Principled Faith: Love
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Love
Love
The Greek language distinguishes at least four different ways as to how the word love is used. Ancient Greek has four distinct words for love: agápe, éros, philía, and storgē. However, as with other languages, it has been difficult to distinguish the separate meanings of these words without carefully considering the context in which the words are used. Nonetheless, the senses in which these words were generally used are as follows:
Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē[1]) means "love: esp. charity; the love of God for man and of man for a good God."[2] Agape is used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one's children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast.[3] Agape is used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God for his children.[4] This type of love was further explained by Thomas Aquinas as "to will the good of another."[5]
Éros (ἔρως érōs) means "love, mostly of the sexual passion."[6] The Modern Greek word "erotas" means "intimate love". Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, "without physical attraction". In the Symposium, the most famous ancient work on the subject, Plato has Socrates argue that eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth, the ideal "Form" of youthful beauty that leads us humans to feel erotic desire – thus suggesting that even that sensually based love aspires to the non-corporeal, spiritual plane of existence; that is, finding its truth, just like finding any truth, leads to transcendence.[7] Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth through the means of eros.
Philia (φιλία philía) means "affectionate regard, friendship", usually "between equals".[8] It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle.[9] In his best-known work on ethics, Nicomachean Ethics, philia is expressed variously as loyalty to friends (specifically, "brotherly love"), family, and community, and requires virtue, equality, and familiarity. Furthermore, in the same text philos denotes a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.
Philia (φιλία philía) means "affectionate regard, friendship", usually "between equals".[8] It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle.[9] In his best-known work on ethics, Nicomachean Ethics, philia is expressed variously as loyalty to friends (specifically, "brotherly love"), family, and community, and requires virtue, equality, and familiarity. Furthermore, in the same text philos denotes a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.Storge (στοργή storgē) means "love, affection" and "especially of parents and children".[10] It is the common or natural empathy, like that felt by parents for offspring.[11] Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant. This is also used when referencing the love for one's country or a favorite sports team.
Storge (στοργή storgē) means "love, affection" and "especially of parents and children".[10] It is the common or natural empathy, like that felt by parents for offspring.[11] Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant. This is also used when referencing the love for one's country or a favorite sports team.
The word that we speak on this morning can never be exausted. To fathem the depths of this word is beyond our finite minds. It is a, or rather thee driving force of life. It is a word that does not simply describe God, but is acctually that of His essence, of who He is.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
That truth spoken by the Holy Spirit is so much bigger than we realize, so much more consumming of everything that we are.
If I could note, the word for know here (ginosko) is the root word from which we get the word “knowledge” (epignosis) that we studied a few weeks ago in and (gnosei) in 2 Peter 1:6.
If one does not love then they do not “know” or “understand God”. That is you don’t have a understanding not just of what He likes, but of who He is in His essense, purpose and character.
A devotedness…this love has in it, the state of being devoted or given or addictedness. It is the state of being all in or into or for another. Every thought, every passion, every movement eminating from the inner of self and producing the fruit of an action is birthed from a charity towards, a devotedness for the object of ones affection.
Thus, the Holy Spirit through Peter has instructed us to in our faith (trusting in God) add virtue (thinking rightly/right and wrong) and to virture add knowledge…that is a understanding of God, of who He is. To grasp this is to grasp the reason behind right thinking and that is what kicks off the rest of the list which are all outward evidences of trusting God, thinking rightly of God, and understanding the divine nature or heart of God.
The first result is that the flesh is no longer Lord over you, but you are controlled now by the spirit of God, it is in your Bibles as “self-controlled” but you might say “spriti-controlled” or “new-self, new-man controlled”.
When that takes place you are no longer tossed back and forth by various impallses or new waves of doctrine. But rather you persever in truth and in your knowledge of it, which begins a habitual form of peitus or godly living and in this which grows a natural seperation from the world and it’s lust also births a natural affection for the things of God, not just an affection but a companionship with God, a walking with Him and in that a natural fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ who offer a form of company in a world where we are as strangers and exiles.
It is at the end of this list which we are continually growing in that we read the word love (agape).
If all of the prior list has set us in
A path of right thinking/knowing/understanding.
A path of right living
Then thirdly this word love sets us in the way of right being and eternal vision.
Because I am preaching upon an inexaustable word in the presence of those who are able to be exausted this morning, I have narrowed my aim down to three points and then desire to end perhaps with some application brithed from them.
I. Agape Love defined: is a complete, devotion (addiction) to the good of another.
II. Agape Love demonstrated, given and commanded: has been demonstrated to you, given unto you, and commanded of you.
III. Agape Love Results: demands ones affections be upon heaven.
AGAPE LOVE DEFINED:
AGAPE LOVE DEFINED:
A devotedness…this love has in it, the state of being devoted or given or addictedness. It is the state of being all in or into or for another. Every thought, every passion, every movement eminating from the inner of self and producing the fruit of an action is birthed from a charity towards, a devotedness for the object of ones affection.
