Common Grace includes Common Love.

Carl Emerson

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Hi there,

Common Grace refers to the sustaining goodness of God on all mankind.

Matthew 5:45
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

But what I have never heard preached is that God has also gifted to all mankind Common Love.

Luke 6:32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

The word for Love in this verse is Agape in the Greek.

So Agape is often thought of as meaning God's Love - others think it is simply selfless action.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus supremely did this for believers.

But unbelievers have been known to do this also.

Yet at judgement this measure of reward will happen...

1 Cor 13
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.

This suggests that motive is more important than action.

So I have always believed that only deeds motivated by 'Agape Christos' will survive judgement and only the saved are capable of such actions - am I correct ???

On the other side of the coin to assume the lost are loveless is wrong.

Really appreciate your considered comments.
 

fhansen

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Hi there,

Common Grace refers to the sustaining goodness of God on all mankind.

Matthew 5:45
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

But what I have never heard preached is that God has also gifted to all mankind Common Love.

Luke 6:32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

The word for Love in this verse is Agape in the Greek.

So Agape is often thought of as meaning God's Love - others think it is simply selfless action.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus supremely did this for believers.

But unbelievers have been known to do this also.

Yet at judgement this measure of reward will happen...

1 Cor 13
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.

This suggests that motive is more important than action.

So I have always believed that only deeds motivated by 'Agape Christos' will survive judgement and only the saved are capable of such actions - am I correct ???

On the other side of the coin to assume the lost are loveless is wrong.

Really appreciate your considered comments.
I think that the source of love is God in any case, God who is love, 1 John 4. And the more that we love as He does, the more like Him we are-and that’s His goal for man. To really be on that path is to enter direct fellowship with Him, which begins with faith. That faith-born union should lead onto hope and, most importantly, to love. As love is perfected in us, so are we, as we begin to attain to the purpose God created us for. Love of God and neighbor is both a gift, and a choice to embrace, express, and grow in that gift. A daily choice.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Rom 5:5

And interestingly enough to me, grace, love, and the Holy Spirit have been said to be intrinsically interrelated by some theologians of the past.
 
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RickReads

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Hi there,

Common Grace refers to the sustaining goodness of God on all mankind.

Matthew 5:45
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

But what I have never heard preached is that God has also gifted to all mankind Common Love.

Luke 6:32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

The word for Love in this verse is Agape in the Greek.

So Agape is often thought of as meaning God's Love - others think it is simply selfless action.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus supremely did this for believers.

But unbelievers have been known to do this also.

Yet at judgement this measure of reward will happen...

1 Cor 13
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.

This suggests that motive is more important than action.

So I have always believed that only deeds motivated by 'Agape Christos' will survive judgement and only the saved are capable of such actions - am I correct ???

On the other side of the coin to assume the lost are loveless is wrong.

Really appreciate your considered comments.

Im partial to the epistle of John. The epistle is small and can be read in a single sitting. So much in that little epistle but your post brought these to mind.

1st John 2

8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love 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 pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
 
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Mr. M

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So I have always believed that only deeds motivated by 'Agape Christos' will survive judgement and only the saved are capable of such actions - am I correct ???
I agree with this statement, and the other side of the coin for me

is that only believers can be addressed with this pronouncement:
Matthew 24:12 And because lawlessness will abound,
the love of many will grow cold.

Because this text also uses agape, therefore the Lord is describing
love going cold in the church. There are other words for love,
therefore,
I can also agree with the next statement.
On the other side of the coin to assume the lost are loveless is wrong.
The loss of genuine, charitable love among believers is a substantial
"sign of the times" from the context of Matthew 24, and a big reason
why Peter writes:

1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin
at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will
be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?



 
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BBAS 64

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Good Day,

Yes the love of God is an extension of his grace that common love is shown to all his creation.

Those who are not adopted by him as children are loved, but not in the same way as his children that he adopts for himself.

In Him,

Bill
 
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Josheb

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Hi there,

Common Grace refers to the sustaining goodness of God on all mankind.

Matthew 5:45
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

But what I have never heard preached is that God has also gifted to all mankind Common Love.

Luke 6:32
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

The word for Love in this verse is Agape in the Greek.

So Agape is often thought of as meaning God's Love - others think it is simply selfless action.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus supremely did this for believers.

But unbelievers have been known to do this also.

Yet at judgement this measure of reward will happen...

