Love Of Choice
Love is
tender and affectionate. Love is passionate.
People of
old times faced a problem similar to the one we face today in that the
surrounding society was so corrupt that “love” often equaled sheer lust.
How can you
define true love?
Love is patient, love
is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Cor
13:4-7 NIV
The language
in which the New Testament was originally penned has four “L-words” to express
various aspects of love.
Divine Love (agape’)
This is the
love that God Commands. It is the ‘love of choice.’
Even if
someone does not appeal to us we can still show “agape” to that person—accept
him, treat him right, and do all we can to help build up that person in the
faith (if a believer) or to win him to the faith (if not).
This divine
love “agape,” was talked about in I Corinthians 13.
In an effort
to lift the concept above the carnal connotations of love in the
seventeenth-century England, chose “charity” to represent it.
Agape’ is the
high esteem which God has for His human children and the high regard which
they, in turn, should have for Him and other people.
It is God's
unconditional Love for us that He sent His Son to die on the cross (John 3:16;
1 John 4:10).
Jesus Christ
is the personification of perfect Love. Such Love surpasses our understanding
(Eph 3:19).
The word “phileo”
means "to have ardent affection and feeling"- a type of impulsive
love.
But “agape” means
"to have esteem" or "high regard." In the memorable
conversation between Jesus and Peter, there is a play upon these two words
(John 21:15-17). Jesus asked, "Simon, do you love [esteem] Me?"
But Peter
replied, "You know that I love [have ardent affection for] You."
Then Jesus
asked, "Simon, do you love [have ardent affection for] Me?"
And Peter
responded that his love was agape’ love—a love that held Jesus in high esteem
and which was more than a fleeting feeling.
Agape’ love
indicates the nature of the Love of God toward His beloved Son (John 17:26),
toward the human race generally (John 3:16; Rom 5:8), and toward those who
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:21).
Agape’ love
conveys God's will to His children about their attitude toward one another.
Love for one another is a proof to the world of true discipleship (John
13:34-35).
Agape’ love expresses
the essential nature of God (1 John 4:8). Love can be known only from the
actions it prompts, as seen in God's Love in the gift of His Son (1 John
4:9-10). Love found its perfect expression in the Lord Jesus. Christian love is
the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus in us (Gal 5:22).
Love is like
oil to the wheels of obedience. It enables us to run the way of God's commandments
(Ps 119:32). Without God’s Love, we are nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). Such
Spirit-inspired Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8) but always flourishes.
Physical Love (eros)
Love of
physical attraction, valid only when it is between married couples.
Read: Song
of Solomon
Family Love (storge)
Love between
parents and children.
Brotherly Love
(phileo)
Affectionate
love. Warmhearted, spontaneous affection, liking. Friendship.
Mentioned in
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
NIV
We cannot
have this kind of love for everyone, because our reactions to different types
of people are often beyond our control.