“He fights not because of what he hates in front of him, but because of what he loves behind him.” This quote rings true for all of those living a testing life with the support of love and brotherhood. Love is the most potent force in the world.
It’s what drives us to enhance our relationships better, and it’s what drives people to work hard for their families, it’s what makes the person work harder on their marriage, and it’s what makes a mother care for her children unconditionally. Love makes a person live a better life and gives them hope to move forward, knowing that there is a person behind them.
Love is a lot more than a social construct. It is embedded in our very DNA and memories. Love is transcendental between species and life itself. Humans are not the only ones to be able to love and care. You see it in cats, dogs, cows, sheep, and so many other species. Truly a wonder to witness the power and effect that love can have.
But what’s even more powerful is the love that transcends space and time. It is love that goes beyond life itself—the love for the almighty creator of our universe. Visit kenboa.org to know the effect that God’s love has on your life.
Love in itself is indeed a superset, but within love, itself are various types. Not all types of love have the same degree of affection. Let’s examine what these types are and why God’s love is the most important of all.
Source: Good Samaritan Ministries
What Are The Types Of Love
As we said, there are different types of love. The bible has an account of 4 different types of love. Eros, Storge, Philia, and Agape. Each of them describes love in a different manner and where they’re mainly observed. Eros is the love that is evident in romantic couples. The love of your life. Your significant other. The other half. This is characterised by affection and love between a man and a woman.
This also includes the sensual aspect between a husband and wife consummating their marriage in the eyes of God. Storge is familial love. The bond that a mother develops with a child over nine months is the purest form of this love. The love for your parents, siblings and relatives are all categorised under Storge.
Philia is the bond of affection that is forged on accepting or believing in a common faith. For example, the affection for a fellow Christian is part of Philia as both individuals believe in Jesus as their Lord and saviour. This may not be only religious but can be any belief or faith that bonds two unrelated individuals.
Source: Zoosk
Agape Love
The fourth and final type of love needs a section of its own because of its purity and omnipotence compared to the other three types of love. In its most basic sense, agape love means that it is the unconditional love of God to man. Although it is an appropriate definition, it certainly isn’t an adequate one.
You see, God’s love or God’s agape love is truly unconditional because it comes from the very heart of God. You see in first John chapter 4 that “God is love.” What it is communicating to us is that love is at the very core of God’s nature and character, and he is genuinely a loving presence. From the moment of creation to the return of Jesus in glory, God’s very nature is love. Since he has no room for hate and chooses not to, he is the embodiment of affection and cares that we feel every day in our lives.
Since God himself is immutable or unchangeable, the very core of his nature cannot be changed as well. We as humans can do nothing to earn merit, necessitate or appropriate God’s love, but he instead gives it out freely out of his choosing and goodwill.
How incredible of a picture is it to know that God chooses to love us unconditionally? Now that we’ve started to look at the heart of God, let’s look more closely. Let’s look at the word itself as to what it means and translates to.
Source: Pure Storage Blogs
The Sacred Word Of Love
First and foremost, Agape Love is a sacred word in the bible. As seen in Jude, Agape is used as a word that talks about ‘love feasts’ or, as Baker’s evangelical dictionary of biblical theology say, it is assigned to the sacred rite of communion for the believers.
So what we see from that is that it is a very sacred word closely connected to one of the most important rites stated in the bible. This word is exclusively used in the bible alone. You see, the pocket lexicon of the Greek New Testament highlights that this is a word that has been found nowhere else outside the bible.
This gives us the inference that this word was invented explicitly by God’s people in the bible to understand God’s love on a different level.
Source: Medium
Conclusion
Agape love is the highest form of love one could aim to achieve in this world. This is because, despite the three other types of love that exist, Agape love overlaps every other type of it in some way. When it comes to Philia love, God’s love for you has a sense of brotherhood and camaraderie. He will never let go of your sight when you face problems.
When it comes to Storge love, God’s love is exactly like the love that a father would have for his child. It signifies how God’s love can be very intimate and meaningful when it comes to eros love. This is why the church is called the bride of God and intends to share a powerful bond.
Nothing can match the strength and love of God for his children. Not even that of a mother’s love for her child.