1 Cor 13
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.

This suggests that motive is more important than action.

So I have always believed that only deeds motivated by 'Agape Christos' will survive judgement and only the saved are capable of such actions - am I correct ???

On the other side of the coin to assume the lost are loveless is wrong.

Really appreciate your considered comments.
Two points:

First, what do you mean by "common love"? Do you mean everyone has some kind of shared experience of love? If so, where might that be defined in scripture?

Second, the verses quoted in the op have several contexts and one of the most important is the fact Jesus is speaking and Paul is writing to people already living in a covenant relationship with God! Neither is speaking to those living outside such a relationship. Jesus speaking to old covenant Jews and Paul speaking to new covenant converts to Christ (both Jew and Gentile) are also speaking to different audiences but both share an already established relationship with God as the a priori context of their cognitive, emotional, behavioral, etc. experience of love.

To the degree that Jesus and Paul are speaking to covenant people about covenant people's experience that is different from they're speaking to covenant people about non-covenant people. Simply out: Christians are not non-Christians. God does not expect Christians to behave like non-Christians. Neither does He expect non-Christians to behave like Christians.

We love because he first loved us and those who deny his very existence are not going to have that same love. So even if there is a "common love," not only does it need defining, but there are going to be real and substantive differences between the "common" person and the redeemed and regenerate person.


Or at least there should be ;).

Owe no one anything but to love him. As far as it is possible on your part be on good terms with everyone. If someone is hungry feed them, if thirsty then give them something to eat and in this way their warmth and sustenance will be rekindled. Love is patient, love is kind, love keeps no records of wrong...... God is love. Therefore, God is patient, God is kind, God does not fail. Josh is patient, Josh is kind..... Carl is patient, Carl is kind, Carl is not jealous, he does not brag, nor is he arrogant. Carl doesn't act unbecoming, or seek his own, and he does not keep a record of wrongs suffered. Carl rejoices with the truth, seeks righteousness, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. Carl never fails.

Vladimir Putin is patient, Vlad is kind.... does not seek his own....he keeps no records of wrongs... does not rejoice in unrighteousness and hopes all things...


"common love"?


Might want to clarify that some before the thread further unfolds.
 
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Carl Emerson

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Two points:

First, what do you mean by "common love"? Do you mean everyone has some kind of shared experience of love? If so, where might that be defined in scripture?

Second, the verses quoted in the op have several contexts and one of the most important is the fact Jesus is speaking and Paul is writing to people already living in a covenant relationship with God! Neither is speaking to those living outside such a relationship. Jesus speaking to old covenant Jews and Paul speaking to new covenant converts to Christ (both Jew and Gentile) are also speaking to different audiences but both share an already established relationship with God as the a priori context of their cognitive, emotional, behavioral, etc. experience of love.

To the degree that Jesus and Paul are speaking to covenant people about covenant people's experience that is different from they're speaking to covenant people about non-covenant people. Simply out: Christians are not non-Christians. God does not expect Christians to behave like non-Christians. Neither does He expect non-Christians to behave like Christians.

We love because he first loved us and those who deny his very existence are not going to have that same love. So even if there is a "common love," not only does it need defining, but there are going to be real and substantive differences between the "common" person and the redeemed and regenerate person.


Or at least there should be ;).

Owe no one anything but to love him. As far as it is possible on your part be on good terms with everyone. If someone is hungry feed them, if thirsty then give them something to eat and in this way their warmth and sustenance will be rekindled. Love is patient, love is kind, love keeps no records of wrong...... God is love. Therefore, God is patient, God is kind, God does not fail. Josh is patient, Josh is kind..... Carl is patient, Carl is kind, Carl is not jealous, he does not brag, nor is he arrogant. Carl doesn't act unbecoming, or seek his own, and he does not keep a record of wrongs suffered. Carl rejoices with the truth, seeks righteousness, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. Carl never fails.

Vladimir Putin is patient, Vlad is kind.... does not seek his own....he keeps no records of wrongs... does not rejoice in unrighteousness and hopes all things...


"common love"?


Might want to clarify that some before the thread further unfolds.

I'm not sure that we can...

I am not sure that the bible defines Agape.

It was a Greek word that to the Greeks meant 'selfless love' before the Gospel came along.

Even sinners agape those who agape them...

I am not pretending to have answers, just questions that need to be asked.

