What Does It Mean to Love Like a Christian?

Oh, hallelujah! To love like a Christian means to rise above the natural, to move beyond what is ordinary and step into the supernatural realm of love that only God can give! It’s not just about being kind to those who are kind to you. No, no! It’s about walking in the kind of love that the Bible calls “agape”—that pure, divine, selfless love that flows straight from the heart of God. This is the love that sent Jesus to the cross, praise God! It’s the love that doesn’t waver, doesn’t demand anything in return, and never, never gives up. It’s a love that says, “I will love you even if you never love me back!” Glory to God!

Two Ways We Can Love Others

Now, the Word of God gives us two paths when it comes to loving others. We can choose to love unconditionally, or we can fall into the trap of conditional love. Let’s look at this closely.

Unconditional Love

Unconditional love, my friend, is at the very core of the Gospel. It’s the kind of love that’s wrapped in the blood of Jesus and soaked in the grace of God.

Where Does Unconditional Love Come From? It begins with a revelation of God’s own love for you! You see, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He loved us when we were unlovable. He loved us when we didn’t deserve it. And when you catch a glimpse of that love, it will change your life! It will transform your heart, and that same love will begin to flow through you to others.

Loving Without Limits: When we walk in unconditional love, we aren’t waiting for people to act right before we love them. Oh no! We love them with a love that says, “I’m gonna love you no matter what you do, no matter how you treat me, and no matter if you ever return that love.” This is the love that reaches out to the lost, to the broken, and to those who may never be able to repay us. Hallelujah!

Conditional Love

But then there’s conditional love, which is, sadly, the kind of love this world knows too well.

Easy but Shallow. Conditional love is easy to give because it’s based on getting something back. It says, “I’ll love you as long as you love me. I’ll be kind to you as long as you’re kind to me.” But that’s not the love of Christ! It’s a love that’s limited by selfish desires, one that withholds itself unless it sees something to gain.

Love with Strings Attached: Conditional love is a love with strings attached. It loves people who fit our mold, who meet our standards, or who believe the same way we do. But that’s not the love that will change the world. That’s not the love that brings revival. Conditional love will always fall short because it’s based on the flesh and not the Spirit of God.

The Christian Call to Love Unconditionally

Oh, listen to me now! If we are to be true followers of Christ, if we are to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, we must leave conditional love behind and step into the higher calling of agape love. This is the love that breaks chains! This is the love that heals hearts! It’s a love that mirrors the heart of Jesus Himself. It’s sacrificial, it’s boundless, and it’s powerful beyond measure.

When we love unconditionally, we are fulfilling the greatest commandment of all: to love one another as Christ has loved us (John 13:34). And let me tell you, when you walk in that kind of love, people will take notice. The world will see Jesus in you. So, I challenge you today—let’s love like Jesus loved. Let’s love with all our hearts, expecting nothing in return, and watch how God moves through that love to change lives for eternity. Amen and amen!