Love By Another Name

"But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love." Love is a powerful force and means many things across our society: being in a relationship, infatuation, life passion, mother/child attachment, a favorite song or shoes, and the list goes on. The Greek language had four words for distinguish these types of love. The highest form, agape, was unique to the Bible and means the love of God for man and man for God and for others in the same manner.

Some can rename and confuse words like love and marriage, but those of us who understand real love must be a light and continue communicating and acting out what these words really mean.

In that vein, I conducted a seven day summary of Biblical love this past week on my Facebook profile, which I summarize here:

• Day 1. The Greatest Commandments. 

A powerful, radical piece of Scripture defines the core of Christianity.

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[d] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[e] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22 (NKJV)

• Day 2. Love for God? 

What does it mean to love God? Following Christ's teachings for our lives as well as those of the church he left behind, Peter, Paul, John, Luke, etc. While the teachings begin with belief/repentance, they renew many parts of life.

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14 (NKJV)

• Day 3. God's Love Spills Over. 

One of example of how the relationship with God is reciprocal love in how we obey Him and how He grows fruit in our lives. Christians will never be perfect this side of heaven, but there are new fruits that are produced.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

-Phil 4:8-9 (NKJV)

• Day 4. God's Commands Out of Love.

How great is it that God loves us enough to teach us to care for our bodies, not just do whatever we feel in the moment? Let our souls not become so calloused by sexual practices that are contrary to God's guidance that we don't see how this sin spills out into all of our relationships, stripping them of kindness, joy, and patience.

12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

I Cor 6 (NKJV)

• Day 5. Marriage as a Reflection of Greatest Love. 

Marriage between a man and a woman can be an image of the love of God, unconditional, persevering, forgiving, patient. However, Christ and the early church he left behind as He promised have a high view of marriage in many respects:

Sex has a deeper, spiritual side, not to be used just as recreation. I Cor. 6:15-20
Marriage accompanies the union of a man and woman. Gen 2:24
Divorce is only sanctioned in the case of adultery. Matt.5:32
Adultery clearly includes pornography in Christ's definition. Matt. 5:28
Marriage and having children go hand in hand. Gen. 1:27-28
...

While the American church has reason to grieve for our nation lately, if we all had higher standards for ourselves (individual responsibility, right?), our civil and church leaders, our children, etc., this country would be much more healed of division rather than divided by special interests who the media and politicians pit against one another.

• Day 6. Prism of Love. 

The English language fails the word "love" compared to the Greek language. Greek has four different words for "love," and all of these or a variant are used in the Bible.

Phileo: brotherly love, loyalty to friends, family
Eros: self-gratifying love, sought for pleasure
Storge: natural affection, as for family members
Agape: unconditional love from God, love of mankind for God and God for mankind

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love (agape), as Christ also has loved (agape) us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know,[a] that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Ephesians 5 (NKJV)

• Day 7. Practical Love Defined. 

One of the most well-known passages on Biblical love describes how love plays out in practical relationships. Love holds up even when people are difficult or not very lovable - love is patient. Love is confident - it does not need to boast. Love looks out for others needs - it is unselfish.                                                                       Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whetherthere are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. I Cor. 13 (NKJV)

Reflections on God's Love

Our society conditions us to expect love in response to our performance. It's all too natural to want to be around the successful person, celebrating their victories, and basking in the light ourselves while ignoring or even trodding on the unsuccessful. Even the same person we celebrated one minute is forgotten or despised the next for failure to succeed.
- A local football quarterback in Texas is a celebrity one year, and the next he is booed and even harassed at his home (ahem, Texan fans).
- The student who struggles with learning only has his failure reinforced by the teacher, while the A student is held as an example.
- The child star who was once beloved is now headline news around the clock for days for breaking the law.