It seems that the church was born with a tonne of Jesus Love which is a (higher) form of Agape.

We seem to have lost that - further more folks insist that early Acts is not prescriptive so they ignore it.
 
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fhansen

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I'm not sure that we can...

I am not sure that the bible defines Agape.

It was a Greek word that to the Greeks meant 'selfless love' before the Gospel came along.

Even sinners agape those who agape them...

I am not pretending to have answers, just questions that need to be asked.

It seems that the church was born with a tonne of Jesus Love which is a (higher) form of Agape.

We seem to have lost that - further more folks insist that early Acts is not prescriptive so they ignore it.
I agree with this. And agape according to Jesus included loving God, neighbor, and even our enemies. It's a very broad and inclusive and strong kind of love as I see it.
 
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Josheb

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I'm not sure that we can...

I am not sure that the bible defines Agape. It was a Greek word that to the Greeks meant 'selfless love' before the Gospel came along.
"Agape" is the term used in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8! The Bible most definitely defines it!

A survey of God's command to love will invariably show love is asserted as behavioral, not emotional. Scripturally speaking, love is a things we do, not a thing we "feel".
It was a Greek word that to the Greeks meant 'selfless love' before the Gospel came along. Even sinners agape those who agape them...

I am not pretending to have answers, just questions that need to be asked.
First, agape is not, strictly speaking, a selfless love. Love is simple a word we use for a specific type of value we have for others. I value you, but I do not value you the same ways I value my wife, nor am I supposed to do so ;). I can agape-value you and my wife and I can do so differently. No one not born anew from above is capable of that kind of valuing simply because they lack the experience of having been valued you, I, and my wife possess. Which brings me to my next point: the unregenerate are not selfless. They are self-full, or full of their self, AND that self is corrupted by sin to be selfish. When a selfish person uniquely values in esteem someone who does likewise that's a sort of narcissism. There's nothing truly selfless about it. And, third, that's sort of Jesus' point: the regenerate are not doing it correctly if we do it like the world does it.
It seems that the church was born with a tonne of Jesus Love which is a (higher) form of Agape. We seem to have lost that - further more folks insist that early Acts is not prescriptive so they ignore it.
I suspect this next question is going to seem out of left field, or unrelated so I will ask your patience and indulgence because the answer might be relevant. I'll explain once I have the answer.

Are you a Dispensational Premillennialist, Seventh Day Adventist, or from the Church of Christ? How about LDS or JW?
 
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fhansen

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A survey of God's command to love will invariably show love is asserted as behavioral, not emotional. Scripturally speaking, love is a things we do, not a thing we "feel".
I'd object here. Love is both, peope are moved and motivated by compassion: sorrow at another's hunger or poverty, empathy for another's misfortune or illness, moral outrage at injustices inflicted upon others. And if our actions are devoid of such real and impactful and powerful feelings or emotions, ones that Jesus, Himself, showed, then I think we might have reason to doubt that the love is real as well.
 
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Josheb

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I'd object here. Love is both....
I did not mean to imply it was one or the other. That would be a false dichotomy. Love is many things: it is an intellectual construct, a somatic sensation, and emotional experience best manifest bi-directionally, it is volitional, but as far as scripture goes the emphasis is overwhelmingly operational or behavioral. Scripture makes it clear: love is a thing we do.

I stand by that.

As a counselor, I have frequently observed spouses come to a full dead stop at the question, "How have you loved your spouse this week?" and when doing couple's counseling my first homework assignment is built on the question, "What is it your spouse could do for you between now and the next time we met that would say to you, "S/He loves me'?" Most couples I meet for the first time can talk an entire hour an never once mention the word love. The literally freeze up physically and you can almost audibly hear the gears in their brain bind up. Men in particular show the furrowed brow and say, "What? How did I love her?"

They claim the affect.

They have no report of conduct.

Scripturally speaking, love is overwhelmingly a thing we do.
 
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fhansen

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Scripturally speaking, love is overwhelmingly a thing we do.
Alright, I just think there's more than obligation that drives us to serve or sacrifice for another. There's the knowledge that it's the right thing to do coupled with some kind of passion for their plight. I'm not saying that you're saying otherwise- just trying to get it straight myself. Strictly going by the sense of obligation in any case might only amount to legalism rather than a changed heart?
 
