"Agape" love

Monday 2 August 2021

"Agape" love

What I command you is to love one another. John 15:17

Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4: 7

The Greek language, used for the New Testament, has several words which translate into French for love. The Greek term "agape" is most often used by the Holy Spirit to refer to the love of God. This is the word that appears in the verses of the day. "Agape" love finds its origin in the divine life that I received not during my conversion and which leads me to obey the commandments of God, not to satisfy an imposed law, but to please God.

This love therefore does not come from irrational feelings, but from the life of Christ in me, from my renewed will, enlightened by the Word and led by the Holy Spirit. I then resolve to love someone, even if they irritate me. Instead of avoiding or ignoring him, I work with perseverance to get closer to him. With the help of God, I will eventually become attached to him and also have feelings, emotions towards him.

We understand why God gives us twenty-five times in the New Testament "the order" to love. This is something unbelievers don't understand ! We cannot, they say, love on command. Yes, that's right, we don't control our feelings, but the divine life within us gives us the energy to control our emotions and manifest "agape" love.

"Agape" love should therefore be constant, independent of my moods and circumstances, since I can find in God the help I need to renew it whenever necessary. Finding its source in God, it is not determined by my own interests. Thus "agape" love allows me to think of others without ulterior motive and without distinguishing between them.

As I consider these various aspects of "agape" love, I realize that it can only be the fruit of the Spirit in me (Galatians 5:22) produced by real and constant fellowship with God.

Finally, this "agape" love should find its full expression among the children of the God of love. All, Christians or not, should discern that we are disciples of Jesus Christ (John 13:35).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)