17 (Must-Have) Characteristics Of True Love That's Of God

If you want to know the characteristics of true love according to the bible, then this post is for you that will help you differentiate between real love and just mere infatuation based on lust.

Many characteristics will show if you are in a relationship that has Christ-centered real love, which is more than just a feeling.

With that said, let’s look at the 17 characteristics of true love that will help you know the real difference between real love and fake love most mistakes for true love.

17 Qualities Of Christ-Centered Real Love.

Below are the 17 qualities of real love that will help you know if the relationship or marriage you are in has true love or not.

True Love Forgives.
True Love Never Gives Up.
True Love Is Sacrificial.
True Love Is Selfless.
True Love Never Supports Sin.
Real Love Isn’t Self-Seeking Or Self-Centered.
Real Love Has No Fear.
Real Love Isn’t Based On Feelings.
Real Love Doesn’t Hurt.
Real Loves Never Stops Loving.
Real Love Seeks The Best For The Other.
Real Love Never Fails.
Real Love Is Patient.
Real Love Always Gives.
Real Love Seeks To Serve.
True Love Is Unconditional.
True Love Has Mutual Respect.

1. True Love Forgives.

One of the major characteristics of true love that’s based on Jesus Christ is that it easily forgives offenses and keeps no records of wrongs. If you truly love the person you are in a relationship with, you will easily forgive them of their wrongs as Ephesians 4:32 commands in the New Testament.

2. True Love Never Gives Up.

The other thing that differentiates true love from fake love is that real love never gives up or quits the relationship in bad times when things are hard. Sadly, most give up and opt out when things get rocky in their relationship or marriage. If most people understood this, there will be fewer divorces and breakups in our society today.

3. True Love Is Sacrificial.

Another major quality of real love that’s Christ-centered is that it’s sacrificial and sacrifices for the other person in the relationship instead of just insisting on its needs to be met. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us in John 15:13 that there is no greater love than laying down your life for another person, which is what you will do for your significant other if God’s love is reigning supreme in your life.

4. True Love Is Selfless.

Selflessness is another major trait of real love that differentiates it from fake love, which is selfish and only seeks its own interests. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us that real love isn’t self-seeking which sadly most people fail to grasp and explain why many relationships today are in trouble and ending up in breakups as everyone as about themselves and what they can get from the other person rather than what they can give.

5. True Love Never Supports Sin.

Another thing that differentiates real love from the fake love of this world is that the former rejoices in the truth and doesn’t delight in evil, iniquity, or unrighteousness as 1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us. While the latter does the opposite and supports wrong things and this is what this crooked world fails to understand. If God’s love is in your heart, you won’t support wrong things even if they are from your friend but you will stand your ground.

6. Real Love Isn’t Self-Seeking Or Self-Centered.

Another important attribute of real love is that it’s never self-seeking or self-centered which implies that if you claim to love a person you are in a relationship with, you will love them selflessly without any ulterior or selfish motives that only benefit you.

7. Real Love Has No Fear.

In 1 John 4:18, we are told that perfect love that’s from God casts out fear and that fear has torment. One thing you need to understand is that true love and fear cannot co-exist which is why you need to let go of fear you may have due to your past romantic relationship mishaps or breakups if you want to experience real love in your relationship or marriage.

8. Real Love Isn’t Based On Feelings.

This is another important trait that differentiates real love from fake love that is all about physical attraction, emotions, and feelings, which can change in an instant. Truly loving a person you claim to love is more than just a feeling but what you can do for their sake as love is not just a mere feeling but a doing word. It is why 1 John 3:18 tells us not just to love in word but in action which is the basis of true love.

9. Real Love Doesn’t Hurt.

If you are in an abusive relationship you are trying to justify that is not healthy and have mistaken abusiveness for love, then this is for you. You need to understand that true love will never hurt you but protect you. If you are in a healthy relationship that’s Christ-centered, you will never experience any form of abuse be it physical, emotional, or verbal.

10. Real Loves Never Stops Loving.

True love never stops loving their spouse even when they feel like they can’t stand being around them anymore due to a lack of interest on the part of their spouse as real love isn’t centered on feelings and emotions (Colossians 3:19). Implying, you will never grow apart from your partner or stop loving them after being with them for a long time as it’s the case with most worldly romantic relationships that are not based on God’s love but lust and mere feelings that come and go.

11. Real Love Seeks The Best For The Other.

Real love that is Christ-based always wants what is best for their spouse, including happiness, physical intimacy, or emotional intimacy in marriage. If you truly love your spouse, you will always want what’s best for them and do everything possible in your power to make that possible.

12. Real Love Never Fails.

The other important difference between true love and fake love is that the former will never fail no matter what as 1 Corinthians 13:8 tells us especially when things are hard. While the latter will fail instantly when things become inconvenient in a relationship or marriage. Lack of genuine love is the main reason why most quit their relationships when things get hard and say they have had enough.

13. Real Love Is Patient.

1 Corinthians 13:4 tells us that true love that’s from God is patient and longsuffering which means that if you are in a loving relationship, you will be patient with your partner or spouse and not easily give up on them when things get hard. Implying that you won’t get easily frustrated with your partner’s shortcomings and want to quit on them. Rather, you will work together to solve the shortcomings your partner may have that are affecting your relationship or marriage.

14. Real Love Always Gives.

True love always seeks to give the best to the other rather than seeking to be given. While fake love based on infatuation only seeks to get from the other leaving the other dry. If you truly love your partner, you will always seek to give your best to them rather than insisting on being given first for you to love.

15. Real Love Seeks To Serve.

Real love that is from God also always seeks to selflessly serve the other person rather than being served. If most people entering marriage understood this principle, all the divorces we see in society wouldn’t even exist at all as divorce is just one of the manifestations of the ultimate selfishness that we all inherently have as human beings.

16. True Love Is Unconditional.

True love that is from Christ Jesus is also unconditional and doesn’t love conditionally. Implying that if you claim to love your spouse, you will truly love them unconditionally without expecting anything in return just as Jesus Christ first loved you (John 13:34) knowing you might not love Him back. True love says, “I will love you no matter what without expecting anything in return.” While conditional love from naturally fallen humans says,” I can only love you if you love me back or do X, Y, and Z for me.”

17. True Love Has Mutual Respect.

Last but not least, if your relationship is based on true love, there will be mutual respect for each other without fail as you know that you are both created in God’s image. You can’t say you love your partner if you grossly disrespect them. If you do so, it just means you don’t truly love your partner as you claim with your mouth as genuine love is based on mutual trust and respect for each other.

Conclusion.

The above 17 characteristics of true love in the bible are just among many characteristics that summarize what real love is all about. And I hope they will now help you know the clear distinction between true love and fake love that is now common nowadays in all kinds of relationships so that you can learn to love others the way God expects you to. God bless.

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17 (Must-Have) Characteristics Of True Love That’s Of God