“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” — Matthew 22:37-40
Love is a choice. Godly love, gracious love is uncaused by the person who receives that love and is completely rooted in the character of the person who loves. Loving God is about valuing Him enough to realize He is our greatest treasure. Loving our neighbor involves sharing our greatest treasure so that they can know Him, too.
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” — Matthew 24:12
In Revelation 2:4, Jesus says to the church at Ephesus, “nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” If our love is cold, it's because we have chosen to care about other things rather than God and people.
God tells Christians to “love one another with a pure heart fervently” and to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” and “remember therefore from whence you have fallen” and “strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.” (1 Peter 1:22, Hebrews 10:24-25, Revelation 2:5, 3:2)
It's about driving our character toward the image of Christ. It's about being transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:1-2)
Love is not maximum feeling but maximum commitment. Love reaches out at personal expense for the benefit of others.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
Feelings follow functional faith founded on facts. The facts of God's word are our motivation for actions of love for other people.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love… Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” — 1 John 4:7-8, 10
God's character of love, His love for us, and His love for the world compels our action.
“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men… For the love of Christ constraineth us… we are ambassadors for Christ…” — 2 Corinthians 5:9-20
He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.” — John 20:21