What does love have to do with the Bible?

Well, that’s pretty obvious, you might think. After all, Scripture tells us about the amazing love God showed to us by sending his Son to die for our sins.

But the Bible also guides us in expressing a practical, everyday love inspired by our faith. And when we take a closer look, we can see how love should be woven into everything we do as followers of Jesus.

In Scripture, we find instruction to let our light shine by doing good works to bring glory to our Father in heaven. But the apostle Paul tells us that, without love, all our good works and words are counted as useless. Love, then, is more than just another biblical value. It’s the very heart of the gospel and the hinge on which our faith swings.

Just as faith without works is dead, works without love are empty. The Bible—and our faith—has everything to do with love. And through Scripture, we learn that our love for God is expressed through our love for others:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7-8 GNT

Therefore, as we ask God to help us grow more like Christ, we are also asking him to help us grow in love. Here are five Scripture verses to inspire new ways to let your love shine today!

5 Bible Verses to Help Your Love Shine

If we follow Jesus, love is our commandment.

According to the Bible, love is a non-negotiable in the Christian faith. In fact, Jesus told his disciples that they must be known by their love. The same is true for us as modern-day followers of Christ!

“Now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”

John 13:34-35 GNT

Our love must show itself in words and actions.

Love can’t simply be expressed in words. Just like God showed his love to us in sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners, we are called to love one another with our words and our actions.

My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.

1 John 3:18 GNT

Love should influence everything we do.

True love is not an accessory we can wear in some situations and take off in others. Instead, Scripture tells us that everything we do should be done in love. We can depend wholly on God to provide the grace and strength we need to express love in every situation.

Do all your work in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14 GNT

Love leads us to forgive.

One of the hallmarks of true love is its ability to forgive. Just like Christ loves and forgives us, we can love and forgive others. Through the Spirit’s work in our hearts, we can live out this biblical truth by forgiving others.

Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses.

Proverbs 10:12 GNT

Love binds everything together.

Scripture is clear: love is at the heart of our faith and binds everything together. Through our love expressed in words and actions, we help point people to Christ. And of all the biblical values we can exemplify as we seek to grow more like Jesus, the greatest of these is love.

Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:13-14 GNT