Doctrine of the Angelic Conflict, part 49 – The essence of God – Love. 1Ti 6:10; 2Ti 3:1-4; Jam 4:4; Luk 22:24; 11:43; 3Jo 9.

Title: Doctrine of the Angelic Conflict, part 49 - The essence of God - Love. 1TI 6:10; 2TI 3:1-4; JAM 4:4; LUK 22:24; 11:43; 3Jo 9.

 

1TI 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang [hook in the mouth].

 

 “love of money” - filarguri,a[philarguria] = literally - the love of silver [Ag]. Total soul love for money.

 

PT

 

We can use this as a blanket for all loves that are earthly based, temporary, changeable, corruptible, and unstable.

 

2TI 3:1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

 

2TI 3:2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money [philarguros - adj], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

 

 “lovers of self” - fi,lautoj[philautos] = total soul love of self, self-centered, self-absorbed, selfishness.

 

2TI 3:3 unloving [of family = astorgos], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

 

Let me remind you of where we started with the compound words of philos.

 

 “unloving” - astorgos

ROM 12:10

Be devoted [philostorgos] to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor

 

This is the complete opposite of the divine love designed for the RFOG. And again, do I have to like my brother, or agree with him on everything, or want to hang out with him? No. Yet I should still have an affection for him in terms of his common +R, EL, and destiny as the bride of Christ. If you are a lover of self then there is no room for this affection in your soul.

 

 “haters of good” - avfilagaqoj[aphilagathos] = hating divine good since divine good denies self and they are lovers of self.

 

In TIT 1:8 we had philagathos - lovers of good.

 

You can’t love yourself [not loving the divine gifts given] and produce divine good.

 

2TI 3:4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

 

 “lovers of pleasure” - filh,donoj[philedonos] = lover of pleasure, lust, or strong desire.  combination of phileo and hedone.

 

 “lovers of God” - filo,qeoj[philotheos] = total soul love and devotion to God.

 

These are antithetical loves. A believer cannot be in possession of both simultaneously.

 

MAT 6:24

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

 

JOH 12:25

He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.

 

2TI 3:5 holding to a form of godliness [overt form as a mould, an image, impression, or semblance which in this case has no reality of substance], although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.

 

This doesn’t mean another form of godliness, but a mould or semblance of true godliness made to look like godliness but without the substance of the reality of the spiritual life.

 

JAM 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

 

 “friendship” - fili,a[philia] = friendship, fondness, devotion.

 

LUK 22:24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.

 

 “dispute” - filoneiki,a[philoneikia] = the total soul love of victory, contentiousness, love of rivalry.

 

This is a bad competitiveness so that one can be greater than another. True divine love, phileo and agape, produce servants and not those dying to run victory laps.

 

For the husbands:

PRO 27:15

A constant dripping on a day of steady rain

And a contentious [strife, brawling] woman are alike;

 

3Jo 9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.

 

 “loves to be first” - filoprwteu,w[philoproteuo] = Aspiration to be first, to have prominence and pre-eminence, loving the chief place.  [first proton]

 

MAT 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,

 

MAT 23:2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;

 

MAT 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.

 

MAT 23:4 "And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

 

MAT 23:5 "But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

 

MAT 23:6 "And they love [phileo] the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

 

LUK 11:43

"Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the front seats in the synagogues, and the respectful greetings in the market places.

 

Some commentators have this as the same incident, but I don’ think it is since much of what He says is not in both accounts, however this statement is the same and agapao is used. I show you this so that you know that sometimes the distinctions between these two words is not always to be held too tightly. Agapao can be more of a mental attitude love while phileo more of an attraction love, but sometimes that distinction is obliviated by flat out love or desire for something that is so strong that it is both. No passage is defined by one word or even one passage. Context, language, comparison of scripture, and even historical context must all be used to interpret passages of scripture. In this case their love of titles and promotion is flat out wrong and selfish and self serving, no matter if it is mental attitude love or attractionaffection love.

 

MAT 23:7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi.

 

 “Rabbi” = “my great one” or “my master” They loved and coveted this title. Like the title Dr or Reverend today.