Agape Love

What is agape? the fatherly love of God for humans: agape, in the New Testament, the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. In Scripture, the transcendent agape love is the highest form of love and is contrasted with eros, or erotic love, and or brotherly love.

Agape was later translated into Latin as caritas, which is the origin of our word “charity.” C.S. Lewis referred to it as “gift love,” the highest form of Christian love.

Agape is not based on pleasant emotions or good feelings that might result from a physical attraction or a familial bond. Agape chooses as an act of self-sacrifice to serve the recipient. From all of the descriptions of agape love, it is clear that true agape love is a sure mark of salvation.

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is the kind of love that God gas for us. Jesus gave His life so that we may have life more abundantly. God’s love is self-sacrificing; it doesn’t rely on feelings or lust. God’s love is forever and complete; it’s not keeping an eye out for someone or something better. When we look to culture, love has become a confused, muddled word. But in Christ, love has been redeemed.

You need to experience the love of God. The single most important part of your day is receiving the love of your heavenly Father. Without being loved by God, you can’t fully love him or others. And the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:1, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”You’re called to live your life in response to God’s love, because God asks that everything you do be done in love. If what you are doing isn’t done in love, it is not pleasing to him, and you can’t live a lifestyle of loving others without being loved by him first.

What’s more, God’s desire is to completely overwhelm you with his love right now. He doesn’t want to love you just so you’ll love him back or love those around you. Loving God and others is a natural by-product of receiving God’s love. He loves you just because he loves you. He longs for you to live a lifestyle of love because he knows that’s the absolute, most fulfilling, purposeful, and peaceful way of life for you. He longs to set you free from the burdens of living for your own gain. He longs to lead you to the path of abundant life. But it all starts with simply receiving his love.

The love of God will guide you, establish you, empower you, and fully delight you. His love will free you, compel you, and sustain you. His love for you is eternal, real, and right now. All you need to do is simply open your heart to him and set aside a little time right now to receive his amazing gift of love. So, remember this Valentines Day, that God loves you with an agape kind of love. The greatest Valentine of all!

Please visit The Family Church 9456 Hwy 146 N Hardin, TX or Facebook live @tfchardin.