Has the Church Lost Its Love?
One of the problems with our churches and our families is we don’t understand love. Since we don’t understand love, we don’t love very much. Love is the greatest gift a person can exercise. Without love we are nothing but annoying. If love is the greatest gift then we need to fill our lives with love. (I Corinthians 13).
It is difficult to define love in English. Our English language has one word that encompasses many ideas. The Greek language has four words for love. Each Greek word reflects a different type of love.
I. Agape This type of love is the love with which God loves. It is well defined in Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.” How did Christ love the church? He sacrificially gave of Himself to meet her needs. Did Christ feel like dying on the cross for us? No. He prayed to the Father, “If there is any other way, let this cup pass from me.” He did not receive any joy or pleasure in being crucified on the cross for our sins. He saw our needs and gave of Himself to meet those needs. Agape love sacrificially gives to meet the needs of another, expecting nothing in return. This love just gives!
God commands every husband to sacrificially give of himself to meet the needs of his wife. Most marriage problems come from selfishness. We want what we want and we will do whatever it takes to get what we want. When we don’t get what we want we get upset. What you want doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what God wants. God wants you to love your mate, your neighbor (Matthew 22:39) , and even your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
II. Philia This type of love is a brotherly type love. It is not a lesser degree of love than agape. It is just a different type of love. Philia is a love that gives back to those who give to you. It is a sharing type love. If a friend buys you a cup of coffee today it is normal for you to buy him a cup of coffee tomorrow. This is a reciprocal type of love. This Greek word is normally translated friend.
III. Eras This is where we get our English word erotic. This is a sensual physical love. As far as I know, this word does not occur in the New Testament.
IV. Storge This love is an affectionate type of love. It is used to express the relationship between the parent and child. It refers to a fondness. This word is not used in its root form in the New Testament
The love God commands us to have is agape love (John 13:35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another). This is the selfless giving love that He has loved us with. This type of love permeated the Early Church. They were aware of the needs around them and sacrificially gave to meet those needs. When one person in the church suffered, others came beside him and walked with him. When a person’s house or land was taken by the Roman government, individuals in the church gave to meet his financial needs. When a person’s loved one was martyred by being fed to wild beasts or tortured by Nero, the whole church felt their pain. They lived as one. They were bonded by the love of Christ.
The Bible says the church will return to its roots. We will be a loving, sharing, and caring community once again. I long to see a selfless organic community of believers whose true focus is God and others.
“Love is patient, and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” I Corinthians 13:3-8
© Dr. Steven L Smith 2016
It is difficult to define love in English. Our English language has one word that encompasses many ideas. The Greek language has four words for love. Each Greek word reflects a different type of love.
I. Agape This type of love is the love with which God loves. It is well defined in Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.” How did Christ love the church? He sacrificially gave of Himself to meet her needs. Did Christ feel like dying on the cross for us? No. He prayed to the Father, “If there is any other way, let this cup pass from me.” He did not receive any joy or pleasure in being crucified on the cross for our sins. He saw our needs and gave of Himself to meet those needs. Agape love sacrificially gives to meet the needs of another, expecting nothing in return. This love just gives!
God commands every husband to sacrificially give of himself to meet the needs of his wife. Most marriage problems come from selfishness. We want what we want and we will do whatever it takes to get what we want. When we don’t get what we want we get upset. What you want doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what God wants. God wants you to love your mate, your neighbor (Matthew 22:39) , and even your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
II. Philia This type of love is a brotherly type love. It is not a lesser degree of love than agape. It is just a different type of love. Philia is a love that gives back to those who give to you. It is a sharing type love. If a friend buys you a cup of coffee today it is normal for you to buy him a cup of coffee tomorrow. This is a reciprocal type of love. This Greek word is normally translated friend.
III. Eras This is where we get our English word erotic. This is a sensual physical love. As far as I know, this word does not occur in the New Testament.
IV. Storge This love is an affectionate type of love. It is used to express the relationship between the parent and child. It refers to a fondness. This word is not used in its root form in the New Testament
The love God commands us to have is agape love (John 13:35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another). This is the selfless giving love that He has loved us with. This type of love permeated the Early Church. They were aware of the needs around them and sacrificially gave to meet those needs. When one person in the church suffered, others came beside him and walked with him. When a person’s house or land was taken by the Roman government, individuals in the church gave to meet his financial needs. When a person’s loved one was martyred by being fed to wild beasts or tortured by Nero, the whole church felt their pain. They lived as one. They were bonded by the love of Christ.
The Bible says the church will return to its roots. We will be a loving, sharing, and caring community once again. I long to see a selfless organic community of believers whose true focus is God and others.
“Love is patient, and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” I Corinthians 13:3-8
© Dr. Steven L Smith 2016