By Warren David Horak

God is love, the more we walk in Love the more we know God.

We need to know what love is in order to walk in it.

Therefore our goal in this study is to know Love and to walk in Love as we look at the 16 awesome facets of His love.

Love is like a diamond made of multiple facets reflecting His light.

Love is not just one thing, but is a complete composite of different character traits of the glory of God.

As children of God we are called to Love and to be Love; for this is our eternal destiny as His sons and daughters.

1 John 4:7–8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

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Introduction

This is a very important message, just as last week's message on living beyond the veil was imperative for every believer to know - that the hope we get saved with is the hope to live beyond the veil, to enter God's presence.

They are all tied together - the word of God is all connected.

Today, we're looking at the 16 facets of love.

I'm going to spend time just talking about why God's love is so important. This is truly one of the most important topics in the Bible, because God is love.

We need more revelation about God's love. The prophet Bob Jones, he died at in 1975, went to heaven, and the Lord showed him this:

The one question God will ask you when you get to heaven is "Did you learn to love?"

The whole purpose of coming to Earth, going through trials and pain, is to learn how to truly love.

That's the test.

The greatest commandment is to love God, love our neighbors, and even love our enemies.

God is love, so the more we walk in love, the more we know God intimately.

There's a difference between knowing about God theologically and truly knowing Him experientially through His love...

The Supremacy of Love:

The Apostle John, the "Apostle of Love", declares:

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8 NKJV)

If we don't walk in love, we don't truly know God, for God is love itself! The secret to abiding in God is abiding in His perfect love.

John goes on:

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:9 NKJV)

God showed His ultimate love by sending Jesus, so that we could live through Christ. We can't live the real Christian life apart from His life flowing through us by the Spirit.

Paul emphatically states:

"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2 NKJV)

Even the most spectacular spiritual gifts are utterly meaningless without the foundation of God's divine love. Love is the highest virtue and greatest aim.

The Greatest Commandment:

Jesus Himself proclaimed love's supremacy as the greatest commandment:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you...By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35 NKJV)

Unveiling the 16 Facets of Love

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we find a profound description of love, a multi-faceted gem that reflects the glory of God in all its brilliance. Each facet is a revelation of the Divine nature, a window into the heart of our Heavenly Father.

As we explore these 16 facets of love, we will uncover the depths of God's character, enabling us to walk in love as He intended.

1. Longsuffering: The First Facet of Love The Greek word used here is "makrothumia," which means patience, endurance, and forbearance. It is the willingness to bear long with the faults and frailties of others, just as God has borne long with us.
2. Kindness: The Tender Expression of Love This facet speaks of benevolence, gentleness, and warmth – the very essence of God's character towards us. It is love in action, expressed through acts of compassion and tenderness.
3. Rejoicing in the Truth: The Cornerstone of Love Love rejoices in the truth, for truth is the bedrock upon which our faith is built. This facet calls us to embrace and celebrate the verities of God's Word, rejecting all that is false and counterfeit.
4. Bearing All Things: The Endurance of Love
   Love bears all things, enduring the trials and tribulations that come its way. It is a love that perseveres, remaining steadfast and unwavering in the face of adversity.
5. Believing All Things: The Trust of Love This facet speaks of the unwavering trust that love places in the beloved. It is a love that believes the best, even when circumstances seem to contradict that belief.
6. Hoping All Things: The Expectation of Love Love never loses hope, for its gaze is fixed upon the promises of God. It expects and anticipates the fulfillment of God's purposes, even in the darkest of times.
7. Enduring All Things: The Perseverance of Love
   This facet reveals the indomitable spirit of love, its ability to endure and overcome every obstacle. It is a love that refuses to be quenched, a love that perseveres until the end.
8. Love Never Fails: The Eternal Nature of Love While other virtues may pass away, love is eternal. The facets of God's perfect love will never fade or become obsolete, for love never fails.
9. Not Envying: The Contentment of Love Love is free from jealousy, covetousness, or resentful discontentment over another's advantages, possessions or attainments.
10. Not Parading Itself: The Humility of Love True love is humble, not boastful or self-promoting. It does not call attention to itself or crave admiration from others.
11. Not Puffed Up: The Meekness of Love Love is not inflated with pride or arrogance. It does not look down at others with a superior, disdainful attitude.
12. Not Behaving Rudely: The Courtesy of Love Love adheres to the highest standards of courtesy, politeness, and respect for others. It avoids offending or embarrassing.
13. Not Seeking Its Own: The Selflessness of Love
    This self-denying facet focuses outward, not inward. Love looks to others' interests, not selfishly pursuing its own agenda.
14. Not Provoked: The Patience of Love Love is not easily angered, irritated or roused to an outburst. It exercises patience and self-control even when wronged.
15. Thinks No Evil: The Charity of Love With an unwavering charitable disposition, love doesn't keep score of wrongs. It refuses to impute evil motives to others.
16. Not Rejoicing in Iniquity: The Righteousness of Love Love never gloats over or takes pleasure in sin, wrongdoing or injustice. It grieves when truth is violated.

Conclusion

As we unveil these 16 facets, let's be reminded - love is not merely a virtue, but the very essence of faith and our relationship with God. When we walk in love's multi-colored facets, we abide in Him who is love incarnate.

May this revelation of love's facets ignite an insatiable desire to experience God's tangible love. Let us pray fervently to be rooted and grounded in love, grasping its breadth, length, depth and height, being filled with God's fullness (Ephesians 3:17-19).

For when we stand before the Lord, one question will echo through eternity: "Did you learn to love?" May our lives resoundingly answer: "Yes, Lord, we embraced the revelation of Your multifaceted love, becoming living emblems of Your glory!"

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