# Bible vs. Secular Love



## fralo4truth (May 13, 2016)

What is the difference between the Bible’s concept of love and the secular understanding of love? Well, I say secular, but it has infiltrated the church in certain places.

To be specific, I mean that idea which the left-wing liberals throw around today. By embracing the LGBT movement we are being “loving” and “inclusive” and “open-minded” as opposed to being “bigots”.

My strongest answer is that biblical love is a holy love¸ one which preserves an understanding of good and evil. But I would like to be able to give the best answer possible. Since this is such an important issue today, surely there must be a thorough treatment of it somewhere for me to read.

Thanks.


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## Peairtach (May 15, 2016)

If someone does not believe that homosexuality is a sin or "evil" as he understands that term he might find it rather easy to "lovingly" accept it, just as we accept the behaviour of preferring certain flavours of ice cream and it would be unloving to discriminate between such. If he thinks something is"evil" as he understands the term, maybe adultery, incest, paedophilia, he'll not lovingly accept such things.So who's the bigot, now?

So this whole thing boils down to whether or not homosexuality is sinful. If you want fuller treatment on that see Bahnsen's book, or Robert Gagnon's study, which I haven't read but has been recommended on the PB.

A sub-argument which dominates a lot of people's minds is that although the Bible clearly says homosexuality is a sin, it must be "lovingly" accepted because the people who engage in it can't help it, just as white men can't help being white. This big and highly successful lie of the homosexual rights movement has been completely disproved by e.g. twin studies.

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk


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## KeithW (May 15, 2016)

Dr. James White gave a presentation in South Africa last week on the supremacy of Scripture which included a presentation on the LGBT movement. It gives an introduction on how many different failure related to Scripture the same sex movement uses. The presentation is available at monergism.com under the title "Scripture and the LGBT Agenda".

A fuller treatment is in a debate Dr. White had with Graeme Codrington last year in South Africa on the question, "does God affirm homosexuality". The debate is available in audio form on SermonAudio and in video form on YouTube.


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## timfost (May 15, 2016)

fralo4truth said:


> What is the difference between the Bible’s concept of love and the secular understanding of love?



I think the simplest answer is that biblical love is a commitment to another for his/her good (1 Cor. 13). Such commitment takes different expressions (e.g. spouse, children, neighbors, enemies, etc.). Secular love is reduced to _desire and carnal impulse_ ("it can't be wrong because it _feels so right_" attitude). 

Biblical love always has an objective standard. Secular love (which is a perversion) has itself as its only standard.


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## johnny (May 15, 2016)

This question gets asked a lot nowadays, 
But the Bible is very clear that there is no love without the Law.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38: This is the first and great commandment. 39: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40: On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9: For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10: Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.


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## ZackF (May 15, 2016)

Most people, especially unbelievers, don't think about love the way Christ taught about it. Most importantly God loves His enemies. This is the most counter-intuitive directive to Christians. Whatever the secular liberal still believes that is evil, does he believe God can love that kind of person and justify him?

I've found CS Lewis' "The Four Loves" helpful.


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