Christianity and what is GOOD forever

Contents Love
About Christianity
The general nature of love
Help
Introduction (home) Love is both a quality of life that individuals can have and enjoy,
God (New) and it is a special activity that they can express to others. This
The Trinity (New) means that love is both a noun and a verb, something to have and
Who is Jesus? (Revised) also something to do. References to love in both senses of the word
Why Jesus? are very common in many daily conversations and publications.
The Spirit Love is regularly used in advertising copy to attract viewers and to
Spiritual Gifts get individuals to buy various products, so a persons
Basic doctrine regarding sin understanding of love is very strongly conditioned by how it is
The lost displayed and described and received and delivered in various
cultural settings. These cultural definitions and examples of love
God's work of redemption
can create a lot of personal confusion and stress within individuals
(Revised again)
as they seek to learn how to receive love and to share love with
What is Christian faith? (Revised
others. And the challenges of this process can have a lot of severe
again)
consequences for individuals throughout their lives regardless of
The plan of salvation (Revised)
their gender, religious identity, living situation, or education.
Eternal Security
Living By the Spirit (Revised) Definitions for love in the Old Testament
New life in Christ
Discipleship (Revised) In the Old Testament documents of the Bible the Hebrew words
The Christian's Mind ahab or aheb (OT:157 Strongs Greek/Hebrew Definitions) as verbs
Getting into heaven mean to love; like.1 Basically this verb is equivalent to the
The Second Coming of Jesus English to love in the sense of having a strong emotional
(Revised) attachment to and desire either to possess or to be in the presence
Christian morality of the object. First, the word refers to the love a man has for a
woman and a woman for a man. Such love is rooted in sexual
God's family
desire, although as a rule it is desire within the bounds of lawful
The Church (Revised again)
relationships. (As in Isaacs initial relationship with Rebekah in
The Bible (Revised)
Genesis 24:67)2
Hope
Victory But this word (ahab or aheb) may refer to an erotic but legal love
The nature of effective prayer outside of marriage. Such an emotion may be a desire to marry
Economic security and care for the object of that love.3 Such was the case with
Sharing resources Shechem, a Hivite, who was attracted to Dinah, the daughter of
Christmas Jacob, an Israelite. But because he seized her and lay with her and
Bible studies (New) humiliated her (Genesis 34:2) before they were married, her
Special Bible brothers did not respect the arrangement that Jacob had made with
studies (Freely Hamor, the father of Shechem, for the marriage of Dinah to
printable) Shechem. Because they felt that Shechem had raped Dinah, they
Some sermons killed Shechem and Hamor and all of the males in their city and
Good gifts captured and plundered all of the survivors and their possessions.
Time (See Genesis 34:2-29)
Friendship
Fun This word is also used of the love between parents and their
children,4 as in the case of Abrahams relationship with his son
A good marriage
Isaac. (See Genesis 22:2) It may even refer to the feeling that a
Sex
slave has for his master whom he doesnt want to leave.5 (See
Forgiveness
Exodus 21:5) And this word may refer to the family love
Support care givers
experienced by a daughter-in-law toward her mother-in-law, as
Peace Ruth felt toward Naomi.6 (See Ruth 4:15) A special use of this word
Encouragement relates to an especially close attachment of friends7, as between
Music Jonathan and David. (See 1 Samuel 18:1) And it is the word that the
Truth Lord used in his command to Moses that each of the Israelites
Wise counsel should love their neighbor as they do themselves. (See Leviticus
Good leadership 19:18) So this word (ahab or aheb) can denote an emotional
Good virtues attachment between individuals that is not sexual in nature.
Love
Character The strong emotional attachment and desire suggested by ahab
Kindness or aheb may also be fixed on objects, circumstances, actions, and
relationships.8
Modesty
More good matters
A good blog Another word for love in the Old Testament is ahabah, which is
Good news generally the noun form of the verb ahab (OT:160 Strongs
Good links Greek/Hebrew Definitions). It can refer to several forms of emotional
Guestbook attachment.9 In Genesis 29:20 this word refers to the general
Sitemap love that can be expressed between a man and a woman, as
Jacob felt for Rachel, or Jonathan felt toward his friend David as
cited in 1 Samuel 18:3, or Solomons feeling toward the gods of
the many foreign women in his harem as cited in 1 Kings 11:2. In
Deuteronomy 7:8 and Hosea 3:1 it is translated as a verb in
reference to Gods love. In Psalm 109:4-5 David uses this word to
refer to the general objective of his emotions in the course of his
rule as the king of Israel. The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes,
who is assumed to be Solomon the son of David, uses the word in
Ecc. 9:1 & 6 to refer in general to an object of affection in a
persons life. Solomon uses this word in reference to the strong
emotion of love in the Song of Solomon in chapter 5 verse 8 and
chapter 8 verses 6 and 7.

