LoVES: Defined in the bible

Sundays // FEBRUARY 2026

Love isn’t just a feeling in Scripture…it’s a way of life. From Genesis to Revelation, love is not treated as a fleeting emotion, a private sentiment, or a passive idea. Instead, the Bible presents love as something lived out through commitment, sacrifice, obedience, and action. Love is revealed in relationships…between God and humanity, within families, among friends, and even toward enemies. When Scripture speaks about love, it consistently points us beyond how we feel and toward how we live.

The Bible presents love through a variety of expressions and relationships that shape how we love God, others, and the world. While English often uses a single word to describe love, the ancient world recognized that love is multifaceted. Different kinds of love operate in different contexts, carry different responsibilities, and reveal different dimensions of the human heart. Scripture reflects this richness by portraying love in diverse forms that work together to form a complete and faithful way of life.

By exploring four historic categories of love found in the ancient world and reflected throughout Scripture, we discover a fuller picture of God’s design for our lives. These categories were not invented by the Bible, but they were redeemed, clarified, and transformed by it. They help us name what Scripture already shows us…that love can be affectionate and loyal, joyful and sacrificial, relational and unconditional. When understood together, they reveal a vision of love that is both deeply human and profoundly shaped by God.