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 calls us to love God with everything we have. This means being obedient, submissive, grateful, devoted, and faithful, always seeking to please him in all we do. Show love for God by making him the object of your life.

To love your neighbor means showing them the same selfless, benevolent love that God shows us, prioritizing their well-being over our own. Love is an action, not merely feelings of attraction or adoration; it centers on how we treat others rather than on how we expect to be treated in return. The Apostle Paul describes 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. But loving someone like this is challenging and often requires divine help, since these qualities are usually lacking in our natural selves. Someone who loves their family and friends with this kind of love is doing well; however, true Christian greatness is shown when we extend this love to our enemies, just as God did when we were his adversaries.

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

The primary goal of loving others as Christ loves us isn’t to expect anything in return, though it is nice when it happens. Instead, we should focus on serving others, even our enemies, with kindness and the qualities of love described in these verses. When we love others this way, we become a powerful testimony to Christ’s love for a lost world.