Definitions for love in the New Testament

In the documents of the New Testament the Greek words agapao

(verb form) or agape (noun form) (NT:25 Strongs Hebrew/Greek
Definitions) are translated as the word love. These words,
according to Vine, have some distinctive meaning in respect to
Christianity.10 They are used in the NT (a) to describe the attitude
of God toward His son, John 17:26; the human race, generally,
John 3:16; Rom 5:8, and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ particularly John 14:21; (b) to convey His will to His children
concerning their attitude one toward another, John 13:34, and
toward all men, 1 Thess 3:12; 1 Cor 16:14; 2 Peter 1:7; (c) to
express the essential nature of God, 1 John 4:8.11

As Vine indicates in his Dictionary, love can be known only from

the actions it prompts.12 The quality of Gods love is demonstrated
by the gift of His Son, as described in 1 John 4:9-10. Loves perfect
expression is seen in various acts of Jesus, as described in 2
Corinthians 5:14, Ephesians 2:4, 3:19, and 5:2. And love is cited
as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.

According to Vine, Christian love has God for its primary object,
and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His
commandments.13 Jesus made this clear in his final teachings to
his disciples, as reported in John 14:15, 21, and 23, before he was
arrested and crucified.

The Greek noun agape, which is translated as love refers to the

special love of God, as cited in 1 John 2:5, 5:3, and which is also
cited in 2 John 6. The apostle John, who wrote the letters of 1st
John, 2nd John, and 3rd John used the verb agapao in his
reference to Jesus command to love one another (John 15:12) in
his reference to this command in 2 John 5.

According to Vine, Christian love, which is the meaning of the

verb agapao, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward
men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not
always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself
only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks
the welfare of all Rom 15:2, and works no ill to any, 13:8,9,10;
love seeks opportunity to do good to all men, and especially
toward them that are of the household of faith, Gal 6:10. See
further 1 Cor 13 and Col 3:12- 14.14

Vine further states, In respect of agapao as used of God, it

expresses the deep and constant love and interest of a perfect
Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a
reverential love in them towards the Giver, and a practical love
towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help
others to seek the Giver.15

But there is another Greek word that is translated as love in the

New Testament. It is the word phileo (Strongs NT:5368), which
accord to Vine, is to be distinguished from agapao in this, that
16
phileo more nearly represents tender affection.16 The word
agapao is used to indicate that the Father loves the Son, as cited
in John 3:35, but it is the word phileo that is used to indicate that
the Father loves the Son in John 5:20. And it is the word agapao
that is used to indicate the actions of love from the Father and
the Son for an obedient disciple in John 14:21, but it is the word
phileo that is used in John 16:27 to indicate the Fathers response
of love to these disciples of Jesus who are listening to his words
of instruction because they loved him. Jesus love for a certain
disciple is mentioned in John 13:23 with the word agapao, but in
John 20:2 this reference to the one whom Jesus loved the word
phileo is used to refer to this disciple.

The fact that there is a distinct difference between the meanings of

these two Greek words, agapao and phileo, is clearly evident in
the brief exchange that Jesus had with Peter on the shore of the
Sea of Tiberias (or the Sea of Galilee) after his resurrection. (see John
21:15-17) In Jesus first two questions to Peter (vss 15-16)
regarding Peters love for him, Jesus used the word agapao for
this expression of affection. But in his response to these questions
regarding his love for Jesus, Peter used the word phileo. So in
his third question to Peter regarding Peters love, Jesus used the
word phileo, and Peter responded using the same word. According
to Vine, the context itself indicates that agapao in the first two
questions suggests the love that values and esteems (cf. Rev
12:11). It is an unselfish love, ready to serve. The use of phileo
in Peters answers and the Lords third question, conveys the
thought of cherishing the Object above all else, of manifesting an
affection characterized by constancy, from the motive of the
highest veneration.17

