Jesus said: “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love, if you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.” John 15:9, 10)

Living in God’s love

Do you remember singing in the ’60s this folk era song/hymn “They’ll Know We are Christians by our Love”? I sang this hymn frequently in college/seminary chapel events.

As Christians, we have been commanded by Jesus to love others. But, what does this mean? In today’s culture “love” is often associated with feelings of acceptance, of being tolerate, “If you love me you will accept me.” We often think of “love” only as a feeling. But since we can’t decide what we feel, how can we have feelings of live for everyone or everything?

To fully understand Jesus command “to love one another,” let’s look at the Greek word for “love” most often used in the New Testament. In the Greek language there are four different words used for four different types of “love.” These Greek words are: storge, philia, eros, and agape. In his book “The Four Loves” the famous theologian C.S. Lewis expands upon the meaning of them for us.

Storge is a word for love between family members. C.S. Lewis call this affection. Storge is clearly evident in parental love for their children. Most parents are devoted to their children’s welfare so that they are willing to sacrifice and do almost anything, even unto death, for their children’s sake. Storge is a committed, often sacrificial love within the family circle.

Philia is the love between good friends. Philadelphia “the City of Brotherly Love” Philia is called “platonia” love. It is a chosen love, because we choose whom we will befriend — usually on the basis of shared interests.

Eros is the Greek word for romantic/sexual love. It is the root of the English word “erotic” Eros is the passionate feeling of romantic attraction felt between male and female lovers. It is associated with infatuation and lust.

Agape is the Scriptural type of love. Agape is most often used in the New Testament to describe Christ’s love for us, for his church. Agape is God’s gift of sacrificial and committed love to us. Agape is unconditional and we can’t earn or merit God’s agape for us poor miserable sinners.

Agape is the love Jesus exhibited throughout his earthly healing ministry, especially given to us through his passion, suffering, and death on Calvary’s cross. Agape flows from the abundant, overflowing, and unconditional love of God our Heavenly Father. After all, “God is Love.” Agape is God’s divine love made visible by us striving to keep God’s Ten Commandments. In fact “love” is the summary of all God’s Commandments.

God’s divine love is freely given to us in and through His means of grace — the Sacred Scriptures and the sacraments of baptism and communion. “We love because he (God) first loved us (I John 4:19)

Now, I ask you, “Will they know we are Christians by our love”?

Chopp is a clinical chaplain emeritus, MDiv, BCC, from Marshall