love – Three Minute Bible

August 4, 2026July 28, 2026

1 Timothy 6:11 (Part 4) – Love

A crystal heart with a Cross in the center (Grok)

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Summary: Love, the poet says, is a ‘many splendored thing.’ Yet when it comes to describing what those ‘splendors’ are, we sometimes get stuck.

One thing we can be fairly confident of when we focus on Paul’s advice to Timothy is that he wasn’t suggesting Timothy pursue romantic love.

Sometimes, of course, it is the other way around. Romantic love pursues the man! Many a young pastor has discovered that they are more popular with the fair sex than they could have imagined. Sometimes even older ones fall victim to this trap. (Satan isn’t proud when it comes to subverting God’s church. There is nothing he will not stoop to.)

The kind of “love” Paul recommends pursuing is quite different.

When we talk about the love Paul is referring to, it is easy to ‘zone out’ and let our minds wander to some other topic. Godly love can sound ‘churchy’ and maybe even a bit stuffy. After all, we are talking about a God who has been around a long, long time and who in ancient times was responsible for plagues, people dying in battle, and sending Jesus to the cross.

Maybe if we substitute “nice” for the word “love,” God will let us get by with that.

The word Paul actually used is, of course, the Greek word “agapē.” Agapē is often referred to as “godly love” to set it apart from other forms of love. It includes affection but runs very deep in terms of being willing to make sacrifices for the one you love.

One way to think of agapē is as a kind of ‘selfless love.’

This makes sense when we consider the two Great Commandments as Jesus summarized them.* The first is to love God above all else, including yourself. This means that we put God’s will above our own. Interestingly, putting God first guarantees our thoughts and actions will reflect his love because “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

The second Great Commandment does something similar. It simply says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Here again we sacrifice putting ourselves first so that we can treat our neighbors as God would have them treated.

Application: Love well.

Food for Thought: What does loving our neighbor look like?

* Matthew 22:37-40

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May 29, 2026May 30, 2026

1 Timothy 4:12d – Godly Love

[but set an example for the believers] … in love…

Summary: Setting an example with our words and deeds is commendable. Making sure that our example is worthy of our Lord Jesus is a challenge.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy so far includes the following: “… set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love…”

April 14, 2026April 16, 2026

1 Timothy 3:2b – Faithfulness

An elderly couple walk down a country road hand-in-hand (Grok)

Now the overseer is to be … faithful to his wife…

Summary: As Paul begins to outline the qualities of an overseer, the first one he turns to is the marriage relationship in a man’s life.

This passage is an excellent example of how the Bible defines itself.

So far, Paul has told us that being an overseer is a noble calling and that an overseer must be “above reproach.” Now he begins to tell us what “above reproach” means.

April 10, 2026April 11, 2026

1 Timothy 2:15 – Living by Faith

Portrait of a family (Pixabay - courtesy of Alisa Dyson Family)

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Summary: Paul’s words can feel challenging, yet if we look at them in the fullness of his meaning, we discover a message that is both egalitarian and demanding.

Paul’s view of men and women is interesting.

Earlier in verse eight, Paul says he wants men to pray, lift up holy hands, and do this without anger or disputing. Prayer requires a man to rely on God instead of themselves. Lifting up “holy hands” means our hands are clean — we haven’t been doing something we shouldn’t. Doing anything without anger and disputing can be challenging. But Paul is not finished yet. He goes on by telling women how he wants them to address their challenges, and then he says this:

March 14, 2026March 16, 2026

1 Timothy 2:1b – In the Game

Picture of a high school football player sitting alone on the bench (Grok)

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

Summary: Christians don’t “fight” like normal people. Instead of trying to dominate others, we strive to submit ourselves to God’s will.

Christians “fight” in ways that are different than the ways of the world. Instead of knowing the best techniques for kicking and punching, we strive to be expert at “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving.”

January 24, 2026January 26, 2026

1 Timothy 1:5d – The Headwaters of Love

Picture of three separate water streams forming one stream (Grok)

[The goal of this command is love, which comes from]… a sincere faith.

Summary: Wrapping up our discussion of Paul’s three reasons for his “command,” we come to the question of faith. What is it and why is it important?

Writing to Timothy about the need to “command” misguided believers in Jesus not to do certain things,* he says the goal is love (agapē). He then explains that there are three sources, three artesian springs if you will, where the headwaters of love spring from. The three sources are:

January 22, 2026January 23, 2026

1 Timothy 1:5b – Love’s Pure Heart

The picture shows a glass heart with the word "Love" suspended in the glass (Grok)

[The goal of this command is love]… which comes from a pure heart …

Summary: Understanding how love comes from a pure heart requires that we understand what the Bible means by the word “love.”

In 1984, Tina Turner had a hit song called “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”* The chorus went like this:

January 21, 2026January 22, 2026

1 Timothy 1:5a – Commanded to Love

Picture of old signpost with multiple signs pointing different ways to God. (Grok)

The goal of this command is love, (which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.)

Summary: When Paul tells us that the goal of the command he has given to Timothy is love, he forces us to think deeply about what love is and who we are supposed to love.

Before we dive into a closer look at what Paul says in this verse, let’s step back for a moment to gain some perspective.

January 6, 2026January 8, 2026

1 Timothy 1:1b – Apostle

…an apostle of Christ Jesus …

Summary: As we begin our study of Paul’s letter to Timothy, we are immediately confronted by a word that people argue over, even today. Clarifying what we mean by the word we choose helps resolve conflict and restore unity.

It is always helpful, when embarking on a discussion of any serious nature, to define terms.

January 1, 2026January 1, 2026

Philippians 4:21b-22 – You Are Not Alone

Picture: A fireworks display spells out "JESUS LOVES YOU!" (Grok)

The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

Summary: When Paul sends greetings, it is like setting off fireworks! He doesn’t just send one, but instead sends a dazzling bouquet of them.

In the closing verses of Philippians, Paul extends greetings to his readers. “Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus,” he begins (Phil. 4:21a). It is a simple command that echoes the familial bond that binds believers everywhere.