 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not … new every morning
(See also 2 Samuel 24:14; Psalm 25:6; 36:7; 40:11; 69:16; 103:2–4; 119:149; Isaiah 54:7–8; Jeremiah 9:24.)
C. God loves mercy more than justice and retribution:
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged
Micah 7:18 God … pardoneth iniquity … he delighteth in mercy
Matthew 9:13 I will have [desire] mercy, and not sacrifice (See also Hosea 6:6.)
Romans 5:20 Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
James 2:13 Mercy rejoiceth against judgement
D. He often refrains from justly punishing us:
Exodus 32:14 The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Psalm 103:9–10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities
Psalm 130:3–4 If thou … shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee
2 Samuel 24:16 The Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people … stay now thine hand
(See also Genesis 18:20,23–26; Jonah 1:1–2; 3:10; 4:11.)
E. God mercifully forgives our sins:
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us
Isaiah 1:18 Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow … as wool
Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions
Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud … thy sins
Micah 7:19 He will have compassion upon us … and cast all their sins into the depths of the sea
Hebrews 8:12 I will be merciful … and their sins … remember no more
(See also Psalm 32:1–2; Isaiah 38:17.)
F. God is especially merciful to those who love and fear Him:
Exodus 20:6 Showing mercy unto … them that love me, and keep my commandments
Deuteronomy 7:9 God … keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him
Psalm 103:11 As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him
Psalm 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him
Psalm 103:17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him
Luke 7:47–48 Her [many] sins … are forgiven; for she loved much
Acts 26:18 Turn them from darkness to light … that they may receive forgiveness of sins
10. WE ARE TO BE MERCIFUL AND FORGIVING:
Micah 6:8 What doth the Lord require of thee, but to … love mercy
A. We should forgive others as God has forgiven us:
Matthew 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Luke 6:36 Be ye … merciful, as your father is also merciful
Ephesians 4:32 Forgiving one another, even as God … hath forgiven you
Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another … even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye
B. Have longsuffering and keep forgiving:
Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth [passes over] a transgression seeketh love
Matthew 18:21–22 Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? … Until seventy times seven [times]
Luke 17:4 If he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times … repent; thou shalt forgive him
C. Make mercy a rule in your heart:
Proverbs 3:3–4 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee … write them upon the table of thine heart
D. Forgive sincerely; don’t harbour grudges or hatred:
Leviticus 19:17–18 Thou shalt not … bear any grudge … but thou shalt love
Matthew 18:35 From your hearts forgive … every one his brother
Ephesians 4:31–32 Let all bitterness … be put away from you with all malice: forgive one another (See also Hebrews 12:15.)
James 5:9 Grudge not against another, brethren
E. God shows mercy to us if we are merciful and forgiving:
Psalm 18:25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy
Matthew 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
Matthew 6:14 If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Mark 11:25 Forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father … may forgive you your trespasses
Luke 6:37 Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
F. But woe to the unmerciful:
Matthew 6:15 If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will [God] forgive your trespasses. (See also Mark 11:26.)
Matthew 18:23–35 So … shall [God] do also unto you, if ye … forgive not every one his brother their trespasses
James 2:13 He shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed no mercy
G. The self-righteous feel they don’t sin and don’t need forgiveness; therefore they are unloving and unforgiving to others:
Luke 7:47 To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little
Luke 15:25–30 [The faithful older brother was angry that his father forgave the penitent Prodigal Son]
Luke 18:9 Certain trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and [therefore] despised others
11. WE MUST CONFESS OUR SINS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS:
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee … and thou forgavest
Psalm 86:5 Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee
Acts 3:19 Repent ye … that your sins may be blotted out
2 Corinthians 2:6–8 [After punishment] ye ought to forgive him, and comfort him, lest [he] be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive