[asa] What is Love?

On 7/18/06, Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> At 01:44 PM 7/18/2006, Rich Blinne wrote:
>
> On 7/18/06, *RFaussette@aol.com* <RFaussette@aol.com> <RFaussette@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
> "..As you say, the man who loves God is known by God, but be careful, love
> is the wrong word. (Self) Surrender is a better word. Love is so often
> mistaken for romantic love.
>
> So good of you to improve on Scripture. I didn't say that, the Apostle
> Paul did. He used the word love and it couldn't possibly confused for
> romantic love because it wasn't eros but rather agape. ~ Rich Blinne
>
>
> @ "Love" By Any Other Name?
>
> What exactly is *agape*, or "love" as it is translated? The NT tells us:
>
> Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
>
> We read such passages and tend to assume at once that "love" means what it
> does to us in modern times -- in this case, a mushy sentimentality that
> never says a harsh word and never steps on the toes of others. The same word
> is used in 1 Cor. 13 (though translated differently):
> Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
> vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly,
> seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not
> in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all
> things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
>
> The question at issue: how is all of this actually worked out in practice?
> Does agape mean not confronting others with error or sin?
>

The context of the verse I quoted gives a partial answer to your question. 1
Cor. 8 deals with the question of eating meat given to idols. The knowledge
referenced is that we know that it is OK to do so. We have the truth but
even though it is the truth it can do great damage to our brothers and
sisters:

9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a
stumbling block to the weak. 10For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you
who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened
to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11So this weak brother, for whom
Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12When you sin against your
brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against
Christ. 13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I
will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Agape is to do what is in the best interest of the person to whom it is the
object. Does that preclude correction? Not at all. Does it demand it? Not
always. Jude shows a variety of responses depending on the situation:

22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save
them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained
by corrupted flesh.

I have observed that people define agape according to their personalities.
The blunt person defines agape as "tough love". The easy going personality
as being merciful. The article you posted noted that the apostles did not
always confront nor always shrink from confrontation. That's because the
loving thing is not always the same thing for different people in different
situations. This requires true godly discernment built over a lifetime. In
Matthew 18, Jesus let us know how to deal with discipline issues and it is a
great comfort that He is there in our midst when two or three are gathered
in His name. It is at these times we need to know what is truly loving and
to have the courage and indeed the love to act on it once we do know.

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Received on Tue Jul 18 16:15:28 2006