For as long as I can remember over the last 35 years of my Christianity, I have heard much about the Love of God! Much of it very good and scriptural, but regularly somewhat deficient in comprehensive explanations of what is God's love, and, its application in our lives! There has been a very widespread teaching on the New Testament Greek word for love, "agape", and, that "agape" means "God's Love". There is no question that the love of God is a wonderfully supernaturally powerful attribute and expression of the heart of God, yet we need to carefully and scripturally define what God's love is and what it isn't, and, what does "agape" really mean.
This is paramount, as a whole psychology has developed around this word "agape"! Concepts such as sanctification, bearing one's cross, meekness, humility, submission, loving one another, marriage, family and church relationships, etc., have all been defined through the doctrines of this "agape psychology" and a very large counselling philosophy has been created with this at its foundation!! Of course, there are other NT Greek words besides "agape" which are translated "love", the one which is often used in contrast to "agape" is the Greek word "phileo". "Phileo" is often described as human and/or emotional love as opposed to "agape" which is God's love and which is not dependant on feelings and emotions!? Is this true, is this scriptural? To have a whole stream of psychological and theological thought built on one or two words, needs very careful and full scriptural evaluation.
Firstly, let's test the Word of God to see if "Agape" is God's unconditional Love, and, that "Phileo" is human conditional love. To quote from a recent popular christian magazine:
"..Speaking of human love and God's Love, let me emphasize that these two types of love are totally opposite, and getting them confused is one of the reasons why the Christian body is having such a hard time..".
..and..
"..What I didn't understand at the time is that Agape is not a human emotion or a human feeling, but God Himself loving through us..".
Let's look at what the Bible actually says!!!
First, let's look at whether there are these so-called differences between "agape" and "phileo". Is "agape"always God's Love, and, is "phileo" always human love:
John 3:35 "..The Father loveth the Son.." (agape)
John 5:20 "..For the Father loveth the Son.." (phileo)
John 14:21 "..he shall be loved of my Father.." (agape)
John 16:27 "..the Father himself loveth you.." (phileo)
John 13:23 "..whom Jesus loveth.." (agape)
John 20:2 "..whom Jesus loveth.." (phileo)
Each pair of these 3 pairs of scriptures identically describe either the Father's or Jesus' Love using agape andphileo interchangeably! So the "Agape Love Psychology" concept that Agape is God's Love, and, Phileo is human love is incorrect, and cannot be substantiated by scripture! This means that their foundational doctrine is in error!
Next is what I call "Evil Agape"!! To explain let's look at the following 3 scriptures:
1 John 2:15 "..If any man love the world.." (agape)
2 Peter 2:15 "..who loved the wages of unrighteousness.." (agape)
2 Timothy 4:10 "..having loved this present world.." (agape)
So here we see that "Agape" love is also used in the NT to describe an evil love! Not what the Agape Love Psychologists have defined, because they have said that Agape Love is only God's Love??? Not so!!
Finally, an additional example of "Divine Phileo" love!
Titus 3:4 "..the kindness and love of God our Saviour.." (phileo)
So this clearly shows that the foundational concept of the "Agape Love Psychology" doctrine has no scriptural basis, and, that building on this shaky foundation will only prove to be an ever-increasing series of misconceptions! For example, the next building block that is often used by the "Agape Love" disciples, is the wordunconditional!! God's unconditional Love and God's unconditional forgiveness!! Is this scriptural? Are there conditions to God's love and forgiveness? Does God require repentance before forgiveness? (eg: Luke 24:47; Luke 17:3,4; 1 John 1:9, etc.). Does God require obedience before love? (eg: Deuteronomy 7:9,10; John 15:14, etc). Does God have a righteous hatred of certain people? (Psalm 5:5, Malachi 1:3, etc.).
The "Agape Love Psychology" doctrines ignore most of these scriptures, and, to quote again from the above magazine: "..God's love is one-sided.......In other words, it says, '..I'll love you no matter what you do'.."!!??
Is this what God's love states?? Or does God's Love require accountability, etc?
