Worldly Love vs. Biblical Love
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
There are too many false ideas about what love is today. There is perhaps no word in the English language that has been more twisted, contorted, distorted, and misunderstood than the word love.
What we see modeled for us on television and in the movies is a complete misrepresentation of biblical love. What is tricky is that they seem so similar. Worldly love is a counterfeit love and although it seems similar to biblical love, it is inherently different.
“ Although both have a strong sense of concern, a focus on meeting needs, and a desire for well-being and fulfillment, their primary focus is very different. In the world’s view of love, self is the recipient of these things. With biblical love, others are the recipients as we receive and then share the selfless love that God has given us.
“ The world tells us that we have found love when we find someone who makes us feel special, makes our days brighter, meets our needs, and realizes how special we are. The world’s idea of love is completely self-centered.
“ The Bible tells us that true love, revealed in Jesus Christ, finds its power in God and is expressed in our care for others. This is true in every arena that love touches. It is true in our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is true in our families and homes. It is especially true with our spouses.
“ The root of the world’s counterfeit love is sin. It is based on the idea that the hole in one’s life can be filled by oneself or by receiving love from another human being. This counterfeit isn’t love. It puts pressure on another person to meet our needs. When they fail, we experience pain.
“ We may label this pain as communication issues, differing agendas or conflicting goals, but those issues are merely symptoms of the greater issue. Sin has made us self-centered and hindered our ability to cry out to receive true and healing love from God.
Prayer: Father, I have been looking for worldly love when what I need is biblical love. I need Your true and healing love to fill my life. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
