Defining agapan love so that we may be able to carry out orders from the Father; John 15:9-13Title: Defining agapan love so that we may be able to carry out orders from the Father; John 15:9-13.
As we have defined agapan love: A mental attitude love from mature virtue that recognizes the value of an object, which produces a preference and a regard for its benefit to the point of death, even if hated. It is without sin and is not motivated by any affection or attraction.
Only the power of the word and the filling of the Spirit can accomplish this.
Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
“love” – avgapate[agapate – present active imperative] = The husband is to habitually lead as a noble, virtuous lover in the same way as Christ does to the Church.
The example given leaves no room for doubt that this is Christ’s love. However, as we emphasize the definition, agapan means to see value in terms of potential.
As a husband you must see value in your wife in terms of that potential. It’s easy to love her when there are no problems or divisions, but when things are disagreeable the husband must forgive and support his love with agapan since philein just went out the window!
A husband must first and foremost have a relationship and rapport with God and then he can love his wife, being completely devoted to her. She will respond to his agapan love.
Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.
Agapan love has a lack of mental attitude sins.
The fact that agapan means self-sacrifice, which is certainly implied here from the reference of Christ giving up His life, this is a love of complete devotion.
Eph 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Eph 5:23For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Eph 5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
“subject” – uvpota,ssw[hupotasso] = to be under the rank of, to be subject to, to be subordinate. A woman habitually surrenders her volition to her husband as she does unto the Lord.
A wife must attain virtue in order to deny her own desires and subject herself to her husband.
By means of doctrine the wife gains the capacity to submit to her right man, appreciate her right man, and fulfill her right man.
1 Peter 3:1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
1 Peter 3:2as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
1 Peter 3:3And let not your adornment be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
1 Peter 3:4but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
1 Peter 3:5For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands.
1 Peter 3:6Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
A virtuous wife constantly thinks of ways to help her husband because she knows that God has called her to be a helper and a partner to him.
Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom 5:2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
Rom 5:4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
Rom 5:5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
The Spirit was given to us under the orders of Jesus Christ.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
John 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" [agapan – completely devoted to Christ] He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." [philein – Peter desires a love of personal attachment, affection, and emotion] He said to him, "Tend My lambs."
Matt 26:33 But Peter answered and said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away."
John 21:16He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" [agapan again – Christ is asking for a love which is willing to lay down the life] He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." [philein again] He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."
If you recall Peter said this to the Lord: Matt 26:35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You."
John 21:17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" [The Lord uses philein asking – do you really have an affection for Me?] Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him," Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. "Jesus said to him," Tend My sheep.
So, ok Peter, you say you have an affection for Me and an attraction of Me, but guess what? You are going to apapan Me because you will lay down your life for Me.
John 21:18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."
John 21:19Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"
John 21:20Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
John 21:21Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
Agapan doesn’t compete and does not stick its nose into the business of others.
John 21:22Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"
John 21:23This saying therefore went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"
John 15:9 "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
The Father agapao Jesus Christ and so gave Him the plan by which He could win a strategic victory in the AC and so be glorified forever.
“Just as,” refers to the exact same way.
Jesus Christ has agapao every believer and so gives each the same plan by which he my win a tactical victory in the AC and so share in Christ’s glory forever.
God the Father saw potential and value in His Son and so He gave Him something valuable. Jesus Christ saw potential and value in each CA believer and so He gave us something just as valuable.
Why can Jesus Christ love every believer by which we are all given EPEO despite the fact that some are positive and some are not?
God the Father can love every believer because He is propitiated by the work of the Son. Jesus Christ can love every believer because He sees every believer as sanctified (set apart as holy). |