“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” -Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

“When you ‘agape-love’ a person, it means to prefer their good, wish them well, and care about their welfare.”

“We love each other because he loved us first.” -1 John 4:19 NLT

God Loved Us First

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” -Ephesians 1:4 NLT

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8 NIV

Jesus’ Love Will Not Ignore Sin

“Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” She replied, “No, Lord,” -John 8:10-11 NLT

“Neither do I condemn you…” AND “Go now and leave your life of sin.” -John 8:11 NLT

“…we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.” -Ephesians 4:15 NLT

Jesus’ Love Has Wisdom and Boundaries

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” -Proverbs 4:23 NLT

“For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” -Galatians 6:5 NLT

Jesus’ Love is Sacrificial And Restorative

“…having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” -John 13:1 NIV

Unconditional Love says, “I will not stop valuing you because of your failures, but because I love you, I cannot pretend your sin is harmless, so, I wait on you with some boundaries, but also with open arms for redemption.”