Love or Lust: Understanding the Differences

Articles

Philip C. Strong
02/14/23 - Bible Study

“Love” will be much professed today. Perhaps we should better understand that of which we speak, and what we’re pledging and affirming (“love” characteristics from 1Cor.13:4-8)…

Love is the most basic and needed human emotion; Lust is a poor and pitiful substitute.

Love establishes value; Lust requires value; (Love says, "This person is 'valuable' to me because I ‘love’ them" while Lust says, "I '‘want’) this person because they are valuable to me."

Love is selfless; Lust is selfish.

Love is of heaven- spiritual, divine, and fulfilling; Lust is from below, fleshly, earthly, and insatiable.

Love is an affection or affinity toward; Lust is a desire for.

Love is patient; Lust is impatient.

Love is kind and sensitive; Lust is rude and crude.

Love is never jealous; Lust is ever jealous.

Love is not arrogant and does not brag; Lust is and does.

Love is becoming and pure; Lust is ugly and putrid.

Love forgives and forgets; Lust neither forgives nor forgets (it always keeps and knows the "score").

Love loves the lovely; Lust lusts the lusty.

Love bears, believes, hopes, and therefore endures all things; Lust bears nothing, believes nothing, hopes nothing (beyond instant gratification), and therefore endures nothing (or very little).

Love NEVER fails (to fulfill, to overcome, or to endure); Lust ALWAYS fails (to fulfill, to overcome, or to endure).

We've mistaken and misidentified "love" and "lust" for far too long. Since, "God is "love" (1John 4:8) we cannot know God without knowing true Love. And unless we "love another," instead of selfishly desiring and using one another, we cannot love God or love as He loves (cf. 1John 4:20 and Matt.5:44-48).