When one thinks of agape, you ought to think of the consuming of ones life. It is not I agape this and I agape that. It is a singular devotion to which all else not just takes a back seat to, but is actually related to by you and to you through the effects of that devotion.
One must note here that this love cannot be used of selfishness, it is, to will the good of another.
In the flesh, that of the old man gets lost in the passion of eros, the devotion to self and to the pleasures of self even in the midst of disreguard for another. Another is only appretiated for the pleasure that the bring to self.
Agape is just the opposite. It is to will the good of another reguardless of the comfort or discomfort, the good or the trial that brings to self.
AGAPE LOVE DEMONSTRATED, GIVEN, AND COMMANDED
AGAPE LOVE DEMONSTRATED, GIVEN, AND COMMANDED
Your example:
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
So the self sacrificing portion of this love has been demonstrated by God, through His son, Jesus the Christ, our Lord.
But what is the so what? Or what do we do now?
I ask this with mindful of two truths of doctrine...
The love of God has freed us from that which would keep us from God.
The love of God has been given to us in that through the Spirit and Word it abides within us and is thus able and purposed to be exercised out.
In the first point of doctrine that the love of God has freed us from that which would keep us from God, I note that, that which would keep us from God is an affection for that which is other than God. Affection for self, addiction to pleasure, success, wealth, self righteousness, activity, others...
The agape love of God has freed us to agape love God.
How? How do we agape love God?
The love has to be sourced in God, being itself of God, given by God. God must not only be the object of it but also the director, the conductor. In short, in order for us to be channels of this divine love, we must heed the directives of the Divine.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
...
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
First, Agape love is singular. It cannot be divided.
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Incase you think this is two strong of agapeo…it doesn’t begin there…listen to how God speaks of phileo love....
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Love is singular in it’s source and it’s object. God is love.
Second, if we love God, then we do as he commands. Our doing as God commands is an act of love for God. Not only this but God in his commands is an act of love for us. So you agapeo God if we keep His commandments (). You are God’s phileo if you do what He commands you (). Again I note that God shows His phileo unto us in the giving of His commands.
That is the first and greatest commandment: To love the Lord thy God.
The second is like it…in that it is rooted in it. How?
What is the second commandment? Love your neighbor
How do you obey the first commandment? How do you demonstrate love for God?
Do what He commands. What does He command...
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Why? What is the vision? What is the understanding of this love? Why is God turning all of our affection towards Him and then upon our affection being upon Him, why is He then turning it towards one another?
Why does that Holy Spirit have Peter end his list with this word?
III. AGAPE LOVE DEMANDS OUR AFFECTIONS TO BE UPON HEAVEN:
III. AGAPE LOVE DEMANDS OUR AFFECTIONS TO BE UPON HEAVEN:
First let us note what agape love looks like. We do not get to make up for ourselves “how” we love someone in a Christ like way. The Bible is very specific on what it is and what it is not and we need to get back to it.
II. Agape Love has been demonstrated to you, given unto you, and commanded of you.
But what is the vision of this love in it’s maturity, or where is the road to such devotion? What does a world of such addiction of one for another look like?
Agape love is not making someone feel good though they induldge in sin. Agape love is not providing a false saftey, comfort or acceptance for someone who dances with the wiles of hell or spends their life in idolatours practices.
III. Agape Love demands ones affections be upon heaven.
John Piper writes,
We need more men and women who do not fear making someone uncomfortable in order to protect their soul.
Of course, this does not justify becoming brash, graceless, and harsh. But we also want to avoid creating safe spaces for sin in our fellowship where the cane of specificity is outlawed, even when used to get one another to safety. God, save us from nurturing spaces where we never address individuals, call all standards “legalistic,” secretly coddle our own iniquity, and think wrongly about humility.
Love has an unmistakable and insperatable connection to truth:
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
So love and truth are intimatley and insepratley connected for both are the essence of God. You cannot love someone and hide or cower from truth, to do so would be in essense or in demonstration to place cowerdice upon God in His affections for another. God does not withhold truth anymore than He withholds love, He does not give truth any less than He gives love. Love without truth is insincere and incapable of being love at all.
But what does love look like?
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Speaking on Johnathan Edwards makes these observations:
First, that it is mentioned as one great excellence of love, that it shall remain when all other fruits of the Spirit have failed. And, second, that this will come to pass in the perfect state of the church, when that which is in part shall be done away, and that which is perfect has come. The doctrine which I would desire to draw from this text is, that - HEAVEN IS A WORLD OF DIVINE LOVE…I would consider, first the great cause and fountain of love that is in heaven; second, the objects of love that it contains; third, the subjects of that love; fourth, its principle, or the love itself; fifth, the excellent circumstances in which it is there exercised and expressed and enjoyed; and sixth, the happy effects and fruits of all this.
The reason that God point our affections towards Himself, then towards one another, and the reason that the Holy Spirit has Peter end this list of Christian principles with love is so that our affections, our sights, our vision might be upon the perfect to come, upon that new Heaven.
Johnathan Edwards continues in his sermon saying...
