I am undertaking to come up with a Biblically sound and helpful understanding of what the true nature Love is and what the true nature of saving Faith is.  I intend to discover the essence and substance and nature of these two things.  This is more about precise definitions than workable descriptions (as in I Corinthians 13 on Love).

My first and foremost question: What are the necessary components that make up love and saving faith?

Here is my answer, thus far, for the elements of love: Value, Commitment, Affection.

It is important to understand that this is merely the parts that make up love, rather than the products that love makes.  I have almost always defined love as an action, but this does not make any sense Biblically.  For although love does actions (I Cor. 8:1; Romans 13:10; I John 3:18), it is not actions.  For John 14:15; Romans 5:8 and others make it clear that there is a difference between what love is and what love does.  I would still argue that love without resulting action is not love, so there must be something in the nature of true love that always results in loving action.

Here is my answer, thus far, for the elements of faith: Spirit-illumined, Scripture-informed understanding (I Corinthians 2:1-14), which always and only leads to automatic, necessary, and yet still supernatural Spirit-produced agreement,… (to be continued).

Remember that these are merely the parts that make up faith, rather than the products that faith makes.  It is important that we do not think that faith consists of action, rather that faith results in action.

I know that saving faith (with all its parts) comes from regeneration (Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 1:29).  And I know that the object of true saving faith must always be the person and work of Jesus Christ as proclaimed and explained in the Biblical Gospel.  But the question I am seeking to answer is what does the Holy Spirit do to/in the one whom He is regenerating to bring about real, saving faith?

Anyway, this is a process and a journey that I am on.  I will continue to read and pray and study on this for the complete salvation of the elect, the growth of the kingdom, and the glory of God.