What is love?

What is Love? Believe it or not, many people have no idea what love really is. Is Love an emotion? Is love an action? What is Love? On this page you will find that the one book that speaks the most about love is the Bible. The Bible covers every aspect of love and is the best source to learn about love. So what we will be doing on this page is taking scripture about love and going into an in depth study about what love is. Love is described in the bible with these characteristics.

• 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 haughtily. 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 self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and 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]. (1 Corinthians Ch 13:4-7)( And part of 8 in the Amplified Bible)

Love Described in it's defined form. (Characteristics and Actions of love) The content you have read above shows you the character of love and is not just an example like every where else you look. If you take this in and can understand it then you will be able to grasp the rest of this page. The Bible is the Book on the Character of God Himself and explains his Character in detail. The bible tells us that man was created in the image and likeness of God also in Genesis Chapter two. This means that man kind naturally has characteristics of God. For instance a man naturally wants to feel respected and a woman naturally wants to feel loved. If the man and the woman work together they can fulfill God's design for us. This is where things get tricky. Selfishness and sin separate us from abiding in the Love of God. Therefore we are robing ourselves of God's joy when we take action to love ourselves rather than loving God. Many people have herd of John 3:16 right? If you have not read John 3:16 here is the verses from John 3:15-19. We will explain this to you in detail after you read it.

• 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Normally when something is said twice in the bible right next to each other it is very important. As you can see verse 15 states that whoever believes in the only begotten Son of God will have eternal Life right. Right after saying this in verse 15 Jesus says it again in verse 16. That must mean it is pretty important to believe in Jesus Christ right? Well if we want to live forever. Don't get me wrong I know we are all human and have these mortal bodies, but God has promised those who believe in his only begotten son a knew glorious body without pain or suffering. God loved us enough to send His Son who loved us so much He died on the cross so that we might be saved from our own selfishness because love covers a multitude of sin and perfect love cast out fear. The Spirit of God raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. This means Jesus overcame death for us and concord sin in the flesh. Jesus Christ said " I am the way the truth and the life. No one cometh unto the father but through me." This means that Christ died becoming love for us that we may love the father through Christ's Love witch is in the Father, and in us if we abide in His love.

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érōs

Eros (érōs) is the physical side of love. Eros love is the form of love that most of us see now days in these short term relationships and marriages. The love of self and of the flesh. Eros is the kind of love that says what am I going to get out of this relationship. In a relationship normally this form of love is the first one experienced and if it does not grow to the next form of love the relationship will not last very long. This is the form of love where God says to be fruitful and multiply.

philía

Philia (philía) is the mental aspect of love and is the part of friendship. This form of love normally has the mind to care for other while caring for self also. Philia love is the form of love that most people see when the are with friends and or someone they care about. Philia love is the kind of love that says what can I do to show this person I care for them and want the best for them. Philia love is the kind of love that says I enjoy spending time with you doing anything. This form of Love is the form of love that needs to take affect if the relationship is going to be a happy one. This form of love  is not selfish and its purpose is to make the relationship a happy one. Both individuals are willing to sacrifice there own wants and desires to make the other person happy. This form of love gives a relationship grounds to work together on. Jesus says " Greater love hath no man than he who lays down His own life for a friend." That is why Jesus had laid down His life for us so that He became perfect love for us if we believe in Him.
This brings us to the agápē love.

Agápē

Agape (agápē) is the spiritual form of love. Agápē Love is the form of love that is unconditional. This form of love is willing to give its life for a friend. This form of love is willing to sacrifice everything for the sole purpose of being with someone. It is the spiritual form of love only puled from God. God's love for us. Christ became love perfected so that we might be with Him in eternal glory some day.  Many women experiance this form of love after having children. They have Agape love for the child or baby. They are willing to give their lives for their baby. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes (trusts, relies on) in Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life."

 

• Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John Chapter 4 KJV)

Spiritual aspects to be capable of perfect love. (Spiritual aspects of Love) God is Love. Be full of it. Be fulfilled.

• And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis Chapter 1:26-31 KJV)
  

Since we are created in the Image and Likeness of God, this means that since God is Love we have been created to love.

• Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. (John Ch 15:8-17 KJV)
  

Reason for Love and the commandment that we are to fulfill in our lives. (Loving one another fulfills God's Joy in us.)

God Is Love. Be Full Of It. Be Fulfilled.

If this page has helped you with your understanding of God's Love we are eternally grateful and encourage you to get your roots planted deep in God's word that way the Devil can not deceive you and take away your blessing. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) Draw close to God and He will draw close to you. Let the love of God grow richly in you and be not only a hearer of the word but also a doer. If you hear your Dad or Mom say do the dishes that is good but when you actually do them you are being obedient and will in turn receive your reward. The quicker you respond to the Command the better because reward is based on the intentions of your heart. Are you going to put the Command that they give you to do the dishes aside for a while, and do your own things? Or are you going to take action and really work hard at it with all your heart? Knowing that you can really make your parents well pleased of you and shed their blessing on you all the more?

Eros, Philos, Agape are three types of love that succeed each other in different categories, and are different levels of love. To have a more real understanding of the three kinds of love Visit the Seeker of Truth blog spot, "The Three Types of Love."(Click here)