Day 4 – The World’s Love vs God’s Love | Beyond Feelings: Learning God’s Language of Love

We live in a culture that talks about love constantly—but rarely/seldom practices it the way God defines it. 

The world’s version of love says, “As long as it feels good, do it.” But if somebody mashes your corn, as we say colloquially, crappo smoke your pipe.

The world’s version of love celebrates pleasure but avoids purity. It promotes approval but rejects accountability. Yet God’s love is rooted in truth, not emotion.

Jesus drew a clear line in John 15:18–19 (NKJV): “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

That means real love may make you unpopular. 

In fact if I may get personal here, when you show someone real love, you may have some people calling you lesbian or homosexual or a softey or stupid. I find that as much as some people say I love you or love you, they don’t know what it is or how to receive it.

The world loved Jesus when He healed and fed crowds, but hated Him when He confronted sin and hypocrisy. 

It’s the same today — people applaud truth when it comforts them but reject it when it corrects them. 

The world celebrates a preacher who talks about blessings, hope, and success, but the moment that same preacher speaks against sin, pride, or moral compromise, suddenly he is “judgmental” or “intolerant.” See, we love the miracles but resist the message.

Family, whether we like it or not, the Word of God must be taught in truth. 

I can see that some have started pulling away, even right here in this ministry, because we’ve begun diving deeper into the Word and confronting sin. But hear me today — I don’t know about you, but I want to make it to heaven, and no unrepentant sinners are going there. So if anyone chooses to keep playing games with their salvation, that’s between you and God.

So I thank God today that His love doesn’t just comfort—it corrects. 

That’s why the Word warns us in 1 John 2:15 (NLT): “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”

Now, Family, this doesn’t mean we reject people; it means we reject the world’s system that redefines love apart from God.

Family, that’s why Paul said in Romans 12:2 (NKJV), “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” 

When we let culture shape our definition of love, we end up calling sin “freedom” and holiness “judgment.”

The world’s love says, “If you love me, you’ll agree with me.” But God’s love says, “Because I love you, I’ll tell you the truth.” I hope somebody’s really letting this sink into their spirit today.

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NKJV) reminds us, “[Love] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” Real love never celebrates what breaks God’s heart.

Consider Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler in Mark 10:21–22 (NLT). “Jesus felt genuine love for him. ‘There is still one thing you haven’t done,’ He told him. ‘Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.’ At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

Notice that it says Jesus loved him, yet His love required the man to choose surrender over comfort. Love always tells the truth, even when it costs.

Many of us struggle here. Truth be told. Why? Because we want to love God but still blend in with the world. We want the benefits of faith without the boundaries of obedience. There’s that word again - obedience. 

James 4:4 (NLT) says, “Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

That’s strong language, but it’s love in its purest form. God wants to protect us from divided hearts.

The world’s love is temporary and transactional. It says, “I love you because you please me.” God’s love is eternal and transformational. It says, “I love you because you’re Mine.”

Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV) declares, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

And here’s where it gets personal: sometimes we try to bring worldly expectations into godly relationships. We get offended when God’s love disciplines us, forgetting Hebrews 12:6 (NLT): “For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.”

There are still some of us as Christians who do not like to be chastened, corrected, told when we are doing or saying something wrong. We get highly offended. We take offense. We feel disrespected. 

I want to remind us today that God’s love isn’t weak. It is refining. It purges. It heals. God’s love restores. The world’s love tolerates sin; God’s love transforms sinners. Hallelujah.

Remember, John 3:16 (NKJV): “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s love gives—not to indulge us but to redeem us.

And as believers, we are called to love in that same way. 

Romans 5:5 (NLT) says, “For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” The Holy Spirit teaches us to love truthfully and steadfastly in a world of compromise.

Family, let’s not confuse acceptance with love or silence with peace. The love of God is bold enough to speak truth, gentle enough to restore, and strong enough to endure rejection.

If the world misunderstood Jesus, it will misunderstand us too. But guess what? That’s the cost of walking in real love. 

Galatians 1:10 (NLT) asks, “Am I now trying to win the approval of people, or of God? If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

So today, let us stand firm in love that lasts—the love that isn’t afraid to be different. The world’s love fades when feelings change, but God’s love stands when everything else falls.

1 John 4:16 (NKJV) says, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

I leave you with this powerful thought: The love of God doesn’t blend—it shines.

That’s how we learn to love beyond feelings.