Chapter 31

Love

Chapter Sections

1. Loving Qualities
   1. Love
      • What love is
      • The supremacy of love
      • Live in love
      • Do things in love
      • Love others as you love yourself . . .
      • . . . “Love your neighbor as yourself” sums up God’s law
      • Love your enemies and do good to them . . .
      • . . . Do not repay evil with evil, but with good
   2. Generosity
      • Be generous
      • Lend to others
      • Share with others
      • Practice hospitality . . .
      • . . . Examples of hospitality
      • Be kind and gracious . . .
      • . . . Insights on and examples of kindness
      • Generosity brings oneself great blessing
   3. Mercy
      • Show mercy
      • Be merciful and God will show you mercy
      • Be compassionate
      • Forgive others . . .
      • . . . Forgive and God will forgive you
      • Do not judge others . . .
      • . . . If you judge others, God will judge you accordingly
      • Note: Human judgment is typically superficial and inadequate
   4. Gentleness
      • Be gentle
      • Be patient, bearing with others
      • Be meek
      • Do not take revenge . . .
      • . . . Rather than taking revenge, wait for God to act
      • Seek peace, including peace with others . . .
      • . . . and seek peace for others – in part through prayer
      • Live and act in a quiet manner

2. Antitheses of Love
   1. Selfish Attitudes
      • Do not pursue selfish ends . . .
      • . . . Examples of selfishness
      • Do not be greedy
      • Do not covet
      • Seek the interests of others before your own . . .
      • . . . Do so even at great cost to yourself, as Jesus Christ did
      • Be considerate and reasonable
   2. Ill Feelings
      • Avoid anger
      • Do not hate
      • Get rid of bitterness
      • Do not bear malice
      • Do not be jealous . . .
      • . . . Do not envy
      • Do not show contempt
   3. Adverse Speech
      • Do not quarrel
      • Do not curse
      • Do not scoff
      • Do not slander
      • Do not gossip
      • Do not grumble, particularly against others
   4. Adverse Force
      • Do not use violence . . .
      • . . . God hates and punishes violence
      • Do not murder
      • Do not rape
      • Do not kidnap
      • Do not oppress

 ➜Major headings in: 31. Love (and all of Unit G)

Pray for persecuted Christians