Love is a word that we all know. Of course, there are many different kinds of love. The kind that is especially Biblical is agape. In fact, Thayer tells us that agape is “a purely Biblical and ecclesiastical word” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). The CBL Greek-English Dictionary says, “The noun agapē rarely occurs in Greek literature outside the Bible.” These sources define agape as, “affectionate goodwill and benevolence.” It is used in the Bible of Christians toward Christians (1 Corinthians 13:1-4, 8), God toward men (Romans 8:35-39), God toward Christ (John 17:26), and man toward God (John 5:42). It is the highest kind of love and is even used as a definition of God Himself (1 John 4:8).

Agape is unconditional, not expecting anything in return. It is more than an emotion we feel inside; it is an action. Agape always acts in the best interest of whatever is loved. John said, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). But, what separates agape the most is that it is even given to those who are unlikeable. As Christians, we are commanded to love everyone. It does not matter if someone is mean to us, unkind, in general, or even if a person has in some way acted violently towards us or our families, we are still commanded to love. Listen to Jesus, one who knew something about loving those who did Him harm.

Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)
⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

In this passage, Jesus was not simply setting forth a higher love than that commanded by God in the Old Testament, He was correcting the false interpretation of the Jewish leaders. God has never commanded, or even given His people permission, to hate their enemies. Instead, God has always desired that man follow in His steps and love everyone. While most of mankind struggle with this kind of love, it is a core characteristic of the Christian. We have not mastered this aspect of love, for we all most certainly, fall short of it. However, we should be doing our best to love all people, even our enemies, because we know that this is the will of God and something of which He has given us an example.

Do you love your fellowman unconditionally? We all need to make sure that we love the way we are commanded because we cannot please God without doing so. Paul said, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Take a moment or two to read the rest of 1 Corinthians 13. It tells us exactly how love behaves, and if we want to be in God’s favor, it is the way we must behave. Read it and see if it describes you.

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.