What is Love?

Love is an abstract concept and as I am writing this I find it difficult to define love because of our varied ideas about what love actually is. The Greeks have three distinct words for love: eros (ἔρως érōs), philia (φιλία philía) and agape (ἀγάπη agápē).

Christians are called to love one another with agape ("the love of God or Christ for humankind") for Christ himself said, "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." (John 14:34, NAB).

In other words, Jesus calls us to love one another with...

1. ...a love that is without conditions, because God did not set conditions to save us; Christ died for us while we are still sinners (Romans 5:8) Though many Christians I know dread the idea (myself included ;)), we are called to love our enemies which is a "litmus test" for agapic love. Here's food for thought, can love still be agapic when we are drawn to a person because of a certain quality he or she possess? Would that already be a condition for "love"?
   
   
2. ...an agapic love that is summarized in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NAB:
   
   
   "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
   
   
   
3. ...God because "God is love [agape], and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him." (1 John 4:16, NAB) Hence it is safe to say that if we have agape for someone this love should draw us closer to God and not away from Him.
   

So what is love? It is not just a feeling ("infatuation"; because what happens when feelings eventually fade away?) nor it is mere attraction ("like"; refer to point #1), rather love is a decision that we are in power to make.

To love with agape is a high-calling because as humans we know that "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41, NAB) ...but then again we also know that through Christ who empowers we have the strength to do anything (Philippians 4:13) and that includes the ability to agape.

Dear Lord help me to have a heart and a love like Yours. Amen.