First Corinthians 13:13 says, “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
For years this verse has been used to show the greatness of love. Love is great. We know that Jesus taught extensively about love. With Him it was a very important subject.
In fact, in Mark 12:28, Jesus was approached by a scribe who had been listening to Him teach. He came to Jesus and asked Him, “What is the foremost and the greatest commandment?”
In verse 29, Jesus answered him and said, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
So the scribe said to Jesus, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He, and to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
So, when Jesus saw that the scribe had answered wisely, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Here Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is love. It is the number one commandment, second to none.
When Jesus was talking with His disciples in John 13, He told them that He would be leaving soon. Then He gave them a command. In verse 34, He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Isn’t it interesting how Jesus said that we as Christians could be identified? He said that everyone would know that we are Christians by the way we show love to one another.
In fact, God’s Word says that if we don’t love, we don’t know God. First John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Then verse 11 says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Once I was counseling with a lady who said she had a fear of love. She had been hurt so many times in her life that all her defenses were up, all the time. She didn’t want anyone to get close to her and she feared getting close to anyone else. Verse 18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
Verse 20 says, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
Remember, God is love. God has not given us a spirit of fear and perfect love casts out fear.
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Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.