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This is the last post in our series on love, and I have learned SO much! God has really encouraged and challenged my heart as we dove into what biblical love truly looks like, and I pray that He's done the same for you. First, we talked about the Greek word "eros", a sexual kind of love and physical attraction, intended to be shared within the covenant of marriage. Then, we talked about "storge", which is the kind of loved shared within a family. And last week, we talked about "philia", the love shared between close, deep friendships.
This week, we're going to be talking about a kind of love you may have heart of already: agape love. Pronounced "uh-GAH-pay", it refers to the kind of love God has for us, expressed in fullness when Jesus died on the cross. GotQuestions says that agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of will. It's shown by action, is a decision rather than a feeling, and we are commanded to love everyone in this way, whether it be enemies or fellow Christians, because that's what God does.
Scripture describes agape love beautifully.
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, 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." - 1 John 4:7-12
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The thing that separate agape love from the other types of love is that it is a decision. It does not come naturally and it's not a feeling. It purely and intentionally represents and reflects the Almighty God, who is "compassionate and gracious...slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7a). The God we serve is absolutely perfect and holy, but He loves us in a way that is unexplainable and undeserving. He is so generous to us, and this kind of love is our command to imitate the Father in all of our interactions.
Agape love makes an invisible God visible to those around us. It brings light into an otherwise dark world, physically representing the way God loves us. It is a response to the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf, taking our place on the cross when we deserved nothing less than an excruciating death. Agape love is our praise, our gift back to God, the transformation that takes place in our heart after experiencing the eternity-shaking kind of love that Jesus has lavished on us.
If it's not natural for us to extend agape love, then how can we? How can we deny our flesh and worship the Lord by loving like He loves us? Romans 5:5 has the answer: "Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." We have God Himself dwelling within us, helping us to love and live in the way that He has designed us to. It is not by our power, but by His that we are able to be lights in the world and reflect His character.
I think these verses make it very clear on what agape love looks like, but let's take it a step further. What can you do today to express agape love? I took a moment to reflect on this, but I think the best way we can learn to do this is to look at Jesus' life.
Invite those who are otherwise rejected or ignored. (Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 5:27-32)
Be humble, and allow yourself to not always get the last word. (Matthew 5:3, Luke 23:9)
Show mercy and forgive those who have hurt you, because God has forgiven you. (Matthew 5:7, Romans 12:18, Ephesians 4:32, Luke 23:34)
Pray for your enemies. (Matthew 5:44)
Give generously and in private, with a cheerful heart, as God has put on your heart. (Matthew 6:1-4, 2 Corinthians 9:7)
Do not judge others, but instead look inward before criticizing. (Matthew 7:1-5, Mark 4:24)
Work to serve, instead of be served. Put the needs of others before yourself. (Matthew 20:28, Mark 9:35, Mark 10:43-45)
Don't show favoritism as God does not show favoritism, instead, love everyone. (Romans 2:11, Matthew 5:43-47)
Speak words of life instead of using that power to tear others down. (Luke 6:45, John 6:63, Proverbs 18:21, Ephesians 4:29)
Extend empathy to those who are hurting, and be with them in their pain. (John 11:35)
When we love in this way, we show the world who Jesus is and that we are His disciples. There are countless ways to serve selflessly, give generously, and reach out to those the world has neglected. There are so many people who are hurting and in desperate need of both physical care and experiencing the radical grace of God. I would challenge you today to take the time to sit with the Father, praising Him for the agape love He shows us, and ask Him what steps He wants us to take today to bless someone else. Be willing to obey His voice, even if it's uncomfortable, and be expectant of how He will use our obedience for His glory.
If you've kept up with me throughout this series, thank you! It has been such a blessing to me to journey through the different Greek word for love and understanding the biblical meaning and design for each of them. God is so intentional with how He has set up our world and chooses to love us, and I'm so grateful for that. It's my prayer that you not only learned a lot, but were able to connect with the Father in a new way, and feel equipped with some new tools on how to go into the world and represent our God in a biblical and holy way.
What was your favorite post in this series? How are you going to go and love someone this week? Let me know in the comments below!
PS: I learned all about this right alongside you! Here are the sources I used to support my research:
NIV Bible translation
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