In this world, the term “Love” is used for many different expressions. A person might say that they “Love Chocolate”, a few minutes later they may proclaim “I Love You”. We use the same word; Love, to describe anything that we are very fond of or enjoy.
Therein is the human definition of Love. It seems that whatever affects us in a positive way, or brings pleasure or enjoyment to us is a cause to proclaim our Love.
The Biblical definition of Love is much different. In fact, during the writing of the New Testament, the Greek Language did not even have a word for the Biblical term for Love. From God’s perspective Love is not what moves us or makes us feel good, it is what is demonstrated when a person gives of their self to bless and to benefit another person. The Greek Language calls this kind of self-sacrificial Love “Agapao”, or “Agape”.
There is a principle in Bible study called “The Principle of the First Mentioned”. It says that whenever you want to know what the Bible’s definition of a word or phrase is, you go to the first place in the Bible that this word or phrase is used.
The first mentioned place in the Bible that the term “Love” is seen, is in the Book of Genesis Chapter 22. In this amazing chapter of the Bible, Abraham is told by God:
“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:2
Abraham was advanced in years, some 100 years old when the Lord answered his prayer for a son. Long past the point of any human hope, the Lord waited until it was physically impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have a child, that He caused Sarah’s barren womb to produce their greatest hope, a descendant from their own bodies to carry on their family name.
Imagine how valuable Isaac was to Abraham and Sarah. He must have meant everything to them by the time the events of Genesis 22 happen. Yet, without hesitation Abraham takes his only son whom he Loves, and brings him to the very same mountain in Israel where The Father will offer His only Son Jesus as a sacrifice for all of us much later.
Abraham raises the knife to end Isaac’s life and complete the command of God to offer His son. Just as the knife would come down into Isaac’s body, the Lord stops Abraham and tells him:
“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Genesis 22:12
Did God need to know if Abraham would offer Isaac? Of course not, what makes the Lord God is the fact that He already knows everything and there is nothing that He has to learn. The Lord knew that Abraham would be willing to complete God’s request and offer Isaac, but Abraham didn’t know if he would be able to do it. As in all tests, they are not for God to see what we are made of, they are for us to see if our confession of trust in the Lord is genuine or not. As Abraham went through all the mental gymnastics of being able to complete the Lord’s command to offer Isaac, he was able to raise the knife and plunge it into his son whom he loved.
The Lord stopped Abraham before the death could be completed, because at that moment Abraham knew his love for God was greater than it was for the son whom he had wanted all his life.
And what do we find is the Biblical definition of “Love” as it is found in this first place in the Bible?
A Father who has a Son whom he Loves, offering him up as a sacrifice. The Bible’s definition of what Love is all about is seen when God offered His only son Jesus as a sacrifice for all of our sins so that we might have eternal life and be made righteous.
How could Abraham be willing to offer his son as a sacrifice to God? The Lord had promised Abraham that through his son Isaac “He would make of him a great nation”, and “All the world would be blessed”.
Abraham knew that even if God required him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, that if Isaac were to die, the Lord was able to raise Isaac back to life to complete His promise to make many descendants from Isaac.
So what do we see? Abraham believed in the resurrection of an only son who was loved by his father, in order to complete God’s promises.
Wow, how amazing, this is the exact principle that saves every human being and gives them eternal life. To believe in the death and resurrection of God’s only Son Jesus is what is required for the forgiveness of all sin and the right to have eternal life.
In this first mentioned place in the Bible for the word “Love” we see that true Love is defined by the sacrifice of God’s only Son Jesus to whom that Father did not stop the sacrifice but completed the death of Jesus so that all of us could be forgiven and be Justified for all eternity.
True Love is the giving of yourself for the benefit of someone else without regard to personal benefit or feelings.
