The Quintessential Doctrine
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
To say God is love is quite a powerful statement. Not only is love the greatest command given us by God to do (in fact the Bible declares that love is the one debt you can never pay in full), but love is to be the mark of a true Christian - even going as far as saying that if you do not love, you do not know God.
C. S. Lewis declared there to be four types of love spoken of in the Bible. Storge (affection), Phileo (friendship), Eros (passion), and Agape (sacrifice). The one thing I wish to point out, though each of these types of love could be delved into greatly, is that by themselves Storge, Phileo, and Eros can and are easily corroded without Agape to guide them.
Storge, when not strengthened by the selfless sacrifice of Agape, becomes a measurement of stature and engagement. Cliches and prejudices arise and love is meted out only as far as it is received.
Phileo, without Agape to holster it up, becomes weak and meaningless. Friendship is given to those who are beneficial to persons and only when necessary. It ceases to be something to rely or be supported upon, but something that is dropped like an old hat when worn.
Eros turns erotic when Agape is not present to channel the flood. The passion becomes destructive and blinding, and it does not take too much imagination to see the harm Eros can do when it becomes selfish rather than selfless.
Then Agape is a state of love all to itself. Not only does it immensely enhance all other types of love, but it surpasses all other loves ten-fold. It is the love the Christ showed on the cross as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Sovereign of all the universe came down to bear the shame of dying by crucifixion just to save the likes of us.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
Jared Williams
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
To say God is love is quite a powerful statement. Not only is love the greatest command given us by God to do (in fact the Bible declares that love is the one debt you can never pay in full), but love is to be the mark of a true Christian - even going as far as saying that if you do not love, you do not know God.
C. S. Lewis declared there to be four types of love spoken of in the Bible. Storge (affection), Phileo (friendship), Eros (passion), and Agape (sacrifice). The one thing I wish to point out, though each of these types of love could be delved into greatly, is that by themselves Storge, Phileo, and Eros can and are easily corroded without Agape to guide them.
Storge, when not strengthened by the selfless sacrifice of Agape, becomes a measurement of stature and engagement. Cliches and prejudices arise and love is meted out only as far as it is received.
Phileo, without Agape to holster it up, becomes weak and meaningless. Friendship is given to those who are beneficial to persons and only when necessary. It ceases to be something to rely or be supported upon, but something that is dropped like an old hat when worn.
Eros turns erotic when Agape is not present to channel the flood. The passion becomes destructive and blinding, and it does not take too much imagination to see the harm Eros can do when it becomes selfish rather than selfless.
Then Agape is a state of love all to itself. Not only does it immensely enhance all other types of love, but it surpasses all other loves ten-fold. It is the love the Christ showed on the cross as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Sovereign of all the universe came down to bear the shame of dying by crucifixion just to save the likes of us.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
Jared Williams
