From birth and throughout the process of growing up, human beings begin to feel, learn, and understand love through the maternal affection of their mothers. As such, all humans, from childhood, come to feel and learn about love between siblings, between teachers and students, among relatives, between neighbors, and between lovers—through the physical lineage and carnal desires of the flesh.
Therefore, the lives and experiences of all people are expressed and shaped by these relationships of human love and affection, and such emotional connections are regarded as the highest ideals and happiness in life. However, this is merely a wishful ideal like a fairy tale—because, in reality, life does not unfold in accordance with human desires or expectations. This is because behind the seemingly beautiful facade of human love lies selfish insistence and expectation. Moreover, beneath the conditions of love always lurks a heart that cannot be satisfied, which inevitably fluctuates depending on the circumstances. Because it can never be fulfilled, human love is plagued with jealousy, hatred, lies, lust, conflict, and betrayal. It is inherently unstable and inevitably subject to change—this is the limitation of human love.
However, because the affairs of humanity and the world have excessively glamorized, romanticized, and decorated the value of love that stems from carnal desire and physical lineage, the true standard and value of human love have become distorted. As a result, human love is now used without any clear discernment of its limits and nature.
Like a product that is deceptively well-packaged on the outside, love is seen as the most beautiful and precious value only when it serves the standard of bringing joy and pleasure to oneself. But this is the limit of human love. It is not a love unique to humans alone. It is a form of love also found in most animals and even insects that possess physical bodies. While they may lack the intelligence and ability to communicate through writing and speech like humans do, they fundamentally possess the same kind of love as humans.
Animals also love their offspring, cooperate and care for their own kind, and have affection in mating relationships. This type of love ultimately stems from the flesh—through bloodline and carnal desire. Therefore, the Bible refers to such love as affection and lust born of the flesh and bloodline, and it is quite distinct from the love described in the Scriptures.
This is because love that arises according to human standards—changing with conditions and environments—is no different from the fickle love of animals. Thus, love that comes from human bloodline and flesh may be called love among humans, but in reality, it is a love that fluctuates and transforms according to personal taste and desire. It is not the love recorded in the Word of God. Yet, unlike animals, humans have a vast and generous heart given by God—something animals do not possess. This is the spirit, which is the divine nature of God.