Love

LOVE cannot be narrowed down to one scriptural overall reference; it appears in the Bible over 500 times (ESV, ISV, and NIV translations). There are four different words in the Greek (New Testament original language) for love: eros, storge, philia and agape.

Eros and storge do not appear in the New Testament. Eros is romantic love containing physical passion and intimacy. Storge is defined as family love.

Philia and agape are the two words used in the New Testament. Philia appears 25 times and is brotherly, strong friendship love. Agape appears over 200 times; it is defined as Christlike love which is unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial which is given regardless of whether it is returned. For our purposes we will focus on agape love.

1 John 4:8 and 16 explicitly state, “God is love”. God has certainly shown us the proof of this unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love throughout the Bible. John 3:16 stands as a beacon to all of us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” This agape love is the center focus in our Heavenly Father’s training us; He wants it to become who we are.

In Matthew 22:35-40 a legalistic Pharisee, described as a lawyer, who must have been familiar with all 613 commandments of the Old Testament, asks Jesus this question to test Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” In essence, according to Jesus, all 613 commandments in the Old Testament depend on LOVE.

So, what does agape love look like in our daily lives in this present world? God provides valuable insight in I Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Love is an on-going active choice to give it away without expectation of anything in return. It is not easy or simple but is a discipline to be practiced diligently. It is always doing what is best for the recipient regardless of whether he/she deserves it. Love is not primarily a personal emotion but instead is a motion toward others. God heartens us in 1 Peter 4:8, “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

God summarizes agape love in 1 John 4:10-12, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us.

Trusting God in every step we take and surrendering ourselves to the control of the indwelling Holy Spirit results in the supernatural outflow of His love toward God and others.

“Only God can give us a selfless love for others, as the Holy Spirit changes us from within. This is one reason we must receive Christ, for apart from His Spirit we can never be freed from the chains of selfishness, jealousy, and indifference. Will others see Christ’s love in your life today?” Billy Graham