Agape love

2404

2404

You hear it so often from Christian people claiming Agape love. But just cross them one time and they will let you know right quick where to get off. Agape love is not our's to birth or manage. It is devine and not even discernable to these senses. It is imparted and then manifested. As in Jesus, they beat him and eventually hung him on the cross and he said 'forgive them'. I think we don't even recognize it residing 'in the Christian' but just let something happen 'to your enemy' and you would feel for them.
Of course the battle on this side clouds our vision.
I think it immature to use the term lightly, at our discretion.
 
Hello 2404;

This is a good topic and one we all must pray about. God's Agape Love is His unconditional love and because of that we are blessed with a new day.

You're right. We cannot use this term lightly and must confess we cannot measure the same Agape Love as God's.

Am I 100% loving with all my brothers and sisters, except for one, two or more partially, here or on the other side of the world?

We definitely have to do a daily self check because the greatest command is a difficult command. This is good that we're conscious of this or as someone ministers God's love to us. We who love and follow Christ has the opportunity to grow on this.

God bless you, 2404, your family and thank you for opening this topic.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
I think it's good to have such specialized vocabulary for groups that need it. Most people, however, don't know what a word like agape means so it's kind of lost on them.
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Good morning, LearningToLetGo;

As a Christian begins to study the Bible, many go on to join some form of a Bible study group. This is the benefit of having a seasoned Bible teacher. In time specialized vocabulary, or Biblical terminology is learned.

For example, when I read the Bible for the first time I would get lost at the word Agape. But when we read John 3:16, 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - KJV

The teacher introduced Agape as a major side note to John 3:16. It was in this passage I learned Agape defined as God's unconditional love.
As we increase our knowledge and wisdom of the Bible we are able to define Agape love in so many other areas in Scripture.

In your field of software engineering, do you remember A9.com? It was part of Amazon and they developed search engine and advertising technology. I worked in the accounting department and many times I would intentionally listen to the software and hardware engineers converse. 90% of the time I had no understanding what my co-workers were talking about.

But I also went with a buddy or two for lunch and it was there I asked my questions about algorithms, bytes, cache, web cookies, etc...they knew I was a novice and they would use simpler definitions which did help me understand the basics, basics and basics of computer terms. But unless I studied, surround myself and evolve around this field it would be difficult to comprehend the terminology.

The same thing goes with studying, digging deep and surrounding ourselves in God's Word. But in time the academic discipline pays off having a better understanding of the terms.

God bless you, LearningToLetGo.
 
bobinfaith Thank you for your kind message.

I fully agree that to study any discipline (including Bible study), one must learn the specialized vocabulary. That makes perfect sense. My point was simply to highlight the fact that casual observers don't necessarily know such words and should not be expected to in order to engage in meaningful discussion.

For example, if I meet someone at a coffee shop and we strike up a conversation about God's love for mankind I will not obfuscate the matter with words such as 'agape' or 'hermeneutics' etc. unless that person has already demonstrated that level of study. To bring up such words often muddies the water and makes communication less clear, not more.

Jason
 
Hello Jason
True, a person makes unfounded assumptions.
I.appreciate your feedback.

It is also true that the letter has little to do with our salvation but being in our fallen condition we are always trying to get a handle on things.
A deep calling to the deep.

But as the saying goes, 'I'd rather be right in my spirit and wrong in my doctrine than right in my doctrine and wrong in my spirit'.
Paul addresses this when he says, he could possess all gifts but if he does not have charity he has nothing. Point being gifts are just that but charity is an attribute of God.
You can have all things but if you don't have the Lord you have nothing.
Don't mean to ramble but if it tastes good I just keep going...
God bless.
 
2404 said:
But as the saying goes, 'I'd rather be right in my spirit and wrong in my doctrine than right in my doctrine and wrong in my spirit'.
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I wholeheartedly agree.

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40 ESV)
 
2404 said:
You hear it so often from Christian people claiming Agape love. But just cross them one time and they will let you know right quick where to get off. Agape love is not our's to birth or manage. It is devine and not even discernable to these senses. It is imparted and then manifested. As in Jesus, they beat him and eventually hung him on the cross and he said 'forgive them'. I think we don't even recognize it residing 'in the Christian' but just let something happen 'to your enemy' and you would feel for them.
Of course the battle on this side clouds our vision.
I think it immature to use the term lightly, at our discretion.
Click to expand...
Well I don’t normally snap at others but I do have a problem with forgiveness when someone snaps at me and doesn’t apologise.
If everything belongs to Him then that would explain why when I want to forgive I sometimes can’t. It works both ways.

“All in good time” makes much more sense when I look at it through this lens.

In them times I just accept I cannot yet forgive.
Operational word :-yet.

All in good time. there’s a bigger picture.

Goldfish bowl

Amen😊

Edit:
crazy as it sometimes seems, sometimes I notice I quite like holding grudges. I hope I’m not alone lol

Edit 2: also, forgot to add, most emotional states help me create and I usually release them after I can express them.
 
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