It would be impossible to over-emphasize the prominence of love as a defining virtue in the Christian life. For instance, it is defined as the evidence that someone is born of God. It constitutes the connection between the Lord Jesus and his Church, and it is the well-spring of all fellowship. It is the premier fruit of the Spirit, from which all the other fruit proceed. And it the prerequisite for the operation of all spiritual gifts and disciplines. Love touches upon every aspect of our saved lives.
Despite its importance to Christian doctrine and conduct, perhaps no other topic is given such short shrift in the teaching ministry. Our discussions of love are often superficial and glib. This quarter's World Mission Topics series, "The Love Seminar," is designed to address that deficit. In it, we will define natural and supernatural love. We will examine the display of God's love in the Old and New Testaments. And finally, explore the implications of the scriptural command that we exhibit love in all our relationships.
