This question is probably one of the oldest questions mankind has asked since the beginning, but never being totally and completely answered. So here we ask it again, at this appropriate time of the year, not really expecting to expose anything startling new to mankind as a whole but maybe just to you, what love is, something very real and personal that may stoke up or rekindle that fire that burns in you, or maybe causes that warm fuzzy feeling inside with the accompanying blush of the cheeks and contagious smile.
The Greek language probably has some of the most astounding words that are defined as the all inclusive word love in the English language, and their words seem to carry so much more weight and clarity. They actually have 13 different words that translate to love. Here is just a few that have always struck me hard when I asked myself "is this love" or checked myself when I declared WOW! THIS MUST BE LOVE!
"Phelia", pronounced Fealia is the base Greek word from which is derived the city of brotherly love or better known as Philadelphia. The meaning is the type of love one has for their brother, family member or neighbor.
Another is the Greek word "Eros". This word unfortunately is usually defined as what most folks, particularly teens and post pubescent believes is love. This Is primal activity solely defined by the steamy dripping sweaty, wreathing act of animal sex. The total and complete sexual and lust filled involvement of one person with their partner for the day or hour.
This is the word defined so much so as the animalistic portrayals on television soap operas, in the back seats of cars and in the bushes. Being fully consumed with the personal stimulation of ones own genitalia or their partners engorged and insatiable sex organs for the purpose of one maddening orgasm after another, the more,the better. Many call this making love. I believe it is a small part of the broader more comprehensive picture of love, but certainly is a minor part and by itself, nothing more than what animals do at the zoo, or what dogs do in the street. Lots of fun but nothing that lasts other than an unwanted baby now and again.
There are many more loves according to the Greeks, love for food and drink, from which we get the word gluttony or the lustful desires to "live to eat" instead of the healthy "eat to live" There are many more but one Greek word that totally and completely stands out as being the perfection of what true love is. If you really want to know what true love is, this is it.
The word is "Agape". To me this is perfect love. This is the love that God has for man, the true unconditional love, not the hollow shallow cliche you hear so many unknowing and ignorant, self serving individuals claim they exude. HOW LAUGHABLE AND DEMEANING.
Agape love is the love God has for man, so much so that He gave his only son Jesus so that all who trust and rely and depend (believe, Pestieo in the Greek) in Jesus should not perish but have everlasting life. He was tortured for us, beaten beyond human recognition for us, crucified for us and in our place for the sins we have committed that would keep us out of heaven. Jesus also had Agape love for us in that he gave everything there is to give in this life for us, so that when we are judged by God the father, he will only see the shed blood of Christ covering our sins, and declare us perfect and welcome us in to Heaven.
Agape love is the truest and purist love and all though man is not able to produce this love on his own, when a person invites the Holy Spirit of Jesus to come into their heart to live forever, all the fullness of God in Christ comes too. As we become obedient to doing as he instructs us we become obedient, and LIKE JESUS. This includes being able to allow Jesus Love, Agape love, to live through us. In fact, in a manner of speaking we can love like Jesus, we can love to death if needed. We can love as God the father does, as our Lord Jesus does. We can be Agape love.
rahul