~ A place to find answers to gnawing spiritual questions ~
Question: There is a verse in the new testament thats reads something like this: "Do not speak love with your mouth." Can you explain this verse with related scriptures? My daughter's pastor says we are not to say "I love you" to each other or our children. This really bothers me as I don't think that is the meaning at all.Answer: I assume this is the scripture you are saying tells us not to say "I love you" to one another:
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him" (1 John 3:16-19).
This scripture is not saying that we should never express our love verbally to one another, but rather that verbal expressions mean nothing and are vain if our actions do not express that same love. It is saying, "Do not love in words only, but also in deeds."
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:14-18).
Jesus said that we should love one another as he has loved us. His love most certainly included verbal expressions, and therefore ours should also.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).
We are forbidden to love the world and the things in the world, but not people.
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