by David Long
We have one word in the English to describe a multitude of feelings - love. We say we love our dog, car, cat, children, house, mate, etc but do we love them all alike? I hope not. The ancient Greeks had four words to describe different kinds of love.
1. Eros. This describes a purely physical love. Fulfilling fleshly desires is this type of love. Lust or passion is this type of love. This type of love is ok when fulfilled according to God's word. For example: fornication and adultery are sinful ways to fulfill this type of love.
2. Storage. This is love for kinfolks (children, parents), a natural affection. This is a love for blood relatives. It is used one time in Bible (Rom. 1:31). It describes people who didn't possess it.
3. Philadelphia from the root word "philos." This is brotherly love. It is used to describe affection between people who have something in common other than the blood flowing through their veins. It is used to describe Christians (Heb. 13:1; Rom. 12:10).
4. Agape. This is the highest form of love. It is a self-sacrificing love, the kind that seeks another's highest good over one's own needs. It goes beyond just the emotions to the extent of seeking the best of others. It's a deliberate and rational choice (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 5:6-8). It's the kind of love God has for man (John 3:16). It's the kind of love the husband is to have for his wife (Eph. 5:25). It's the kind of love we are to have for God and our fellow man (Matt. 22:37-39). It's the kind of love Christians are to have for each other (John 13:34-35). It's the kind of love mentioned in 1 Cor. 13. It's the kind of love Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). If we don't have this kind of love we will never make it to heaven.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
This is how we know what love is
by David Long
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). Two people who "fall in love" probably think they know what love is, they don't. We know what love is when we understand "agape." We understand what love is when we understand what God did for us on the cross of Calvary. We don't understand what love is if we think "agape" is simply a sentiment, platitude or indefinable emotion. If we love like God loves it will involve the decision of the will, a deliberate and rational choice (Rom. 5:6-8; Matt. 5:44). Anything less and we won't make it to heaven.
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). Two people who "fall in love" probably think they know what love is, they don't. We know what love is when we understand "agape." We understand what love is when we understand what God did for us on the cross of Calvary. We don't understand what love is if we think "agape" is simply a sentiment, platitude or indefinable emotion. If we love like God loves it will involve the decision of the will, a deliberate and rational choice (Rom. 5:6-8; Matt. 5:44). Anything less and we won't make it to heaven.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Accursed
by David Long
"If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!" (1 Cor. 16:22). A curse is placed on anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ. Who would that include? To answer that question, let's think about what it means to love the Lord. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "If a man love me, he will keep my words" (John 14:23). "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings" (John 14:24). We may think 1 Cor. 16:22 doesn't apply to us because we say that we love the Lord but there's a lot of people who claim to love the Lord but reject His commandments. Do they really love the Lord? No! They are accursed. Dear reader, do you love the Lord? You really need to give that some serious thought because we don't want to be accursed. We will never make it to heaven if we are accursed.
"If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!" (1 Cor. 16:22). A curse is placed on anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ. Who would that include? To answer that question, let's think about what it means to love the Lord. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "If a man love me, he will keep my words" (John 14:23). "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings" (John 14:24). We may think 1 Cor. 16:22 doesn't apply to us because we say that we love the Lord but there's a lot of people who claim to love the Lord but reject His commandments. Do they really love the Lord? No! They are accursed. Dear reader, do you love the Lord? You really need to give that some serious thought because we don't want to be accursed. We will never make it to heaven if we are accursed.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Come and see
by David Long
Read John 1:43-49. Nathanael didn't believe that Phillip had found the Messiah so Phillip invited him to come and see. When Nathanael came and saw, he believed. We at the Higginsville church of Christ invite you to investigate. You may believe that the Bible is not understandable, come and see. You may believe that we can't see the Bible alike, come and see. You may believe that the Bible is not God's word, come and see. You may believe one interpretation is as good as another, come and see. You may believe that Jesus is not God, come and see. We invite you to be like those in Acts 17:11. Anything less and we won't make it to heaven.
Read John 1:43-49. Nathanael didn't believe that Phillip had found the Messiah so Phillip invited him to come and see. When Nathanael came and saw, he believed. We at the Higginsville church of Christ invite you to investigate. You may believe that the Bible is not understandable, come and see. You may believe that we can't see the Bible alike, come and see. You may believe that the Bible is not God's word, come and see. You may believe one interpretation is as good as another, come and see. You may believe that Jesus is not God, come and see. We invite you to be like those in Acts 17:11. Anything less and we won't make it to heaven.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Love multiplied
by David Long
"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied" (Jude 2). When mercy, peace and love multiply, Christians and thus congregations grow and the word of God multiplies. "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied" (Acts 9:31). "But the word of God grew and multiplied" (Acts 12:24). Love multiples when souls are converted to Christ. Christians are spreaders of Christ' love by sowing the seed of the Kingdom. The Bible calls it "euaggelizo" to announce good news ("evangelize") (Acts 8:4).
"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied" (Jude 2). When mercy, peace and love multiply, Christians and thus congregations grow and the word of God multiplies. "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied" (Acts 9:31). "But the word of God grew and multiplied" (Acts 12:24). Love multiples when souls are converted to Christ. Christians are spreaders of Christ' love by sowing the seed of the Kingdom. The Bible calls it "euaggelizo" to announce good news ("evangelize") (Acts 8:4).
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Love fulfilled
by David Long
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:1-2). Love is fulfilled when we help each other deal with our sins. Brethren who have been overtaken in a sin need restored, love will help bear the weight. What law is being fulfilled in burden bearing? The law of love (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23; Matt. 22:39). To do any less and we won't make it to heaven.
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:1-2). Love is fulfilled when we help each other deal with our sins. Brethren who have been overtaken in a sin need restored, love will help bear the weight. What law is being fulfilled in burden bearing? The law of love (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23; Matt. 22:39). To do any less and we won't make it to heaven.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Love validated
by David Long
"Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things" (2 Cor. 2:6-9). The word "confirm" here means "to validate; to give force to; to show something to be real." How do we treat human failure when it comes to us sinning and falling short the glory of God? We do Gal. 6:1-2. We exhort, rebuke and encourage each other to repentance (Acts 8:21-23). The church of Christ is the place where love is validated. A failure to show our love to be real is a failure of love.
"Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things" (2 Cor. 2:6-9). The word "confirm" here means "to validate; to give force to; to show something to be real." How do we treat human failure when it comes to us sinning and falling short the glory of God? We do Gal. 6:1-2. We exhort, rebuke and encourage each other to repentance (Acts 8:21-23). The church of Christ is the place where love is validated. A failure to show our love to be real is a failure of love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)