And our society moves on to the next person to idolize. Maybe seeing that person who succeeds gives us hope that we might contain the same seeds of success inside ourselves, and we hope they can inspire that seed to germinate. Their failures likewise may remind of us our vulnerabilities, and we want to believe they deserved their failure. We see the natural tendency in the book of Job when his companions want to find a reason for his suffering and place the blame Job's character and even blame his children for their own deaths (Job 8:4).

What is so unnatural about God's love is that He first loved us when we were too distracted and too subject to our sin nature to care for Him. "We love him because He first loved us" (I. Jn 4:19). The central moment in the Bible, the passion of Christ, is the penultimate expression of God's long-suffering exhibited in the preceding years to Israel and continued to today. This may sound fluffy and ethereal, but it's quite practical and affects our daily lives. God's love becomes manifested in people who he loves and spreads (I. Jn. 4:21). It is what inspires us to take actions that are unselfish without needing to justify our "goodness," since we know it's not our goodness but God's to begin.

God's love is what breaks the cycle of performance-based love and gives rest.

New Life, Not Morality

Verse: Ephesians 2:8-9
Context: Ephesians 2:1-10

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

Throughout his ministry, Jesus illuminated the sin beneath the sin, the degenerated condition that we all inherited from Adam. He did not stop at preaching against murder or adultery but highlighted the underlying anger and lust that motivates outward manifestations of sin. He was not satisfied with people doing good works for the approval of others as the Pharisees. Rather he commanded his followers to do good works out of love, not seeking recognition. (Matthew 5-7)

In America in 2012, many people think that being a good Christian means being moral, obeying laws. Some believe in eternity and hope that doing occasional good works will balance against their mistakes. Others hope that doing good produces good karma. Some believe there is no eternal consequence and therefore see no benefit of being moral unless their own cost benefit analysis tips in favor of morality. Others may do good to soothe their conscience. None of these ideas are taught by Christ or elsewhere in the Bible.

Jesus used the Old Testament law to highlight the degenerate nature of our heart below the surface. This deep-rooted condition cannot be patched with a band-aid of occasional gifts to charity, volunteerism, activism, being moral, or any other 'good work.' Only repentance and trust in Christ can begin to heal our hearts and provide us a new life. This new life will then, and only after repentance, be evidenced in our lives by a desire to love God, love others, and obey God (I John).

A great example was given by my pastor today. One need to look no further than the list of pop stars who support human rights causes; the example I provide is Amnesty International. These musicians support a human rights organization while singing songs that promote destroying relationships and using people as an object to satisfy their own desires. How is supporting human rights compatible with stealing someone's dignity?

These are incongruous. Secular philosophy can provide at best a patchwork of good works to cover the deep-rooted original sin that resides in all of our hearts from birth.

Only God's grace through faith can renew our hearts and provide the power to live for him. We cannot muster this faith on our own, but God tells us to ask, seek, and knock on his door to find the gift of life.

If you are a seeker or sceptic, pray for him today to show you your sin, to turn from that sin, and accept his offer of grace and redemption through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. You will then begin to live life with a purpose greater than yourself.

If you are a believer, know that you have a great gift that is intended by God for you to share with others, a light to be shown not smothered.

Free access

Verse: Ephesians 2:18
Context: Ephesians 2:11-18

"For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."

Paul is speaking to the non-Jewish believers and discussing how Christ's sacrifice abolished the law and commandments dividing Jews from Gentiles. He follows to say that all believers can access God in prayer through the Holy Spirit. This promise carries significant meaning since Jews were commanded in Mosaic law to appoint a high priest who is the only one with access to the Holy of Holies. Gentiles were thought to be lawbreakers since they did not follow Mosaic law.

God did not change, but the way that he permitted us to interact with him did. All believers, Jews and Gentiles, can approach God as a Father as Christ did. Prayer is not intended to be performed only through sacred people on sacred days or set times. We are urged to pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request (Eph. 6:18). We may not always pray for the right thing or for what God has planned, but we will grow nearer to him by making it a regular practice. We are promised that the Spirit will intercede for us when we do not know what we ought to pray (Rom. 8:26).