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hedrick

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Let me try to give you a Reformed answer. Both the Lutheran and Reformed tradition understand that original sin doesn't mean that the whole world is a cesspool. Common grace means that there are plenty of things that are good. They just don't merit salvation, because they are always done with mixed motives, and thus are at least to some degree compromised by that.

There's an associated concept "civil righteousness." That refers to people and actions that are, in that non-salvational sense, good.

I believe "common love" would be part of this picture. I agree that that's not a standard term, but I think it's part of common grace and civil righteousness.
 
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Carl Emerson

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"Agape" is the term used in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8! The Bible most definitely defines it!

If that is the case how is it that Jesus says that even sinners agape those who agape them - how can one be a sinner and agape at the same time?

1 Cor 13 speaks about what happens when we don't sin.
 
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Josheb

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Alright, I just think there's more than obligation that drives us to serve or sacrifice for another. There's the knowledge that it's the right thing to do coupled with some kind of passion for their plight. I'm not saying that you're saying otherwise- just trying to get it straight myself. Strictly going by the sense of obligation in any case might only amount to legalism rather than a changed heart?
?????

Don't believe I ever mentioned the word "obligation." Separating passion and duty (obligation) is a false dichotomy, scripturally speaking. Nothing I posted should be construed to separate the two. I believe I have, especially in light of my previous post, presented a very holistic view of love firmly couched in scripture and the whole of the human potential.

Did you know the words "feel," "feeling," and "feelings" occur in the entire Bible only 22 times? Love is certainly an emotion, but the Bible's presentation is predominantly action oriented. Not feelings oriented, nor duty oriented. We love because he first loved us. He could have had all the feelings he wanted but if he hadn't hung bloodily on that cross at his Father's passion, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
 
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While I believe everything I just said, I still have qualms about this aspect of the Reformed tradition.

Certainly normal human love and good don't merit salvation. In that sense I agree with the usual analysis. But hiding in the background is the idea that salvation does require moral perfection. Since we can't supply it, Jesus' righteousness is imputed to us, where righteousness is understood as moral perfection.

There are several problems with this analysis:
  • Contrary to Reformed claims that no one is righteous other than Christ, the Bible refers to plenty of people as righteous. The term doesn’t mean morally perfect, but someone who is in a proper covenant relationship with God (whether Old or New Covenant), and thus lives in faith, and repents when they do wrong.
  • Contrary to Reformed claims, Paul never says that Christ’s righteousness (which is misunderstood to be moral perfection) is imputed to us. He says that our faith is imputed as righteousness. Since righteousness doesn’t actually mean perfection, what this means is that our faith is accepted as (imputed as) righteousness. That is the case because faith shows that we are in a proper relationship with God, and is the basis of that relationship. Hence we are justified by faith.
  • Paul says in Romans 6 that through our union with Christ, we die to sin and rise to new life. Thus our new life is certainly in Christ, but not because his righteousness is imputed. Rather, it is because we participate in Christ's new life. In the chapter on the atonement in the Institutes, Calvin actually presents something very close to this. Calvin refers to our participation in Christ as the "mystical union."
 
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If that is the case how is it that Jesus says that even sinners agape those who agape them - how can one be a sinner and agape at the same time?

1 Cor 13 speaks about what happens when we don't sin.
In his commentary on John, Fr. Brown has an appendix about the meaning of agape. He looks at how agape and fileo are actually used. He finds that the distinction is not as clear as you often hear from the pulpit. It is perfectly possible for the NT to use agape to refer to human love. However the distinction between agape and eros still exists.
 
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fhansen

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?????

Don't believe I ever mentioned the word "obligation." Separating passion and duty (obligation) is a false dichotomy, scripturally speaking. Nothing I posted should be construed to separate the two. I believe I have, especially in light of my previous post, presented a very holistic view of love firmly couched in scripture and the whole of the human potential.

Did you know the words "feel," "feeling," and "feelings" occur in the entire Bible only 22 times? Love is certainly an emotion, but the Bible's presentation is predominantly action oriented. Not feelings oriented, nor duty oriented. We love because he first loved us. He could have had all the feelings he wanted but if he hadn't hung bloodily on that cross at his Father's passion, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
I guess what I'm asking is this: what drives a person to act, what's the interior motivation for the external action? Whether we love because He first loved us, we're nonetheless meant to love. So what, in truth, compels an authentic act of love? The Father's passion was shared by the Son, as we're to do as well. Just some questions.
 
