“Beloved, LET US LOVE (agapaō) ONE ANOTHER, for LOVE IS OF GOD; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, for GOD IS LOVE. In this the love of God was MANIFESTED (phaneroō: to make known what has been hidden) toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the PROPITIATION (hilasmos: Christ’s atoning blood that appeases (soothes) God’s wrath) FOR OUR SINS. Beloved, if God so loved us, WE ALSO OUGHT (opheilō: we are required) TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” (1 John 4:7-11)
The ancient Greeks had anywhere between four and eight different words for love (depending on the source) we have just ONE word to describe love in English:
WE’LL JUST LOOK AT FOUR:
– STORGE: affection
– PHILIA OR PHILEO: friendship love (liking someone when they like you)
– EROS: sexual, erotic
– AGAPE: GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL, DIVINE, SELFLESS, UNDESERVED LOVE.
JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS LOVE?
“…the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees with His response to their encounter, they met together to question Him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to TRAP JESUS with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must LOVE (agapaō) THE LORD YOUR GOD with ALL your HEART, SOUL, and MIND.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is EQUALLY important: ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ The ENTIRE LAW and ALL THE DEMANDS OF THE PROPHETS are based on these TWO COMMANDMENTS.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
How does God demonstrate His love for us? “God SO LOVED (agapaō) the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH (apollumi: to be cast into eternal damnation) but have EVERLASTING LIFE. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him MIGHT BE SAVED.” (John 3:16-17)
To demonstrate how shallow the English word for LOVE is, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapaō) Me more than these?” Peter said, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileō) You.” Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.” Jesus said, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapaō) Me?” Peter said, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileō) You.” Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.” Jesus said to Peter the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (do you even phileō) Me?” Peter WAS GRIEVED because Jesus said, “Do you love (phileō) Me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know all things; You know that I love (phileō) You.” Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.” (John 21:15-17) Peter admitted to (phileō) love, did he ever get the (agapaō) love? Peter said, “…make every effort to respond to God with love (agapē) FOR EVERYONE. The more you grow like this, the more PRODUCTIVE AND USEFUL YOU WILL BE in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8) As Peter matured in the Lord he learned how to love with (agapaō) Love.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham