Tag Archives: Agape

Inadequate Understanding of Love


Our understanding of God’s love is so raw since it is shaped by our culture we were born in and raised, books that we read, music that we listen to, and movies that we watch. What we understand as love is only what we are capable of ourselves doing it to others. That is utterly inadequate definition of love. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of what love really is. God is love,[1] and His love is actualized and demonstrated in the person of Jesus Christ on the Cross in Calvary. He is no less than the incarnate Son of God, preexisted with the Father, not made but begotten, the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form.[2] Without diminishing his divinity, he voluntarily took a human form to deliver the humanity from the bondage of sin by offering himself as the ultimate sacrifice.[3] For the penalty of sin is death.[4] Jesus paid the price by his own blood even when we were still sinners.[5] And that is love.


Scripture References:

[1] 1 John 4:8

[2] Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:6-8

[3] Hebrews 10:10

[4] Romans 6:23

[5] Romans 5:8

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Scripture Reading: John 3:16-21


ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 3:16-21

1881 Westcott-Hort New Testament (WHNU)

16ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

For God so loved the world that [3the Son 2His only begotten 1He gave] so that everyone believing in him should not perish but have eternal life

17ου γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον αλλ ινα σωθη ο κοσμος δι αυτου

[2did not 1for God 3send the Son] in the world that he might judge the world but that [2might be saved 1the world 3through him]

18ο πιστευων εις αυτον ου κρινεται ο μη πιστευων ηδη κεκριται οτι μη πεπιστευκεν εις το ονομα του μονογενους υιου του θεου

the one believing in him is not judged; the one not believing already has been judged because not he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

19αυτη δε εστιν η κρισις οτι το φως εληλυθεν εις τον κοσμον και ηγαπησαν οι ανθρωποι μαλλον το σκοτος η το φως ην γαρ αυτων πονηρα τα εργα

and this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world and [2loved 1{the} men] more the darkness than the light;  [was for the works of them were evil.

20πας γαρ ο φαυλα πρασσων μισει το φως και ουκ ερχεται προς το φως ινα μη ελεγχθη τα εργα αυτου

for everyone practicing/acting the foul deeds hates the light, and does not come to the Light so that [2might not 3be admonished/reproved 1the works of his]

21ο δε ποιων την αληθειαν ερχεται προς το φως ινα φανερωθη αυτου τα εργα οτι εν θεω εστιν ειργασμενα

but the one doing the truth comes to the Light that [2might be revealed 1of his the works] that [2in God 1have been wrought].

The Gospel of John 3:16-21 [Literal Translation]

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten the Son so that everyone believing in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send the Son in the world that he might judge the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18The one believing in him is not judged; the one not believing already has been judged because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: that the Light has come into the world and the men loved  the darkness more than the Light because the works of them were evil. 20For everyone practicing/acting the foul deeds hates the Light, and does not come to the Light so that the works of his might not be admonished. 21But the one doing the truth comes to the Light that the works of his might be revealed that have been wrought in God.