THE FOUR LOVES
PHILIA:
Meaning "close friendship" or "brotherly love" in Greek. The most common form of love in Scripture. A love of your fellow man, and a respect for them. The type of love that friends experience for each other. Scriptural examples:
1 Peter 4:8) And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 John 4:7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 Peter 1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
It is also revealed in th Two Greatest Commandments spoken of by Christ.
Matthew 22:37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38)This is the first and great commandment. 39)And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Philia love is a centerpiece of the Church. It bonds the Congregation together. Born of the Spirit, this love gives strength to each member to be a part of the Body. Philia love was clearly shown in the Book of Acts when the members of the early Church "had all things common"
(vs. 44) "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." (vs. 45) 1 Corinthians 12:25,26 instructs the members on Philia love as well: 25) That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26) And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
STORGE:
Greek word meaning the type of love exprienced by families. Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Sisters, Brothers, Grandparents, etc.
While the exact term/word "storge" itself is not found in Scripture, it's opposite "astorgos" is revealed in the 1st Chapter of Romans. Astorgos translates to "without love," "heartless," "having no affection. Astorgos love is cold and one with a hard heart. In the 1st Chapter of Romans, Paul speaks of people who are this type.......leading to these passages:
30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
While the exact Greek word may not appear, there are clear examples of "storge" love in Scripture. These can be seen in reading the stories of Noah and his family, Jacob and his children, and the love shared by Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It is also part of the Ten Commandments. Specifically Commandment 5: Honor thy Father and thy Mother.
EROS:
Meaning "desire" in the Greek, Eros is the love between a man and a woman. This type of love can only be shared between two people. It is a physical love, a desire one for the other.
Eros does not appear in Scripture, but this type of love has examples shown in Scripture. Some are positive, Godly, and some are not. Some are the physical/carnal/sinful lusts, and not approved of by God. They are even punished by God.
1st Chapter of Romans, 5th and 6th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, and in Leviticus, Chapter 20.
Positive examples can be found in the 7th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, 13th Chapter of Hebrews, and Proverbs 5:18, 19. The Songs of Soloman are full of examples of "eros" love. Passion, desire, physical longing......
AGAPE:
Agape love is the perfect love of God given to all. None are deserving of His perfect love, nor does He play favorites when giving His perfect love. Agape love does not require love to be given in return to remain strong. Agape love is the love Christ showed throughout His Ministry here on earth. Scripture is full of examples of Agape love, the most obvious example being John 3:16. Other examples are:
Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 13:7,8) Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
John 15:13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
In the 4th Chapter of 1 John is a passage that truly defines such love:
7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8)He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
In closing, this passage from the 12th Chapter of John:
18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19) Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20) At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22) Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
At some point in our lives, we all display/experience the first three "loves", but I sincerely pray that we strive to make Agape love the love we give to God, to the Church, and to the world, for this is truly the love of God!
PHILIA:
Meaning "close friendship" or "brotherly love" in Greek. The most common form of love in Scripture. A love of your fellow man, and a respect for them. The type of love that friends experience for each other. Scriptural examples:
1 Peter 4:8) And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
1 John 4:7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 Peter 1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
It is also revealed in th Two Greatest Commandments spoken of by Christ.
Matthew 22:37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38)This is the first and great commandment. 39)And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Philia love is a centerpiece of the Church. It bonds the Congregation together. Born of the Spirit, this love gives strength to each member to be a part of the Body. Philia love was clearly shown in the Book of Acts when the members of the early Church "had all things common"
(vs. 44) "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." (vs. 45) 1 Corinthians 12:25,26 instructs the members on Philia love as well: 25) That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26) And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
STORGE:
Greek word meaning the type of love exprienced by families. Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Sisters, Brothers, Grandparents, etc.
While the exact term/word "storge" itself is not found in Scripture, it's opposite "astorgos" is revealed in the 1st Chapter of Romans. Astorgos translates to "without love," "heartless," "having no affection. Astorgos love is cold and one with a hard heart. In the 1st Chapter of Romans, Paul speaks of people who are this type.......leading to these passages:
30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
While the exact Greek word may not appear, there are clear examples of "storge" love in Scripture. These can be seen in reading the stories of Noah and his family, Jacob and his children, and the love shared by Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It is also part of the Ten Commandments. Specifically Commandment 5: Honor thy Father and thy Mother.
EROS:
Meaning "desire" in the Greek, Eros is the love between a man and a woman. This type of love can only be shared between two people. It is a physical love, a desire one for the other.
Eros does not appear in Scripture, but this type of love has examples shown in Scripture. Some are positive, Godly, and some are not. Some are the physical/carnal/sinful lusts, and not approved of by God. They are even punished by God.
1st Chapter of Romans, 5th and 6th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, and in Leviticus, Chapter 20.
Positive examples can be found in the 7th Chapter of 1st Corinthians, 13th Chapter of Hebrews, and Proverbs 5:18, 19. The Songs of Soloman are full of examples of "eros" love. Passion, desire, physical longing......
AGAPE:
Agape love is the perfect love of God given to all. None are deserving of His perfect love, nor does He play favorites when giving His perfect love. Agape love does not require love to be given in return to remain strong. Agape love is the love Christ showed throughout His Ministry here on earth. Scripture is full of examples of Agape love, the most obvious example being John 3:16. Other examples are:
Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 13:7,8) Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
John 15:13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
In the 4th Chapter of 1 John is a passage that truly defines such love:
7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8)He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
In closing, this passage from the 12th Chapter of John:
18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19) Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20) At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22) Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
At some point in our lives, we all display/experience the first three "loves", but I sincerely pray that we strive to make Agape love the love we give to God, to the Church, and to the world, for this is truly the love of God!
-
1
- Show all
