Let’s Talk About Love: What IS Love? Page 1

What IS this thing we call love? If you’ve ever found yourself at a loss to define “love,” don’t be discouraged. Our English language may be a poor example of the meaning of the word, as we define so many things with that one word. We use it to describe many feelings, thoughts, and emotions. We may hear “God is love,” or “I love my husband,… my dog,… my job,… my car,… my new shoes,… Springtime,… pizza…,” etc. As you can see, that one word “love” cannot possibly mean the same thing in all those circumstances! In order to better understand love, I think we need to look at some of the Greek definitions of three words that are all interpreted as “love.”

First, the world seems to be most familiar with EROS love, or physical love. This type of love is “felt” with the five senses and from this root word Eros comes erotic, or sensual love. This is the sexual kind of affection which is based on gratifying one’s self. Anyone who watches television is very familiar with this type of love, as it permeates advertising today. If you want to sell anything, just have a scantily-clad female pose with it. From hamburgers to cars, this is the most common of ads these days!

Second, PHILEO love is brotherly love or human love. We are familiar with this word through an American city in Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, known as the “City of Brotherly Love.” This kind of love is based on feelings for someone or something which causes an outward showing of kindness or affection on behalf of the object of one’s love. This love develops as a result of admiration, respect, pity, or mutual interest between two or more parties. This love cannot exist where there is no feeling or affinity for the other person(s) or object(s).

Now, the third kind of love we will discuss is AGAPE love, the God-kind of love. With Agape love, one is unselfish – willing to give up selfish desires for the benefit of another. This is not the love of complacency or affection; that is, it is not drawn out by any excellence or attraction in its object. This love is freely given. The Apostle Paul defines this Agape love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified):

“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious, nor boils over with jealousy; is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself hautily. It is not conceited – arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly), and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it – pays no attention to a suffered wrong. It does not rejoice in injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right an truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person; its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and it endures everything (without weakening). Love never fails – never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.”

I’m just going to leave that there for you to chew on. I’ll discuss more about this Agape love in a later post…