Agape and Philia Love
When people talk about love in relation to the Bible, they often focus on agape – the selfless love of God. The Bible (New Testament) contains over 250 references to agape and talks about the need for people to show love to one another. But there is also the type of love called philia, or the friendship kind of love. This can be seen in the instructions Jesus gave his disciples to love one another.
The Bible does not use the word ‘love’ as often as one might expect; but it does give detailed instructions on how we should feel, think and act toward one another. The New Testament talks of ‘brotherly love’ (philadelphos), which is the loving relationship between those in the church of Jesus Christ. It also mentions ‘perfect love’ (agape) and the ‘great love’ (agapate) shown by Jesus and his followers.
The Old Testament also expresses this kind of love by encouraging us to ‘love our neighbor’ (Leviticus 19:18). In Isaiah we find the words of Wisdom that talk about how love can ‘cover all offences’ and ‘forgive all treachery’ (Isaiah 43:25).
But there is more to love and the Bible than just agape love. In 1 John we find that ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8), which implies that love is not just a human emotion but something divine, divinely-inspired and of God himself. And it is in this kind of divine love that Christians are to strive for and emulate.
The Bible also talks of romantic love, which is a strong emotion experienced by people in love. This can be seen in the Song of Solomon and in some of the Psalms. The Bible also includes words of affection, either from God or from others.
In conclusion, it is clear that love is an important theme in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Agape love is the most prominent, but there is also philia love, divine love and romantic love. Love is not just an emotion but something that is commanded by God and to be applied to all aspects of life.
The Power of Love
The Bible emphasizes the importance and power of love. Without love, humankind cannot survive. The Bible speaks of a special covenant between God and his people, based on love. People who love and follow God’s commandments will find themselves enjoying God’s blessings.
The Bible tells us that God is our creator, and since he created us in his image and likeness, it follows that he also had to create us with love in our hearts. In other words, love is a part of our nature and a gift from God. God commands us to love one another and to love even our enemies. Jesus tells us that if we don’t love, we cannot be his disciples (John 13:35).
In the Bible, God also speaks directly about the power of love. He shows us that love is stronger than hate, and if we choose to love, we can overcome our enemies. The apostle Paul describes love as the greatest spiritual power in the universe: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud’ (1 Corinthians 13:4).
God tells us to love our enemies, not because they deserve it, but because it is the right thing to do: ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5:44). He tells us to forgive those who have wronged us and to extend mercy even to those who have sinned against us. In this way, we can overcome hatred and learn to show compassion.
Love can be unconditional, sacrificial and forgiving. It is the only thing that is powerful enough to break through the barriers created by hatred. We are called to put love into action by showing care and concern for our neighbours and loving them as we love ourselves (Luke 10:27).
Walking in Love
The Bible talks about walking in love. Walking in love means choosing to love others in every action and thought we have. In this way, even our most selfless acts come from a place of love. We should love our family and friends, our neighbours and strangers. We should forgive those who did us wrong. We should also remember the poor and needy, and do what we can to help them.
At the same time, the Bible cautions us against excessive love, which can be dangerous and unhealthy. Love should not be selfish, possessive or unkind. We should be careful not to let our love become a source of bondage and bondage-like control. We should always strive to keep our love pure and unselfish, in accordance with God’s will.
The Bible also talks about loving in truth. This means we should be honest with each other and speak the truth in love. We should not lie or hide our true feelings for the sake of protection or gain. We should also be open and honest about our weaknesses and failures, allowing ourselves to be vulnerable.
The Bible also speaks of the need for self-control in love. Self-control means that we don’t allow our emotions to overtake common sense and wisdom. We should also control our words and try not to be judgmental. We should use our reason and discernment, avoiding rash decisions and behavior.
Finally, the Bible talks about how love is the highest commandment. Jesus tells us to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind’ (Matthew 22:37). He commands us to love others as we love ourselves. We should never forget that God calls us to love.
Love as an Act of Obedience
Love is not just an emotion, but an act of obedience to God’s will. God commands us to love one another, and when we decide to do this and live in obedience to him, it will bring us closer to him. The Bible tells us that ‘love does no wrong’ (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) and ‘everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God’ (1 John 4:7).
By showing love to others, we show that we want to be part of God’s kingdom, and that we want to follow his will. We cannot live in obedience to God if we don’t first love one another. Love is something that we need to practice in all aspects of our lives, from how we treat our family and friends, to dealing with an unfriendly neighbor.
In addition to being an act of obedience to God, love is also an expression of faith. When we believe in God, we are showing our faith in him by trusting him to lead us, and trusting that he will provide the right kind of love for us. We can express our faith in God by showing love to others through our words and actions.
The Bible also points out the importance of unconditional love. Unconditional love is when we love someone regardless of what they have done, or who they are. It means loving with no conditions or expectations. We should love with no thoughts of reward or punishment. We should love even our enemies and those who oppose us, because this is what God has commanded us to do.
Unconditional love is the highest form of love, because it involves making the difficult decision to love even when we are faced with adversity or judgement. Unconditional love is the kind of love God demonstrated to us when he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins.
Conclusion
Love is mentioned in the Bible over 600 different times. It is one of the main themes in the Bible and is an important emotion that God has commanded us to show to one another. Love is seen as an act of obedience, an expression of faith, and a form of selfless, unconditional love. The Bible tells us that we can show love for God and for our neighbour. When we put love into action through our thoughts and actions, we can build a better and more loving world.