“....(Heaven) shall be all those objects that the saints have set their hearts upon, and which they have loved above all things while in this world - There they will find those things that appeared most lovely to them while they dwelt on earth; the things that met the approbation of their judgments, and captivated their affections, and drew away their souls from the most dear and pleasant of earthly objects…As the streams tend to the ocean, so all these are tending to the great ocean of infinite purity and bliss. The progress of time does but bear them on to its blessedness; and us, if we are holy, to be united with them there. Every gem which death rudely tears away from us here is a glorious jewel forever shining there; every Christian friend that goes before us from this world, is a ransomed spirit waiting to welcome us in heaven. There will be the infant of days that we have lost below, through grace to be found above; there the Christian father, and mother, and wife, and child, and friend, with whom we shall renew the holy fellowship of the saints, which was interrupted by death here, but shall be commenced again in the upper sanctuary, and then shall never end. There we shall have company with the patriarchs and fathers and saints of the Old and New Testaments, and those of whom the world was not worthy, with whom on earth we were only conversant by faith. And there, above all, we shall enjoy and dwell with God the Father, whom we have loved with all our hearts on earth; and with Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior, who has always been to us the chief among ten thousands, and altogether lovely; and with The Holy Ghost, our Sanctifier, and Guide, and Comforter; and shall be filled with all the fullness of the Godhead forever. And such being the objects of love in heaven, I pass, To its subjects; and these are, the hearts in which it dwells. - In every heart in heaven, love dwells and reigns. The heart of God is the original seat or subject of love....and from God, love flows out toward all the inhabitants of heaven....”
In yet a little while Peter tells the church that He will be departing for that blessed land and thus his affections already set upon that world of love, the Holy Spirit directs him to see to it that the heart of the church is set upon the same.
WARNING, EXORTATION & APPLICATION:
WARNING, EXORTATION & APPLICATION:
It has long been my burden that the current saints with which I teary have their affections set far too low.
It is my concern for you that you have not set your hearts upon the Heavenly object of affection, but are rather affectionate towards the objects of the world.
When the Word of God is a passive thought throughout the day
When the church of God is attended to upon convinience or seen as a service unto self
Then our affections our not Heavenword and our agape love is not unto God.
When job, status, comfort, or opinion rules over us then God does not.
When we reject these things then we are rejecting the wonder of Heaven, the wonder of God.
To love God and have your sights upon Heaven is to hunger and thirst for the righteousness, for the affections of God.
It is to have your affections raptured from the things of this world and long for Heaven in such a way that you live as a shinning light of the glorious affections of God. We become as jewels of heaven sparkling in a world that knows not what to do with us. What they lust for we have no want of and what we love they see as foolish and yet we walk in such a manner that eminates from the beautiful land of God, even from God himself.
1 John 4:4-20
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 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. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Church, if our affection be upon God, our love be true to God, then there ought to be no affection for this world that is greater than that which is known right here amongst us. For right here as God is present in the saints and the saints are gathered together, we taste heaven if affections be proper.
However as our devotions run small and our affections tend towards another we exersise not love for God, nor love for His people. In this we are not transformed into the goodness and perfection of His will but are conformed into the world. If we give ourselves to such other affections the light of the church goes out and the heavenly representation becomes a wasteland of world impersonators and self righteous pretenders of a different kind of religious affection.
However beloved, should you
Not let your heart go after the things of this world, as your chief good...
In all your mediatition and holy exercises, be much engaged in the conversing with heavenly persons, and objects, and enjoyments…(you cannot be seeking heaven, without having your thoughts much there)
Be content to pass through all difficulties in the way to heaven
In all your way let your eye be fixed on Jesus, who has gone to heaven as your forerunner. Look to Him. Behold His glory in heaven, that a sight of it may stir you up the more earnestly to desire to be there. Look to Him in His example. Consider how, by patient continuance in well-doing, and by patient endurance of great suffering, He went before you to heaven.
Being in the way to the world of love, see to it that you live a life of love - of love to God, and love to men.
and in exersising this, then it were as Edwards writes,
“the windows of heaven be as it were opened, so that its glorious light shall shine in upon your soul. THus you may have the evidence of your fitness for that blessed world, and that you are actually on the way to its possession. And being thus made fit, through grace, for the inheritance of the saints in light, when a few more days shall have passed away, you shall be with them in their blessedness forever. Happy, thrice happy those, who shall thus be found faithful to the end, and then shall be welcomed to the joy of their Lord! There “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; niether shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and lead them to living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (,)
Oh what joys are to be ours in a proper doctrine and exersise of love.
Dear saints today, do not wait to add to the faith that you have been given, no, do not wait to add,
virtue, knowledge, spirit-control, perseverance, piety, brotherly affection and love...
Let the windows of heaven be opened up, may we as a church be such a window to the world around us, but even more than that, may we be such a wonderful act of worship to our Heavenly Father that this world finds us unworthy. Let us love, let us love truth, let us love God, let us love His church, let us love our enemies, let us love well for that which is set before us is rooted in such. - Amen.
