Bible Study Notes for Romans 8 - What Is Biblical Love?
What is Biblical Love?
Romans 8
We all act according to what motivates us. Because of our human nature, we tend to act according to what we see as valuable. Our values then become what determines the motivation of our lives.
QUESTION: What do you see that motivates your actions or lack thereof (positive or negative)?
It is safe to say that if the world is pressuring us or creating the standards of acceptability, we will be walking down roads that only lead to disappointment and sinful habits. Why do we willingly walk down these roads? How is it that we don’t see that what we do enslaves us, hurts others, and only brings shame upon the name of Christ? Because we have been blinded by our source of influence. We carelessly allow the world to sway our thoughts and emotions.
It is natural to want to fit in. When we see everyone is happy, why would we want something different? The world tells us that it is normal and wise to do whatever makes one happy. If it makes you feel good, then why should we keep ourselves from it? We have a right to do what we love. What they never say is that for you to be happy, it will require you to use people. The world even has a way of glorifying our selfishness and calling it love. We write songs and produce movies that spark our romantic emotions, but when you stop and pay attention, you will not hear about sacrificial, unconditional love but how this person emotionally makes me feel happy. Our emotional status becomes the master of our future within any relationship.
QUESTION: Have you felt a distance grow within a relationship because of the emotional strain? Do you find yourself more apt to be with people that make you feel better emotionally? Why is this?
Love. The world has defined this word for us. We use it carelessly and really don’t know what it means when God says, “I love you.” If we compare what we know about our emotions and connect it to our understanding of love, we will have something that is very different than God’s love for us. Our love is connected to our emotions and desires. When you no longer benefit me, you will no longer have access to me or my resources. No wonder why our marriages and relationships with our children are so damaging. Love only goes as far as our emotional strength can handle it. We devour each other in attempts to protect what we see as valuable. Our selfish emotional acceptance.
QUESTION: Has anyone felt a conditional type of love within a close relationship? What was your reaction to this type of love?
According to Romans 8, God’s love has two everlasting qualities that define its nature:
1) Unconditional
2) Requires Complete sacrifice
Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Rom. 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Rom. 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Rom. 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Rom. 8:36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Rom. 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Rom. 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom. 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Walking through Paul’s argument, what condition did you meet in order to receive God’s love?
Rom. 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God entered into this relationship with you based upon his will and desire, not upon any other condition. What did it cost him? It cost the death of His Son in order for you to have all the benefits of His love.
Rom. 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Everything we could ever need or wish for has been given to us and promised in its completion because God decided to love us, not because we decided to love Him. There are no trial periods with God. He isn’t waiting to see how we respond. Suppose we hold up our end of the relationship. He gave us the love before we could ever respond. How did he prove his love? Ultimate sacrifice. We don’t really know this kind of love. We constantly live in fear of the unknown. What might happen, even in our best relationships?
Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Our confidence is in the reality He knows, He cares, and He has covered all our sins. We are simply called today by day to trust his love for us. God never changes. He does not grow or develop. That means, His love for us is full and complete. We will never have a moment where we are without His love, which means we will never need to use other people to find our emotional acceptance.
QUESTION: What are your thoughts about true biblical love? How has this helped your relationship with God?
Paul promises God will provide all we need. We will never lack anything we could ever need for this life or the next. Do you know why this is so important and freeing? We never need to use each other to gain what we already have in Christ. We don’t’ need anything else, for God has granted to us in Christ all that we could possibly desire. There is one part of our lives we live in constant pursuit of yet never find its satisfaction. Joy. That is to be fully satisfied. Not just happy but satisfied. Needing nothing else. Wanting nothing else. Where does this joy come from?
John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Closing Thoughts:
1) Imagine what this kind of love feels like from another person?
2) Imagine what marriage would look like if two people loved this way? 3) Imagine what our church would look like if we loved it this way?
QUESTION: What do you think is keeping us from loving each other this way? How can we grow in love for each other daily so we can experience “full joy?”
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PRAISE, PRAYER, AND CONFESSION:
What can you offer to the Father in praise?
What is a sin you need to confess?
What is a burden we can carry?
What can we take to our Father in prayer?