1. STUDY GUIDE ON LOVE

1.  STUDY GUIDE ON LOVE

              Virgil Warren, PhD

I. From the groups of passages given below may be derived a significant process involving love. The first four groups correspond to individual parts of the process, although a certain amount of overlapping cannot be eliminated. The fifth group involves passages that cover varying amounts of the whole process.

        1. John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 8:31-39; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4-5; 5:2, 25; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 1 John 4:9-10; Revelation 1:5-6.

        2. (No particular passage given)

        3. John 14:14, 21, 23-24, 31; 1 John 3:17; 5:3; 2 John 6.

        4. John 14:21; 15:10.

        5. John 16:27; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 John 4:14-21.

        Determine from these scriptures the nature of the process, the parts that make it up, where it begins, and what its effect is.

II. At least five derivatives and implications come from the process observable above.  They may be found in the following texts.

        1. 1 John 3:16; 4:7-19-21; 5:2; John 15:12-13; 2 Corinthians 8:8-9; note the word

               Love as in Matthew 22:37-40. What process is stimulated by the one above?

        2. On the basis of Matthew 22:40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-15, compare Matthew 7:12 and Leviticus 19:18. Why is it legitimate to compare the second great commandment and the golden rule? From the comparison, what may we say of love?  What further descriptive element do Acts 20:35 and John 15:13 show us?

        3. On comparison of Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 5:43-48 (7:12) determine another implication of the original process in section I. To this point you can relate Proverbs 15:1; 20:22; 24:29; 25:15; Luke 6:27-38; Romans 12:17:21 (= Proverbs 25:21-22); 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Hebrews 10:30; 1 Peter 2:18-25; 3:9-18. Note also Matthew 26:52; 2 Timothy 3:13; 2 Peter 2:13.

        4. Romans 5:1-11

        5. 1 Corinthians 13:5

II.   STUDY GUIDE ON LOVE

I. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 provides a section of material on love that we may ask two questions about:

        1. What are the products of love?

        2. How can we express love?

               Moving through verses 1-8, see what characteristics accompany the presence of

               love.  

        These may be called “products.” Perhaps not everything the apostle mentions will be an answer to the question asked, but for each one so used explain what that product is, and consider whether the observation rings true to your experience.

        The second time through the passage, observe how many ways we can express love.

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        What can you do to let people know you love them genuinely?

II. With a concordance check other places in the Bible that mentions love, and see what additional products come from practicing love and how else we may express love. The writings of John are particularly fruitful in this regard. (Note, e.g., the product mentioned in 1 John 4:18: love overcomes fear!)

III. Are there any additional observations to make about love as to what it is, how to express it, and how it relates to spiritual fruits and Christian virtues? What can we do to develop it? Why is it such a practical answer to life?

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