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Josheb

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I guess what I'm asking is this: what drives a person to act, what's the interior motivation for the external action? Whether we love because He first loved us, we're nonetheless meant to love. So what, in truth, compels an authentic act of love? The Father's passion was shared by the Son, as we're to do as well. Just some questions.
What does scripture say?

Paul was speaking of his experience as an apostle but the things he wrote apply to in Christ, yes?

2 Corinthians 5:11-16
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

He told the Ephesians (Eph. 3) that having Christ in our hearts he hoped his readers would be rooted and grounded in love so as to know Christ's love and the fullness of God. He thanked the believers in Thessalonica, and asked God to make straight their love,,

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

I would ask how any unregenerate person, someone lacking in the Spirit of God that moth motives and manifests God's love in our lives be able to act in such manner. Certainly you remember the stark difference between the love you long ago imagined having prior to coming to Christ and the enormously different substance of the love we find and in term manifest in Christ. I think we must be wise so as not to unwittingly commit a fallacy of ambiguity whereby the same word "love" is applied identically in all circumstance. There is a reason the Greek has diverse terms. Even then they are insufficient to cover the gamut of love's manifestations.


Consider this: There are seven billion people on the planet, all of whom are made in God's image but no two people are alike. That's an indication how big is God: His image is born diversely 7 billion times and still not exhausted. There are, supposedly, more than 2 billion Christians in the world, each one of them bearing an additional image of God found in Christ Jesus and still no two are alike. Each of these seven billion people expresses value for self and others differently and all of it is rooted in God, the God who is love.

How can a human NOT love? The sad thing is that this is corrupted by sin to the point of perversion so that even at its best (as we humans measure things) it is a pale version of God's love.
 
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Josheb

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If that is the case how is it that Jesus says that even sinners agape those who agape them - how can one be a sinner and agape at the same time?

1 Cor 13 speaks about what happens when we don't sin.
I believe I have already answered that question. An unregenerate agape is not the same as a regenerate agape. Remember "agape" is a Greek term. It was a term used by the pagans long before the gospel writers reported Jesus words (which were most likely in Aramaic) into Greek. I reiterate: the point of Jesus' comments comparing his audience to the pagans was to indicate loving as the pagans love is not enough. They love those who love them. That is NOT a selfless love.

Even if it were I would question the definition of agape as selfless because properly understood the self is a gift from God. We are told to crucify the self and not be selfish but never does scripture indicate an eradication of the self is desired or the goal of faith in Christ. God knit us together in the womb and we have been named and our names are written in the lamb's book of life for all eternity. We will never not have a self. The Trinity is the God who inherently exists already-in-relationship and we understand this MUST be if said God is in fact a God who is love, and not just a God that feels loving.

To truly love is to recognize the image of God in all others as God manifested it, not as we imagine it should be manifested, because we imagine God's image in our own image - either that of our flesh or that of our image of God's image.

I am not normally someone who appeals to extra-biblical sources but Bonhoeffer does a much better job of communicating the above sentiment,


“Where this discipline of the tongue is practiced right from the beginning, each individual will make a matchless discovery. He will be able to cease from constantly scrutinizing the other person, judging him, condemning him, putting him in his particular place where he can gain ascendancy over him and thus doing violence to him as a person. Now he can allow the brother to exist as a completely free person, as God made him to be. His view expands and, to his amazement, for the first time he sees, shining above his brethren, the richness of God’s creative glory. God did not make this person as I would have made him. He did not give him to me as a brother for me to dominate and control, but in order that I might find above him the Creator. Now the other person, in the freedom with which he was created, becomes the occasion for joy, whereas before he was only a nuisance and an affliction. God does not will that I should fashion the other person according to my image; rather in his very freedom from me God made this person in His image. I can never know beforehand how God’s image should appear in others. That image always manifests a completely new and unique form that comes solely from God’s free and sovereign creation.”


When I in God's image uniquely value the image of God born in another as it is truly born therein we have agape love at its best.

The fact that we have to be taught love in scripture is evidence of a problem to be solved.

Matthew 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If we love as the tax collectors and the [pagan] Gentiles love then we are not loving correctly. God does love all people sufficiently to allow the sun to rise on the evil and the good, but that is a temporary condition. In the end those who deny Christ reap destruction.

Jesus knew that while he was saying the words above.

The agape the unregenerate share is not a regenerate agape.
 
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