Love

[JosephsDreams]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)​

How do you define love? For many of us, we define love as intense physical attraction or emotional bonding. But the Bible defines love very differently. In many ways, the Scriptural definition of love is not seen until things go wrong. Emotions come and go, but godly love equips us for when people test our patience. Godly love prefers others rather than focusing on ourselves. This Valentine’s Day make a decision to esteem your valentine over your own needs. When you do, your actions will speak louder than angels, gifts, or extravagant displays.

By Dave Whitehead

 

[JosephsDreams]

Sex in Heaven?

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[FONT=&quot]"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]—Genesis 1:27 NIV1984[/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]"At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven."[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]—Matthew 22:30 NIV[/FONT]​

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[TD="class: yiv6428682756mcnTextContent"][FONT=&quot]What do you see in your mind's eye when the word "sex" is mentioned? An image of Madonna on MTV? A James Bond movie? Cosmopolitanmagazine? Or does your mind immediately flash from sex to Scripture? Trust me, when it comes to sex, Playboy cannot hold a candle to Scripture. If you think that's an overstatement, just read a few pages of Solomon's Song of Songs. Tragically, what the Creator purposed to be pristine and pure, the creation has prostituted and perverted. But that is not where the story ends! God does not arbitrarily remove things—He redeems them. So will there be sex in the resurrection? Yes and no—it all depends on what you mean by sex.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]First, by nature or essence we are sexual beings. Thus, sex is not just something you do. Sex is what you are! The foremost reason we can say with certainty that sex will exist in the resurrection is that sex is not merely a word that describes an erotic experience; it is what we are by essence—in the beginning God created us male and female (Genesis 1:27) and that is likely how it always will be.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Furthermore, we can safely surmise that there will be sexuality in heaven because heaven will personify enjoyment. Men and women will enjoy each other—not in a mere physical sense but in a metaphysical sense. This reality is virtually impossible for a crass materialist to grasp. The materialist views sexual pleasure as a function of fitting body parts together. Christians, however, see humanity as a psychosomatic unity of both body and soul. Thus, we are not solely sexual somas (bodies); we are sexual souls as well. In heaven, the pleasure that the male and female sex will experience in one another will be infinitely magnified, because in eternity our earthly conception of sex will have been eclipsed. In place of selfishness, we will take pleasure in selflessness.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Finally, we can safely assume that there will be sex in eternity because God created sex in Eden before humanity's fall into a life of constant sin terminated by death. Thus, in Eden restored we can rest assured that God will not remove our sexual nature; rather he will redeem it. In the new heaven and new earth, sex will no longer be for the purpose of procreation. Nor will it involve sexual intercourse—for "at the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30 NIV1984). In heaven we will experience a kind of spiritual intercourse that eludes our grasp on earth. In paradise, romance subverted will become romance sublime. It will be agape-driven rather than animal-driven. In Eden Restored our sexual bodies and sexual souls will fly full and free, unfettered by the stain of selfishness and sin.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Will there be sex in the resurrection? Again, yes and no. Yes, there will be sexuality in heaven in that we will be in heaven—and we by our very nature are sexual beings. And no, there is no warrant for believing there will be sex in heaven in terms of the physical act.

By Hank Hanegraaf[/FONT]
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[Dai3234]

Honestly, I don't think love can be explained. It is too complex to put in a box. In my opinion, it's thinking of others well-being more than your own. Your partner's, children, friends, family & animals. But with God as first. Though I haven't been around any noticeably above normal (family love etc every day) level of love for many years. So my opinion may not have worth.

 

[bravethea]

The Bible is clear that GOD HIMSELF IS LOVE

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◄ 1 John 4:8 ►​

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[TD]Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

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[resurrection33]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)​

How do you define love? For many of us, we define love as intense physical attraction or emotional bonding. But the Bible defines love very differently. In many ways, the Scriptural definition of love is not seen until things go wrong. Emotions come and go, but godly love equips us for when people test our patience. Godly love prefers others rather than focusing on ourselves. This Valentine’s Day make a decision to esteem your valentine over your own needs. When you do, your actions will speak louder than angels, gifts, or extravagant displays.

By Dave Whitehead

Yes, I do get annoyed with people who equate sexual lust with love. One thing about love: I think it's more about how we behave than how we feel. I might try to control my feelings towards someone, but if that person needs a helping hand and I am in a position to provide that helping hand, it doesn't really matter how I feel about that person. What matters is that I provide the helping hand.

 

[88]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)​

How do you define love? For many of us, we define love as intense physical attraction or emotional bonding. But the Bible defines love very differently. In many ways, the Scriptural definition of love is not seen until things go wrong. Emotions come and go, but godly love equips us for when people test our patience. Godly love prefers others rather than focusing on ourselves. This Valentine’s Day make a decision to esteem your valentine over your own needs. When you do, your actions will speak louder than angels, gifts, or extravagant displays.

By Dave Whitehead

************God so loved the world He GAVE...

 

[Magenta]

. .

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[Ariel82]

Honestly, I don't think love can be explained. It is too complex to put in a box. In my opinion, it's thinking of others well-being more than your own. Your partner's, children, friends, family & animals. But with God as first. Though I haven't been around any noticeably above normal (family love etc every day) level of love for many years. So my opinion may not have worth.

Your opinion always has worth because you are beloved of God.

 

[WineRose]

At first I thought love was evil because it gives birth to more sinners and tends to leave at the most unexpected time. I would like to say how I feel about the myth of everlasting love, but I don't want to get banned for profanity. I at first didn't believe that not only God made this...thing, but also IS that thing. Even to this day, I still think that love is a risky gamble, as it can either make your life beautiful or irreversibly damage it.

 

[OneFaith]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

– 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)​

How do you define love? For many of us, we define love as intense physical attraction or emotional bonding. But the Bible defines love very differently. In many ways, the Scriptural definition of love is not seen until things go wrong. Emotions come and go, but godly love equips us for when people test our patience. Godly love prefers others rather than focusing on ourselves. This Valentine’s Day make a decision to esteem your valentine over your own needs. When you do, your actions will speak louder than angels, gifts, or extravagant displays.

By Dave Whitehead

Caring 100% about the other person instead of yourself.

 

[Yahweh_is_gracious]

I like these types of threads because they make me examine myself and how I feel about things to put them in context. I have nothing to add other than to say I like these types of threads.

 

[Mooky]

I think that the type of love that we mean when we refer to God and humans is agape.Agape is a sacrificial love and has very little to do with the lovliness of the object of that love....." While we were still sinners , Christ died for us..."

Other loves are storge, phileo,eros.
Storge is the love you have for family.Phileo is the love you have for friends and Eros is the love you have for a spouse or potential spouse.
Sometimes ,one can have a combination of these loves for one person.A good book to read on this subject would be ," The four loves", by C.S.Lewis.

Also, in the case of loving ones enemies ( which Jesus commanded us to do) we often have to sublimate our feelings and do good to those who use and abuse us.In this way we imitate God.It is pure agape.The thing with giving someone agape is that when you show it enough ....feelings associated with phileo or storge start to develop.

 

[Starsdance]

Love is not limited between woman and man, love your parents, wife and husband, children,neighbor,friends,nation,nature,the homeless dogs and cats, the lonely aged people, but the main premise is, Love is sanctity. Don't love sin.