Introduction to Love
In Christendom today, it is almost ‘fashionable’ for one to seem to know the mysteries and revelations of the deeper things of God and the cosmos in general. People flock to all kinds of conferences with such titles as:
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- The different types of angels
- Angelic visitations
- The Seven secrets to answered prayers
- How to fast and ascend
- Your miracle guaranteed
- Activating your spiritual gifting
- Impartation service
- The realm of the angels and the divine
- Understanding dreams and visions
- Tapping into the heavenlies
- Prosperity
- Etc.,
Now, all of those things are not bad in and of themselves; in fact, a balanced study and assimilation of them is vitally important to every believer. However, the majority of Christendom today is deeply addicted to these “higher” spiritual truths thinking that the more we ‘know’ about them the godlier we will become. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Knowledge of these things alone without the basic knowledge of Christ would almost invariably lead to pride, self-righteousness, deception and finally our own destruction. In Christendom today we are much addicted to secrets, mysteries and formulae. We want instant results to godliness without labour and discipline. This results in all kinds of “feel-good” theologies and over-extended definitions of the grace of God.
Here we are going to look at some of the basics of Christianity, Christlikeness and godliness. In every field of discipline there are some foundations that must be properly laid before any structure could be erected securely. Any architect or structural engineer would be a fool to allow a 50-storey building to be built on a 2-storey foundation; that building will most certainly crumble into a pile of dust and mangled steel. This is the same with Christianity; you cannot build Christianity on the so-called “higher revelations” and knowledge of secrets of God while the Word of God does not abundantly dwell in you. The most fundamental and basic foundation of Christianity is LOVE. Love is the key ingredient of Christianity without which there is absolutely no Christianity! This point cannot be overstated!!
Miracles, signs, wonders and gifts are ABSOLUTELY NOTHING without LOVE! We can fall backwards or forwards during ministry, soak on the floor, laugh, cry, raise the dead and do all kinds of what we consider to be “good works” – even care for the widows and orphans; but if we do not have love we are NOTHING!
Everything that you think you know in your Christian walk is absolutely NOTHING if you are not walking in love. You haven’t even begun your Christian walk yet if love is not active in you. That is a harsh statement, and I am sure that I have understated it as we will see a bit later. How do we define the word “love?” The guys at www.dictionary.com define love as:
Love - noun/lʌv/ Pronunciation Key
1.
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A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
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2.
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A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
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3.
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Sexual passion or desire.
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4.
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A person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
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5.
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(Used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
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6.
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A love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
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7.
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Sexual intercourse; copulation.
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8.
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(Initial capital letter) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.
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9.
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Affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbour.
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10.
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Strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.
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11.
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The object or thing so liked: The theatre was her great love.
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12.
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The benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.
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As you can see the world has many definitions of the word “love,” and some have even suggested that one can “make love.” But do people “make” love, or do they just “express” it? Is love a feeling or a person? What of lust and love? I believe the minds of the people today are very confused about the word ‘love,’ and this is a clever attempt by Satan to mar or soil a proper understanding of this word in order to confuse our comprehension of Christianity, and ultimately, of God.
The ancient Greeks had four different words that we translate ‘love’ today. It is important to understand the difference between the words so as to properly assign their meaning in the New Testament context:
- "Eros": The word eros describes erotic love. It refers to sexual love.
- "Storge": Storge refers to family love, as in parent – child love, or between family members in general.
- "Philia": Philia describes brotherly friendship and affection. It is the love of deep friendship and partnership. It is the highest love that man is capable of without God.
- "Agape": It is a love that loves without changing. It is a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting re-payment or reciprocation. It is love so great that it can be given to the unlovable and the unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected. Agape love gives and loves because it wants to; it does not demand or expect repayment for the love given. It gives because it loves, it does not love in order to receive.
- The English word agony comes from agape. However, agape can not be defined as "God's love," because men are said to agape sin and the world (John 3:19, 1 John 2:15). But it can be defined as a sacrificial, giving, and absorbing love. The word has little to do with emotion; it has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another. Even the world has sold itself wholesale to sin, it agapes sin.
- It is interesting to note that the Greek word "Agape" is a word that was coined exclusively for the New Testament; it was never found in classical Greek and they knew nothing of this Agape.
In these series of articles we will be talking about love in the context of agape; and also more broadly in the contexts of philia and storge increasingly. Let us start our ascent with the famous biblical chapter of 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Co 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1 Co 13:2 And if I have prophecies, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I AM NOTHING.
1 Co 13:3 And if I give out all my goods, and if I deliver my body that I be burned, but I do not have love, I am not profited anything.
1 Co 13:4-6 Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious; love is not vain, is not puffed up; does not behave indecently, does not pursue its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth.
1 Co 13:7-8 Love QUIETLY covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be caused to cease; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it will be caused to cease.
1 Co 13:9-10 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in part will be caused to cease.
1 Co 13:11 When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I caused to cease the things of the infant.
1 Co 13:12 For now we see through a mirror in dimness, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will fully know even as I also was fully known.
1 Co 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love, these three things remain; but the greatest of these is LOVE. – (Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)
If the entire Bible were to be erased today save for 1 Corinthians 13; the Bible would be complete and not lacking in anything because the Law and prophecy hang on love!
Please read that again.
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In essence Paul tells the church that:
- Tongues without love are NOISE (sounding brass and clanging cymbal) – v1
- If you have the gifts of prophecies, knowing all mysteries, all knowledge and faith to move mountains but have NO love, YOU ARE NOTHING! – v2
- Love covers all things (sins) [also James 5:20 and 1 Peter 4:8] – v7
- Love supersedes and is pre-eminent to prophecies, tongues and knowledge – v8
- The eternal value of love is greater than that of the time-limited faith and hope. Faith and hope will end with the world; but love will continue on. – v13
TO BE CONTINUED...
Contact email - kainos.diatheke@gmail.com
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