Vine further explains the different meanings for these two Greek
verbs that are translated with the word love in this comment: to
love (phileo) life, from an undue desire to preserve it, forgetful of
the real object of living, meets with the Lords reproof, John 12:25.
On the contrary, to love life (agapao) as used in 1 Peter 3:10, is
to consult the true interests of living. Here the word phileo would
be quite inappropriate.18

Some special qualities of love

Paul, an ancient Christian apostle who wrote thirteen of the

documents in the New Testament, cited these qualities in his classic
statement on the gift of love (Greek noun agapen) in his first
letter to his Christian friends in Corinth. see 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. He
said love

is patient
and kind
does not envy
or boast
is not arrogant
or rude
does not insist on its own way
is not irritable
or resentful
does not rejoice at wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth
bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things
never ends.

These qualities of love in ones relationships with others are

timeless. They are as important for individuals today as they were
for the ancient people of Corinth, a port city with several temples to
pagan gods and a reputation for wanton sexuality. 19 So these
ancient Romans, and perhaps some of Pauls Christian friends, had
some important lessons to learn about love in their personal
relationships. An expression of love without some of these qualities
is probably not a very good gift. And the inclusion of these qualities
in Gods gift of love makes this divine gift superior to those of
faith and hope. (see 1 Corinthians 13:13)

A summary perspective on love as described in the Bible

Basically this word love that appears in the translations of the

Hebrew and Greek documents of the Bible refers in its verbal and
noun forms to a particular emotional quality that is expressed or is
present in regard to the relationships that individuals have with
other individuals, objects, circumstances, or actions in their lives.

In the Old Testament this word love is translated from the

Hebrew words ahab, aheb, and ahabah. According to Vine, the
verb form of these words denotes a strong emotional attachment
to and desire either to possess or to be in the presence of the
object or a person.20 In regard to a relationship with another
person, the emotion may be a sexual desire for a legitimate
marriage to a person of the opposite sex, or it may refer to the
emotion of love that operates in relationships between various
relatives in families, or it may refer to a special emotional bond
that works between friends or even with ones master, or that
should be implemented in ones relationships with neighbors, or
to God in his relationships with individuals and the Israelites. But
the word love is also used to refer to the emotional connection
that Solomon had with many foreign women, many of whom were
among his 700 wives(1 Kings 11:1,3) So I conclude that there is
nothing particularly special about this emotion as it is referenced in
the documents of the Old Testament.

But in the documents of the New Testament this word love that is
translated from the Greek words agapao and agape seems to
denote a Christian quality of emotion that is distinctively unselfish
and subservient, particularly in regard to ones relationship with
God, but also in regard to relationships with other individuals as
well as other Christians. And the Greek word phileo, which is also
translated into the word love, means tender affection, according
to Vine.21 So I assume that the level of emotion that is being
expressed by this word is somewhat different or less than that of a
strong emotional attachment that is being expressed by the
Hebrew words ahab or aheb, and ahabah that are translated as
love in the Old Testament.

When Jesus summarized all of the Law in the Old Testament in

response to a question from a Pharisee, he used the Greek word
agapao for the emotional expression of love in his answer: You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.. (Matthew 22:37-38) I conclude that Jesus is
stating that a Christian must love God completely and
passionately with his or her total being, and that the love of a
Christian for his or her neighbor or relative or friend or enemy or
fellow Christian must be selfless and sincere. And Pauls list of the
special qualities of love, as cited in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 above
add further qualities to the nature of Christian love as it is to be
understood and expressed by Christians in their lives. Such love
as defined by Jesus and Paul is certainly a godly virtue that is
GOOD forever.

1. Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words Copyright 1985,

(Thomas Nelson Publishers).
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
 10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Notes on Thessalonians by Hogg and Vine, p. 105 and quoted
in Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words.
15. Vine, op.cit..
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Notes on Introduction to 1 Corinthians, The ESV Study Bible
English Standard Version (ESV) Copyright 2008 (Crossway,
Wheaton, Illinois), p. 2189.
20. Vine, op.cit..
21. Ibid.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
(ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights
reserved.

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This website was updated on 7-7-17. 2006 Robert Sherbondy