The opposite of love is not hate, it is fear.
Our worst enemy is not Satan–the devil.
Our worst enemy is our fears, upon which the devil preys.
Love actually drives out fear. If we follow the way of love, our fears will subside.
By his perfect example, Jesus has shown us the way of love. In order to become free from fear then, we are to follow Jesus’ example and direction. "There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life–fear of death, fear of judgment–is one not yet fully formed in love." I John 4:18 (The Message)
Could the opposite of love be apathy?
Left by grubedoo on July 20th, 2005
Good question.
Apathy defined is:
1. Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.
2. Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness.
Apathy is a state of mind we may resort to when hope, trust, and faith have not produced the results we want or need. And waiting for results with our hearts open and engaged in hope, trust and faith–is work. It can be tough to stay in this place of tension. First Corinthians 13:7 says that love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Apathy is a choice to disengage from the work that “bearing, believing, hoping and enduring” may cost us. Love pays the price, does the work and stays connected. Apathy disconnects.
Left by Garden Ministries on July 21st, 2005
Just reading your love is not the opposite of hate thing. Hate really is the opposite emotion of love. I think it would be better to say that fear is not from love. If it follows that fear is the opposite because the Bible says, “Perfect love casts out fear,” then what about the places where it says, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”? Does it then logically follow that the opposite of love is jealousy, bragging, arrogance, selfishness, unforgiving, utterly wicked, unrejoicing, unbearing, unbelieving, unhopeful, unenduring?
Perhaps it is better to say, “Fear is not the product of love” or “Fear does not result from love.” Love is seen as the driving force by which all of God’s commands are accomplished. It says, after all, “Love completes the requirements of the Law.” However, love is not something we can simply do, it is something we become through the work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). In some sense you could say the opposite of a loving person is an unregenerate sinner. Such a person cannot please God and is hostile to Him (Rom. 8:7). At the center of love is the work of the Holy Spirit–love is the result of the sinner being forgiven. You cannot tell a person, “Be loving,” when they have not yet been born again. Such a person is not empowered to do the will of God.
If I were to take two people, a large mound of dirt, give one of them a bulldozer and say, “Now move this mound today,” which one is capable of doing what his boss says? Similarly, only those who have received the Spirit through faith and forgiveness can understand and do the acts of love, which are the commands of God. If a person is struggling with fear, hate, and selfishness (etc.) perhaps the barrier is not that they have fear, but an unrepentant heart which cannot receive God. After all it says, “Whoever says that they have not sinned is calling God a liar and His truth is not in them.”
Prior to love is the changed heart. Love is the result of this change, not the cause of it.
My thoughts…
Left by JohnyAutoclub on August 5th, 2005
Johnyautoclub….I have read all your comments and they are really bringing me down. Why must you contradict everything that is said? Your condescending remarks certainly aren’t reflective of Christ’s love. Is it possible that more than one insight or opinion can be from the tongue of God and they can all be true? This is supposed to be a forum where Christians, many of whom have been mortally wounded ‘in the name of Christ’ can come to feel safe and be lifted up by fellow believers. Perhaps you could find a gentler way to express your views without telling everyone else they are wrong. Pray on it, Brother.
Left by shawneeann on October 28th, 2005