This promise is encouraging to know that we have access to God as easily as we have access to those on whom we rely, whether friends or family, only God is ultimately dependable. We may not always receive an answer or receive one we want, but we know he is listening and cares. I think about how I wanted a sports car in high school. It might have achieved some of my goals at least partially by increasing my coolness factor, but in retrospect it wouldn't have helped me become more self-suffient or motivated. Even more importantly it wouldn't have been the safest choice; this carries more gravity as I have known people who flipped cars in high school or college and one who did not survive. I do not know the situation of the latter, but in my case, driving a sportier car with my limited driving experience would not have been wise. We may think we know what we need and want, but God ultimately will provide if we take initiative and live as we should.

All things through Christ

Verse: Phillipians 4:13
Context: Phillipians 4:10-20

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13 offers a powerful promise to believers when taken in context.

Paul writes this letter of thanks to the Phillipians from prison (Phil. 1:13-14). Paul was charged and imprisoned for preaching the gospel throughout the Roman empire, and it is thought that Phillipians was written while he was under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28). Paul writes that he has learned to be content in hunger and in plenty.

Paul's mission was to preach, serve and live for God in the Roman empire. Our mission as believers is to do the same seeking for our words, actions, and thoughts to glorify him though we are still imperfect in this life. In this context, we can know that God will give us the strength to live for him and will provide for all our needs during our life though our circumstances are not always easy. The promise in Phillipians 4:6-7 is a promise of peace during times of anxiety, and Phillipians 4:13 goes further to promise God's strength to support our actions in doing his will.

Thanksgiving

Verse: Phillipians 4:19
Context: Phillipians 4:10-20

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus."

The Phillipians had consistently given to support Paul's mission to Gentiles. Paul recalls their generosity at a couple earlier times, when he first left Macedonia and when he was in Thessalonica. Paul thanks them for their continued support in his letter and equates their giving to missions with the sacrificial offerings required by the Old Testament law. His thanks ends with a promise that God will provide for the needs of the believers at Phillipi.

In the context of this letter, the believers are given a promise that their faithful giving will not leave them high and dry. God has ample supply and will meet all their needs.

In 21st century America our culture tells that we 'need' a lot of things - freedom to live self directed life, sexual satisfaction, new clothes or shoes to match the latest style, the latest phone and apps, etc. If we really look at our lives, most of us would realize that our needs, and many wants, are being met, yet we can still be frustrated or unsatisfied because we have confused wants with needs.

Paul speaks earlier in these verses about being content whatever the circumstances. As I think about how this applies to my own life, I realize that being thankful to God is a first step towards trusting him more. Being thankful helps us remember what God has provided. Then we can trust that he will continue to provide in the future - a great message for Thanksgiving 2011!

Peace

Verse: Philippians 4:6-7
Context: Philippians 4:1-9

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (NIV 84).

This promise is one of my favorite ones and one which I have memorized and remind myself regularly. Showing concern for others welfare or concern over how we have acted is often appropriate. Concern for ourselves can also be appropriate as it helps us take care of ourselves. Here, I am discussing inappropriate anxieties that lead us away from trusting God and stem from the feeling of not having control of situations. We can often dismiss anxiety as a character flaw or natural due to our circumstances. However, letting anxiety or fear guide our decisions leads us away from God's will and can be harmful to our lives and relationships.

Acting on this promise has often given me a sense of peace and perspective that rises about the situation. We often can be thankful or anxious in the same situation depending on our focus. The immediate change of heart and focus I have had while worrying or disappointed about an issue can only be attributed to God.

I know a friend who often can be anxious about money issues. Often when their spouse brought up the need to purchase something it would cause them to become angry and complain. Their spouse would then often respond in turn with frustration and anxiety, which hindered honesty and trust in that relationship. The situation was caused by a deep-seated anxiety over money. Without this anxiety, this person would be free to respond more calmly whether to make the purchase or not, and the trajectory of the relationship would be very different.