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 When the translators came upon the Greek word agape (God’s Love), in addition to using the English word “love” to transliterate it, they often chose the English word “charity.” This was meant to reinforce the idea that agape is selfless, giving love. God’s Love is unselfish and unconditional. Now we know what is meant by Christian love. Love is a holy disposition given to us when we are born again by God. It is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. True spiritual love is characterized by meekness and gentleness, yet it is vastly superior to the courtesies and kindnesses of the flesh.

We must be careful not to confuse human sentimentality, carnal pleasantries, human amiability, and affability with true spiritual love. God commands love first to Him and then to others. It is not the indulgent, self-seeking love that is in us by nature. If we indulgently allow our children to grow up with little or no Scriptural discipline, Proverbs plainly says we do not love them, regardless of the human sentimentality and affection we may feel for them. Love is not a sentimental pampering of one another with a loose indifference to our walk and obedience before the Lord. 

The true nature of Christian love is a righteous principle that seeks the highest good of others. It is a powerful desire to promote their welfare. The exercise of love is to be in strict conformity to the revealed will of God. We must love in the truth. Love among the brethren is far more than an agreeable society where views are the same. It loves them for what we see of Christ in them, loving them for Christ’s sake. The Lord Jesus Himself is our example. He was not only thoughtful, gentle, self-sacrificing, and patient, but He also corrected His mother, used a whip in the Temple, Severely scolded His doubting disciples, and denounced hypocrites. True spiritual love is, above all, faithful to God and uncompromising towards all that is evil. We cannot declare ‘Peace and Safety’ when there is spiritual decay and ruin in reality!

True spiritual love is tough to exercise because it is not our natural love. By nature, we would rather love sentimentally and engender good feelings. Also, many times true spiritual love is not received in love but is hated as the Pharisees hated it. We must pray that God will fill us with His love and enable us to exercise it. The word love can mean different things in the English language. 

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