Love of Choice


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 record of wrongs.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-5

When you think of February you think of Valentine’s Day and the topic of love gets a lot of attention, unfortunately most people have absolutely no idea what love truly is.

 
So what is Love?
The Bible speaks of different types of love. It speaks of erôs (physical love), storge (family love), philia (affectionate love) and agape (love of choice). With an increasingly amoral entertainment industry hollywood love has become synonymous with physical love. Sad to say, most people don’t know the difference. Love is much, much more than a feeling it is a action.

 
Agape
Agape (a greek word for love) is not a feeling; it is a action that we are free to choose or reject. Agape is a sacrificial love. In 1 Corinthians 13 agape love is beautifully described, it involves faithfulness, commitment, and a act of the will. In the New Testament agape takes on a distinct meaning, used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself: God is Love (1 John 4:8). Agape is the most supreme love of all and is a attribute of God. In the book of Matthew we are told to agape God (Matt 22:37), our neighbor (Matt 22:39) and even our enemies (Matt 5: 43-46). In John 3:16, the verb “loved” expresses this concept of agape. God (even in our sin) decided to loves us, because it is His nature to love.

 
Thought to Remember
Paul said the greatest virtue of all is love (1 Cor 13:13) and Jesus said the best way to demonstrate it is by dying-to-self while living for others.