Love Is Not Always What It Seems

The phrase "All you need is love" sounds simple, but when we dive deeper, love becomes far more complex than the world often suggests. Culture’s slogans like #LoveIsLove seem to settle the debate, yet they rest on the assumption that everyone understands and agrees on what love actually is. But is love really self-evident, or could our ideas about it be incomplete even harmful without proper grounding?

Scripture reminds us that apart from Christ, our understanding of love remains partial. In 1 John 3:16, we’re told, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” It’s through God’s actions and character that we fully comprehend love’s true nature not simply through human feelings or social movements.

In fact, feelings alone can deceive. C.S. Lewis wisely observed that love becomes dangerous when it claims divine authority over our lives without submission to God. He warned that intense emotions labeled as "love" can mask selfishness, manipulation, or sin when not filtered through God's wisdom. This is why grounding our love in God's truth is critical; unchecked, even well-meaning affections can spiral into counterfeit versions of love that harm rather than heal.

Take, for example, the various forms of love we experience daily. Saying "I love my spouse," "I love my dog," and "I love burgers" all use the same word, but clearly, these loves are distinct. God’s Word teaches us how to rightly order these loves, preventing unhealthy or misplaced affection. Misunderstandings in this area often lead to relational breakdown, dependency, or even personal confusion.

Furthermore, obedience to God never diminishes love; rather, it refines and deepens it. A striking real-life testimony of this comes from two women who once lived in a same-sex relationship but turned to Christ. Their friendship, now centered on faith, has blossomed into something far richer and more godly than before proving that submitting love to God's design results in something better, not lesser.

Statistics also show that grounding life decisions solely in feelings is risky. According to a Pew Research study, 69% of adults agree that people rely too much on their feelings in moral decision-making. Similarly, the Barna Group found that only 6% of Americans possess a biblical worldview, indicating a widespread drift away from God's standards, including in matters of love.

The Bible doesn’t simply endorse love as we define it. Instead, it calls us to recalibrate our understanding God is love (1 John 4:8), not love is love. When we anchor our relationships and ethics in this divine truth, we not only protect ourselves from emotional pitfalls but also reflect God’s perfect love more fully to others.

So, before we adopt the world’s slogans, let’s remember: true love isn’t determined by how we feel. It’s defined by the God who created love and showed it perfectly in Christ.

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