The Agape Love of God

1 John 4:16
We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

You ask "how can I forgive my brother when they have done me wrong?" GOD IS LOVE.

What kind of love is John talking about here? The "agape" love of God. The kind of love that does not hate. This love is not confusion. This love is not chaos. This love is not war.

Agape love is peace. It is a resting place. It is safety. It is healing. It is beautiful.

But it is difficult for us to understand this. When we think of "love" we are more likely to of "phileo" or "eros" love.

Phileo is brotherly love where we get "Philadelphia," the city of brotherly love. Eros is where we get "erotic" from and it is a physical love. There is nothing wrong with eros because God created it for a purpose, but the devil easily perverts this kind of love.

But back to the theme of today's verse. The agape love of God is the blood of Jesus. Its pure, its cleansing, its life giving. The agape love of God is what sustains us through our trials and tribulations. Its the way we find peace in the midst of utter confusion and fear. It is how we find the strength to forgive those who have done us wrong.

Nothing evil and demonic can stand the agape love of God. He SO loved (agape) us that he gave his only son to die for us.

Let's return his awesome grace by getting serious about love.