Tuesday, July 7, 2025
Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a CSB
Agape Love
Jesus knew that we would need each other in this life. He knew that his followers would need other followers for communion, fellowship, encouragement, spiritual counsel, and agape love. Agape love is different from romantic love or even friendship. Agape love is described by Got Questions in this way - Agape love involves faithfulness, commitment, and an act of the will. It is distinguished from the other types of love by its lofty moral nature and strong character.
As people often say, “Love is a verb.” True love is accompanied by behavior and agape love is characterized by behavior that mirrors Christ. As Pastor Jim said yesterday in his sermon, love is an expression of behavior that comes from a transformed life in Christ. In the passage above, Paul is speaking to the church in Corinth. He is telling them what agape love is so they will know how to love each other in Christ. He begins by telling them that without love nothing else matters, followed by a description of what agape love looks like.
Agape love bears all things – love is patient and kind. From patience grows our outward expressions of love, kindness for others.
Agape love believes all things – it does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. A believer does not want what others have or build themselves up. They do not have an exaggerated self-conception.
Agape love hopes all things – it is not self-seeking, irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. As believers we know our hope is found in Jesus, now and in eternal life. It is Christ in us that gives us this hope. Our future is safe and secure in him and focusing on that hope means we don’t need to be self-seeking, irritable, or keep a record of wrongs.
Agape love endures all things - it finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It never ends. Agape love is enduring – it lasts and seeks God’s truth.
All these characteristics of agape love are characteristics of God. In fact, they are who he is and they all come from him. 1 John 4:8 says The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. When we have a relationship God and fill our hearts and minds with his word, we will know him, and we will love like him. Loving others like he loves, will help to sustain help create and sustain the spiritual habit of fellowship with others.
