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 neighbor as thyself. ^{Matthew 22:37-39}

What is the meaning of love in these verses?

The greatest commandment says to love God with everything we have. This means being obedient, submissive, grateful, devoted, and faithful, striving to please him in everything we do. Love God by making him the object of your life.

To love your neighbor means to show them the same selfless, benevolent love that God shows us, putting their well-being above ours. Love is an action, not feelings of attraction or adoration; the focus is on how we treat others rather than how we expect to be treated in return. The Apostle Paul outlines the qualities of godly love in the scripture below:

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails; ^{1st Corinthians 13:4-8}

The qualities of love in these verses are so good. However, to love someone like this is challenging; it often requires divine assistance, as these qualities are often lacking in our natural selves. A person who loves his family and friends with this kind of love is doing well; however, true Christian greatness is demonstrated when we extend this type of love to our enemies, just as God did when we were his adversaries. When we love others this way, we are a powerful testimony to Christ’s love for a lost world.

In contrast, secular love is often based on self-interest and what one can gain from a relationship. For example, you may “love” your wife because she is attractive, affectionate, and cooks your meals. However, relationships or marriages built on what one partner gains from the other are often doomed in the long run.