Love God, Love People… that’s what my philosophy in life comes down to.
But in a world who takes lust and “feelings” and makes them into love, I dont even know where to begin looking for it- REAL love that is! What is love, true love, divine love? I know I have sensed it and experienced it, but how do I show it… considering that is what I am called to do, to love others. I figured I would start out by finding out what love is in the living Word.
There are 2 different kinds of love in scriptures. There is the first word for love, hesed (checed), is Hebrew and means:
-unfailing love, loyal love, devotion, kindness, often based on a relationship especially a covenant relationship
-love, kindness, unfailing love, great love, mercy, acts of devotion
-faithful, approval, favor, devout, grace, glory
Then there is the second word for love, agape (ah-gah-pay), is Greek. In the Greek language, as in Hebrew, there are several terms
used for the emotion “love.” Eros is passionate or physical love; phileo
is expressed as love of family or love of mankind and agape is the Greek
word for spiritual or divine love. As the word agape is used in the New
Testament, agape can express the love that God has for mankind in general
as in John 3:16: For God so loved the world… In this way agape
differs from hesed in that it does not refer to a love already promised
to a specific group of people. The second way agape is used is not only
for God’s love for us but also for the human response to God’s love as well as
for love shared and expressed between covenant believers-brothers and sisters
in the covenant family. For example in John 21:15 Jesus asks Peter: “do you
love (agape) me more than these?” In Matthew 5:43 agape is used to
refer to love of neighbor and seems interchangeable with philos,
brotherly love: You have heard how it was said, ‘You will love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you… In this case agape is even used when Jesus
refers to loving an enemy. Therefore, agape is not just a covenant love
owed in loyalty to a particular person or group with whom one is in a committed
relationship-whether it is God or another person in the human family. Agape
love refers to a more unique love-to an unconditional, self-sacrificing love
which does not expect reward.
used for the emotion “love.” Eros is passionate or physical love; phileo
is expressed as love of family or love of mankind and agape is the Greek
word for spiritual or divine love. As the word agape is used in the New
Testament, agape can express the love that God has for mankind in general
as in John 3:16: For God so loved the world… In this way agape
differs from hesed in that it does not refer to a love already promised
to a specific group of people. The second way agape is used is not only
for God’s love for us but also for the human response to God’s love as well as
for love shared and expressed between covenant believers-brothers and sisters
in the covenant family. For example in John 21:15 Jesus asks Peter: “do you
love (agape) me more than these?” In Matthew 5:43 agape is used to
refer to love of neighbor and seems interchangeable with philos,
brotherly love: You have heard how it was said, ‘You will love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you… In this case agape is even used when Jesus
refers to loving an enemy. Therefore, agape is not just a covenant love
owed in loyalty to a particular person or group with whom one is in a committed
relationship-whether it is God or another person in the human family. Agape
love refers to a more unique love-to an unconditional, self-sacrificing love
which does not expect reward.
So, in short, hesed is a covenant love. It is the love that we can show. Agape is the the perfect love that we get to experience from God. It is unexplainable, undeniable, and just real! We can not show agape love, we are human, sinful, and nowhere near perfect. In that, we can not show unconditional love, to anyone and everyone, no matter how hard we try.
1 Corinthians 13 uses the word agape. It is the best way to describe this unconditional love.
4Love (agape) is patient, love (agape) is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love (agape) does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love
(agape) never fails.
(agape) never fails.
***What a beautiful truth that is. That is what we need to strive for. But how do we strive for it? My personal opinion through how the Lord is speaking to me is by beginning with hesed love. By showing love and striving for relationships, for covenants! That is going to help us strive for perfection.
Yahweh’s hesed covenant love calls for commitment to Him. It also calls for commitment to each other.This commitment consists of self-giving, trust, deep affection, and joyful
submission to the Law of the covenant as an expression of love:
I praise
your name for your faithful love and your constancy; your promises surpass even
your fame. [..]. Though I live surrounded by trouble you give me life-to my
enemies’ fury! You stretch out your right hand and save me, Yahweh will do all
things for me. Yahweh, your faithful love endures for ever, do not abandon
what you have made (Psalm 138:2b, 7-8).
your name for your faithful love and your constancy; your promises surpass even
your fame. [..]. Though I live surrounded by trouble you give me life-to my
enemies’ fury! You stretch out your right hand and save me, Yahweh will do all
things for me. Yahweh, your faithful love endures for ever, do not abandon
what you have made (Psalm 138:2b, 7-8).
Hesed love is not a static
love but a love which must be returned: faithful love is what pleases me,
not sacrifice; knowledge of God, not burnt offerings (Hoses 6:6).
love but a love which must be returned: faithful love is what pleases me,
not sacrifice; knowledge of God, not burnt offerings (Hoses 6:6).
So, in all this mess, I may have created more confusion. But there is also the chance that we may come to understand love, real love, a little more. So, now that yall know my philosphy, try it!
Let’s Love (hesed) God; Love (hesed) people. But let’s not stop at hesed, let us, as a people strive for agape.
