Agape Love: I love this definition or explanation of Agape love from
http://www.gotquestions.org/agape-love.html
Answer: The Greek word agape is often translated "love" in the New Testament. How is "agape love" different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is self-sacrifice. Unlike our English word “love,” agape is not used in the Bible to refer to romantic or sexual love. Nor does it refer to close friendship or brotherly love, for which the Greek word philia is used. Nor does agape mean charity, a term which the King James translators carried over from the Latin. Agape love is unique and is distinguished by its nature and character.
Agape is love which is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself. The Apostle John affirms this in 1 John 4:8: “God is love.” God does not merely love; He is love itself. Everything God does flows from His love. But it is important to remember that God’s love is not a sappy, sentimental love such as we often hear portrayed. God loves because that is His nature and the expression of His being. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely (us!), not because we deserve to be loved, but because it is His nature to do so, and He must be true to His nature and character. God’s love is displayed most clearly at the Cross, where Christ died for the unworthy creatures who were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), not because we did anything to deserve it, “but God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Father God IS love. He is the true expression and definition of love. He loves because that is His nature. It is who He is and He cannot be anything else. He loves you and me totally and completely and unconditionally! This is His heart!!! His heart is for all of us, unbelievers and believers alike. He created us all and He unconditionally loves each of us. He may "hate" our sin, what we "do". But He never hates us. This is why it is so difficult for me (and many) to stomach the Phelps family that go around holding signs and telling basically everyone in America that is not like them, that God hates them and they all are going to hell. This is ludicrous on many levels. But if any argument can and should be thrown at them (which, what is the point they do not listen anyway) it should be this very thing right here. GOD IS LOVE. It says it in the Word more times then we can count. And how about this very verse that is another way of proving their stance wrong..
"For God SO LOVED THE WORLD, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" -john 3:16
And wait..there is more to that!
John 3: 17 says
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
Now, this post is not to argue the claims of the Phelps Family , but it upsets me as a follower of Christ , that they would walk around spewing these things out of their mouths. See, the thing is, they only have half of it right. Yes, God hates sin. He hates sin and He can never love or agree with sin. Ok, we get that. But, not once does He say He hates the SINNER. He hates sin but He loves the sinner! He wants all that are lost to turn to Him and be saved! Yes, there is an end coming one day. But is this the way to get His message of salvation and eternal life through His son Jesus out there? If anything, what they are doing pushes people away and grows a hatred towards "Christians". This post is about God's Agape love. He has this love for us all. He hates our sins and wants us to turn to Him so that we can experience His agape love. So that we can have a deep and intimate love relationship with the King. I do not dare stand around and tell everyone they are doomed and going to hell. That is not my place or anyone else's place for we are not God and we do not have the final say in anyone's life after death! Our job here on Earth is to spread His message of this Agape love and salvation in Jesus. That is our job. Not to condemn and judge America! We can have our opinions sure. But to stand on street corners and blast these foul things out like it's God Himself...my question to them is ....have they thought maybe they will be the ones judged as harshly as they are judging? For God does warn us to be careful in how we judge others for we will be judged in the same measure that we judge others.
His word, which is what I base my life and beliefs on and not mans words and claims, says that Jesus did not come into this world to condemn the world, but to save it. So that we can know this amazing Creator, Father, King, and Friend- God almighty and His son Jesus. It is a beautiful relationship and a beautiful love. A love like no other on Earth. Agape love is the most fulfilling love there is. And this all flows from Gods beautiful Heart to ours.
In Christ's Love,
M & M
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