“God is love, whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16b).
A proper knowledge of God’s love flows naturally from the universal and general understanding of love in its purest term. Nevertheless, love as a very wide phenomenon has variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts.
Wikipedia argues that definition of love is a subject of language, while the nature and essence of love is also a subject of frequent debate.
Accordingly, love as a general expression of positive sentiment is a stronger form of ‘like’ which is commonly contrasted with hate (or natural apathy). It is beyond mere emotion or hunger for any gratification or initiative form of romantic attachment. Love differs from lust, and as an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones, love is sometimes contrasted with friendship, yet love is stronger than friendship. Loves rather drives enduring friendship.
According to The Complete Christian Dictionary for Home and School, “Love is a strong feeling of affection and concern for a person, such as mother’s love for her children, or an emotional romantic feeling towards a member of the opposite sex”.
It can also be a strong feeling of friendship for a member of the same sex. This was clearly expressed by Christ Jesus when He said: “ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). The above definition gives us clue to varied forms of love.
In biblical context, love is a divine phenomenon that originated from heaven. This is because it is a product of creation and an act designed to supernaturally redeemed humanity. In this regard, God’s love for humankind is really undeserving. The scripture highlights this when it says: “This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us first and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10); “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Love, therefore, is the deepest expression of divine relationship towards God and pure affection for our fellow human beings. In its non-religious sense, the word “love” is most commonly used to express emotional affair for a man and a woman in a pleasurable manner.
There are three types of love commonly practised by people of different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Agape love: This is God’s universal love characterised by holiness, purity, sincerity, trust, faithfulness etc. It is godly in every sense and does not delight in corruption.
Filial love: It is the kind of love expressed towards a brother or sister of the same biological background. The apostle Peter admonished Christians to show brotherly affection. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). In Galatians 5:13, Paul further strengthened the above admonition when he said: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
Eros or conjugal love: This is the type of love that exists between husband and wife. This type of love is often appropriated in error through illegitimate sexual relationship by two illicit sex partners. In the context of marriage, this type of love is comforting. Genesis 24:67 narrates an account of Isaac’s share of comfort when he married Rebecca thus: “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother, Sara, and he married Rebecca. So she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
However, Christians are encouraged to show love to everyone, including the enemy. This is a command from God. Apostle Paul captured the above injunction when he said: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap a burning coal on his head” (Romans 12:9,20).
God, in His infinite arrangement, does not express love in a random sense. His love is collectively expressed, and in some occasions, He loves individuals subjectively with a special love. “Just as it is written, Jacob I love, and Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13). It is about God’s preferential love, not showing hatred for Esau, but distinctively loving Jacob.
The import of God’s love on Jacob is extensive; it spans through the generation of believers associated with Jacob in God’s covenant relationship. Love is God’s character. This explains the reason He cannot be swayed by passion or diverted by disobedience. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
God’s love is selective. He specially chose Israel to be His people for no other reason than His love. This is confirmed in Deuteronomy 4:27 – “Because He loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, He brought you out of Egypt by His presence and His great strength.”
This is the reason we are not consumed by the satanic power that lurks around our environment. Child of God, His presence constitutes a canopy over your head. His banner over us is love. Constantly abide in this love. In our next edition, we shall talk about the enduring value of God’s love.