I am very sure that most people who have been influenced by these "Agape" doctrines are sincere christians endeavouring to love God and to love one another. However, scriptural truth can never be compromised for sincerity coupled with error. Additionally, we need to look at what I call the anti-emotional doctrines which surround these "Agape" teachings!!
By Pastor Allan Anderson MDiv, Phd.
This is paramount, as a whole psychology has developed around this word "agape"! Concepts such as sanctification, bearing one's cross, meekness, humility, submission, loving one another, marriage, family and church relationships, etc., have all been defined through the doctrines of this "agape psychology" and a very large counselling philosophy has been created with this at its foundation!! Of course, there are other NT Greek words besides "agape" which are translated "love", the one which is often used in contrast to "agape" is the Greek word "phileo". "Phileo" is often described as human and/or emotional love as opposed to "agape" which is God's love and which is not dependant on feelings and emotions!? Is this true, is this scriptural? To have a whole stream of psychological and theological thought built on one or two words, needs very careful and full scriptural evaluation.
Firstly, let's test the Word of God to see if "Agape" is God's unconditional Love, and, that "Phileo" is human conditional love. To quote from a recent popular christian magazine:
"..Speaking of human love and God's Love, let me emphasize that these two types of love are totally opposite, and getting them confused is one of the reasons why the Christian body is having such a hard time..".
..and..
"..What I didn't understand at the time is that Agape is not a human emotion or a human feeling, but God Himself loving through us..".
Let's look at what the Bible actually says!!!
First, let's look at whether there are these so-called differences between "agape" and "phileo". Is "agape"always God's Love, and, is "phileo" always human love:
John 3:35 "..The Father loveth the Son.." (agape)
John 5:20 "..For the Father loveth the Son.." (phileo)
John 14:21 "..he shall be loved of my Father.." (agape)
John 16:27 "..the Father himself loveth you.." (phileo)
John 13:23 "..whom Jesus loveth.." (agape)
John 20:2 "..whom Jesus loveth.." (phileo)
Each pair of these 3 pairs of scriptures identically describe either the Father's or Jesus' Love using agape andphileo interchangeably! So the "Agape Love Psychology" concept that Agape is God's Love, and, Phileo is human love is incorrect, and cannot be substantiated by scripture! This means that their foundational doctrine is in error!
Next is what I call "Evil Agape"!! To explain let's look at the following 3 scriptures:
1 John 2:15 "..If any man love the world.." (agape)
2 Peter 2:15 "..who loved the wages of unrighteousness.." (agape)
2 Timothy 4:10 "..having loved this present world.." (agape)
So here we see that "Agape" love is also used in the NT to describe an evil love! Not what the Agape Love Psychologists have defined, because they have said that Agape Love is only God's Love??? Not so!!
Finally, an additional example of "Divine Phileo" love!
Titus 3:4 "..the kindness and love of God our Saviour.." (phileo)
So this clearly shows that the foundational concept of the "Agape Love Psychology" doctrine has no scriptural basis, and, that building on this shaky foundation will only prove to be an ever-increasing series of misconceptions! For example, the next building block that is often used by the "Agape Love" disciples, is the wordunconditional!! God's unconditional Love and God's unconditional forgiveness!! Is this scriptural? Are there conditions to God's love and forgiveness? Does God require repentance before forgiveness? (eg: Luke 24:47; Luke 17:3,4; 1 John 1:9, etc.). Does God require obedience before love? (eg: Deuteronomy 7:9,10; John 15:14, etc). Does God have a righteous hatred of certain people? (Psalm 5:5, Malachi 1:3, etc.).
The "Agape Love Psychology" doctrines ignore most of these scriptures, and, to quote again from the above magazine: "..God's love is one-sided.......In other words, it says, '..I'll love you no matter what you do'.."!!??
Is this what God's love states?? Or does God's Love require accountability, etc?
I am very sure that most people who have been influenced by these "Agape" doctrines are sincere christians endeavouring to love God and to love one another. However, scriptural truth can never be compromised for sincerity coupled with error. Additionally, we need to look at what I call the anti-emotional doctrines which surround these "Agape" teachings!!
By Pastor Allan Anderson MDiv, Phd.