The Truth About Love
Many people say, “I love you” for a variety reasons, and some are not all that altruistic. Unfortunately, some use those words to manipulate others. Not being dismissive of actual love behind those words, some will utter them because they are actually looking for the reciprocal response: “I love you too!” In short, they need affirmation. They themselves, need to hear those words.
Interestingly, in the New Testament language (Greek), there’s more than one word rendered as love. For example, PHILEO (Strong’s number 5368), which essentially means to have affection or personal attachment. It’s the sentiment or feeling. Sometimes this word is actually rendered as kiss. It can also mean to be fond of something. It’s also used when someone loves to do something. Jesus give us an example of this:
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.” (Matthew 6:5).
Not exactly pure. This word is never used in relation to a commandment, such as love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. That particular Greek word is AGAPE.
AGAPE (Strong’s number 26) takes joy in the recipient for the recipients sake alone, and is not reliant on the emotions. It simply looks for the best for others with no strings attached. Most know this already, but may not realize to love in this fashion, requires knowing God. Yes, since we’re made in His image, and are created to actually be love; however, the fall marred that image. We connect to AGAPE by connecting to God through Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:7-9 Beloved, let us love (AGAPE) one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
This may be a strong statement, but it’s worth considering: one of the chief ways to know whether someone is legitimately born again is by his or her love. Jesus said we know people by their fruit. Love should be present with those who claim to be born again. If it’s not there, something is wrong. Either, they’re going through something difficult, and thus it’s not evident; or they’re not born again. No judgment here, just discernment. Read all of 1 John 4 and 5, and see if this is so.
The Commandment is a Privilege
We know the greatest commandment of all is to love God with our entire being. Has it occurred to you that it is actually a privilege as well?
1 John 4:19 We love Him, because He first loved us.
When you move from commandment to relationship, you realize it is a privilege to love God. In fact, it’s a privilege to love others as well. It’s no longer, “I have to love God”; it’s I get to love God. He could have never revealed Himself to us, much less, save us through Jesus Christ. Jesus dying for us is the Greatest Example of love. With Holy Spirit living in us, we find love becomes inherent or innate as we cooperate with Him. We don’t have to work at it. In fact, we find it to also be a privilege to serve God.
1 John 5:1-3 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.
