5 Transformational Scriptures (and Movies) About Love

Tis' the season for love, and while we celebrate Valentine's Day, what better way to focus on the biblical command to love God and love others than to explore some powerful scriptures — and feature films — that help us live out those truths.

Read Also: 29 Bible Verses About Wives, Marriage And Love

So, let's dive into some powerful scriptures and truths that we can consider this Valentine's Day:

Love One Another: John 15:12-15 (NIV)

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

These Bible verses encourage us to remember the power of loving one another, and of sacrificing for others. As we consider how we treat others, let's reflect on the powerful truths embedded in these scriptures.

Also, if you're looking for a powerful film that covers these themes, stream "Sweet Inspirations."It's a movie about four middle-aged ladies who discover purpose when they launch a unique fundraising effort to save a local women's shelter from imminent foreclosure, testing the limits of their friendship and themselves.

Watch the trailer for "Sweet Inspirations" and stream the movie with a free trial to Pure Flix.

Download Today: Hopeless Romantic Movie Guide

God's Powerful Love: John 3:16 (NIV)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known Bible verses in the world, as it captures the core of the Christian gospel. Jesus died for the sins of humanity, and his decision to come and give up his life perfectly illustrates God's love for us all.

You can find out more about this verse here, and we'd encourage you to read the entire Book of John (or at least John 3) for more.

Also, if you're looking to see how God's love can change a person's life, consider streaming "Home Sweet Home." This movie focuses on a woman who is intent on finding romance — so much so that she pretends to be a Christian to try and win a guy over. But she learns some powerful lessons about faith in the process.

Watch the trailer for "Home Sweet Home" and stream the film now on Pure Flix.

Read Also: 20 Bible Verses About God’s Love

Be Devoted: Romans 12:10 (NIV)

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Romans 12:10 drives home the powerful importance of loving others above ourselves. In marriage and in friendship, this is paramount.

But we're also called more generally to put others above ourselves, to love our enemies and to replicate Christ's care for those around us. Let's all reflect on how we can live this verse out in our everyday lives, considering both loved ones and strangers.

Also, be sure to stream "Finding Normal" if you're looking for a powerful film above love. The movie focuses on a woman named Lisa whose world turns upside down she meets the man of her dreams while serving her sentence of community service.

Watch the trailer for "Finding Normal" and stream the film right now on Pure Flix.

Love Heals: 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

God calls us all to love one another, and the Bible states love is the healing factor that can overcome sin and mistakes. Jesus' death is the ultimate example of this, though we can also help others heal in our own lives through love — and, in turn, love can help heal us after we've faced intense pain, suffering or struggles.

In the film "Runnin' From My Roots" we see a country music star's faith put to the test when she rediscovers feelings for her high school sweetheart when she returns to her small southern hometown. 

Stream the trailer for "Runnin' From My Roots" and watch the movie on Pure Flix.

Read Also: The 9 Christian Values That Change Lives

Spur Others to Love: Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Part of loving others is encouraging them. Hebrews 10:24-25 calls us to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds." So, not only are we called to love God and love others, but we are encouraged to help others do the same.

This is a natural consideration for couples as well, as part of a healthy marriage is spiritual health. Let's consider how we can be better about spurring our loved ones — husbands, wives, family and friends — to live out love for God and love for others.

Also, the final movie on our list to consider watching is "Christian Mingle." It's a film about a career woman who has everything, but romance finds her values challenged when she starts dating a good man she met on a Christian matchmaking site.

Watch the trailer for "Christian Mingle" and stream the film with a free trial to Pure Flix right now.

Bonus: More Valentine’s Day Bible Verses

When most people think of Valentine’s Day, images of romantic love and devotion come to mind. But when we talk about Bible verses for Valentine’s Day, we also have to consider the scriptures that call us to love all our brothers and sisters of the world - whether they are followers of Christ or not.

Proverbs 3:3-4 (NIV)

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

This scripture for Valentine’s Day implores us to put our love, loyalty and trust in God and to cling to those ideals tightly. Without trust and loyalty, love is incomplete and that’s not the kind of love that God wants from us.

Mark 11:25 (NIV)

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

This scripture on love is a powerful reminder that no relationship is perfect and we will have disagreements with the ones we love. But forgiveness is key and if we want to be full of God’s love, we must forgive like God forgives us.

Read Also: 10 Powerful Lessons From 1 Corinthians 13

Luke 6:31-35 (NIV)

Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

This Bible verse about love is probably the hardest for us to live out in our daily life. It’s easy to love the people we chose to have in our lives, but less easy to love the ones we disagree with or who hurt us. But God calls for our love to transcend daily relationships and to love even those who persecute and attempt to destroy us. This is the kind of biblical and unconditional love that God wants us to strive to have.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

This scripture for Valentine’s Day comes down to a simple concept: Actions matter. Not only should we speak truth in love, our actions should reflect the love we have for others. Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us - an act that changed history. Imagine how much better the world would be if we acted selflessly daily.