This is one of those topics that I don't think is too hard. Christians tend to do so because of Agape in Greek, but you see all kinds of love depicted in the older Hebrew terms and various Old Testament passages. In classical Greek, there were 4 terms that C.S. Lewis wrote about in a book on love: Agape, Eros, Phileo, and Storge. The Bible uses two of them officially but all 4 are depicted. Storge is the love of family etc. and that is seen in many places God likens himself to something like a mother bird looking after his chick Israel etc. And besides the literal depiction of Eros in Song of Solomon, their actually was a more philosophical one as well (being moved by beauty etc. and that can be seen in a number of passages like Paul telling people to "think on things that are lovely, noble etc." rather than thinking on bad things.
I say this because many people have a very lofty view of love from Christian culture on Agape. While that is a higher form etc. it is not the only one. And the Bible in many ways is not even consistent in its use. The Bible often goes back and forth between Phileo and Agape where they are more or less synonym of the basic end of love. e.g. the Pharisees agape the Moses seat, while the Trinity has Phileo etc.
But as far as the OP any positive feeling of brotherhood, wanting the best for somebody, affection etc. qualifies, but self sacrificial, unconditional love etc. is the best. The term "Unconditional" though is a tricky term and concept because even God in some ways does not even fit that term depending how you define it...
Hey Pavel, thank you for sharing with us the 4 loves found in the bible which were, Agape, Eros, Phileo, and Storge.
My teacher Shawn (I believe) read a lot of C.S Lewis and Chompsky, and what Shawn taught me was that God at the end of the day is all about Agape love.
Some may argue that! Saying God is only loving in certain degrees and ways, and treats only certain people special.
Though I believe God loves unconditionally towards all people by what he did when he sent his son Jesus Christ. He showed love to the whole world (everyone) as John 3:16 states.
Some people just haven't be able to accept that love yet, because they have no met the Lord Jesus Christ or have acknowledge the existence of God.
Some people just though do not have no desire/want/need for God which is truly sad, because I believe God loves them even though they reject him.
With all this being said, love also has truth tied into it as well.
And we have to be truthful to others in love when those times arise, and as we all know truth is painful even as it is true.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, and your response.
After much suffering, one finally hears that all-pervading music and, seamlessly, begins to sing into it with a voice that had not been heard.
This is very hard to understand but that is okay!
Cool avatar pic. btw
@Agallagher, blase artse!
Hey brother Tone, you are so nice, I went and put in google blase artse (click images). Go try and see what you see you might get a good laugh
your avatar is cool too.
For me, love is when i catch my reflection in car wheel hub as i walk on by! Woof!
Haha you are so funny!
For me, to love God is to obey him, to have faith in him, to keep his commandments, to want him, to talk/share/converse & fellowship with Him, to align my wills to that of His, to wish I know what He thinks about me and finally to long to see Him face to face one day when he comes or calls me home!!
For doing all the above, many times I have to gather all my strength and might that ever existed in me to bring my mind, heart & soul into the complete surrender to God, that I love and His will.
1 John 4:19
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
Psalm 116:1
“I love the Lord, because he hath heard My voice and my supplications.”
Hello Ak1982, what you are sharing with us is truth!
God is so good, if we trust, rely and have faith on Him, he is most certainly a provider and a conqueror by the spirit inside of us, that we may trust him to use us according to His will that he has set for us.
Thank you so much for your response.
1 Cor 13:
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.
5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.
6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].
7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].
Hello brotherjj, this is a great scripture. Is this from the amplified version of the bible? If so, thank you for sharing here with everyone to see. The inserts are very helpful.
This is how love is defined in a biblical sense, would go to say that this is how God had shown His love to us through the mercy of sending the Lord Jesus Christ.
If God shown us this type of love, and even forgiveness of our sins shouldn't we with our mind, heart, and soul, do the same back for others by the spirit that lives with-in us for the Lord Jesus Christ for the Glory of the Father?
Thank you again for your response.
Love is empathy, the ability to understand the feelings of others and see them as yourself.
Hello brother Childeye2, your post is useful, thank you so much for your response.
