Daily Devotion 5 February 2021 Definition of Agape love 3

Good morning,

Love. How do we define it? Who is love? Does the Bible give us example of people who loved?

These are questions we will explore during the next few weeks.

This week we will define love.

Definition of God’s Love (charity = love)

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. Charity never faileth: (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

Description of Agape love

The following is a description of agape love, also called “charity” in the New Testament (1 Cor. 13). This paraphrase is based upon research of the Greek and English words and their meanings in 1 Cor. 13:4-8.

LOVE BEARETH ALL THINGS. God’s love makes it possible to withstand all stress and difficulty. Because God is love, He supports and carries on His own Person whatever is placed upon Him. God’s love protects, covers, and keeps off anything which threatens the benefit and welfare of another. God’s love holds back, refrains, and is tolerant and patient in all circumstances.

LOVE BELIEVETH ALL THINGS. God’s love puts faith in others, believing the best of everyone (without criticizing or looking for fault).

LOVE HOPETH ALL THINGS. God’s love persists in hoping, against all odds, in confidence and expectation of fulfillment of that which is promised.

LOVE ENDURETH ALL THINGS. God’s love causes one to carry on through, despite hardships.

LOVE NEVER FAILETH. God’s love never proves insufficient in duration or is unsuccessful in effectiveness. Love will never disappoint or prove undependable. God’s love goes on forever and will never come to an end.

Credit due to: http://www.krowtracts.com/agape.html

There are fifteen terms defining love in these five verses. Each one should challenge the way we think about love.

Love beareth all things. Is God, who is love, big enough to help us to go through the stress and difficulties of life? He is. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. He protects and guides us. He restrains Satan. When we are overwhelmed, the Holy Spirit helps us weather the storm.

Love believeth all things. Do we believe the best in everyone? God’s does. He saw what we could be. He saw the best in us, even when we were lost sinners. He did not look at our faults.

Are we willing to see the best in people? Will we love them as Christ loved us?

Love hopeth all things. We always have hope. It is never ending. Our hope is built on the person of God and His promises. If God makes a promise in the Bible, it will happen. That is where our hope lies.

Love endureth all things. Endurance means to carry on in spite of hardships or failures. Not in our strength, but God’s. Think of all the people in the Bible that endured through hardship. Abraham, Moses, King David, Ruth and Naomi, Paul, and Jesus Himself. They never quit and we shouldn’t either.

Love never faileth. Why? Because God is love. God never fails to love. He loved us. He wants us to lover others.

Conclusion

Our goal is to evaluate our relationships through the filter of God’s love. Then apply God’s definition in 1 Corinthians 13 to each relationship and area of our lives. Having done this, we will have a closer relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ and to others.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com