Morning Moments

SPURT OR FLOW?

(2 Peter 1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: (2) Grace and peacebe multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceedinggreat and precious promises: that by these ye might bepartakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to yourfaith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (6) And toknowledgetemperance; and to temperance patience; and topatiencegodliness; (7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and tobrotherly kindness charity. (8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.


The Amplified translation describes this word that is translated "charity" better than any translation in my opinion, and if we cannot understand by this the quality of the love of God that HAS BEEN poured out in the heart of the true believer (Romans 5:5), we are indeed not very discerning at all -

(1 Cor 13:4) Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. (5) It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. (6) It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. (7) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (8) Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

A word not unique to the New Testament, but distinct in definition, agapē (and the verb agapaō) lies at the heart of the Christian faith. In the New Testament it expresses a love that wills to initiate a relationship and show kindness and self-sacrifice regardless of whether the object of the love is worthy or even likable. Thus it is a love that does not depend on emotional response. Rather, it is an expression of the nature and character of the one who loves.
Classical Greek

The noun agapē rarely occurs in Greek literature outside the Bible, although the verb does occur sometimes. Moulton-Milligan reports only three instances in “profane” (secular) Greek: “Two of which are now read otherwise and the third is doubtful.” Bauer reports only one inscription that is “surely pagan.” Evidently agapē is a later construction.

Septuagint Usage
In the Septuagint it is one of three words for love, the others being philia (5210), often expressing an emotional response, and erōs, “passionate love.” Of these, erōs is used only twice, and there seems to have been an increasing preference for agapē over philia in their verb forms. When the Hebrew noun ’ahăvâh was rendered into Greek, translators frequently used agapē (e.g., 2 Samuel 1:26; 13:15 [LXX 2 Kings 1:26; 13:15]; Ecclesiastes 9:1; Song of Solomon 2:4,5,7; 3:5; 5:8; 7:6 [LXX Canticles 2:4,5,7]). Thus the Septuagint prepared the way for the use of agapē, “love,” as a central concept of the Christian message. Paradoxically, one might say that the anonymity and lackluster nature of agapē in secular literature made it a perfect choice for a word in which to pour the full meaning of Calvary’s love, the love of John 3:16.

New Testament Usage
In the New Testament, however, agapē and the verb form agapaō function in a dual capacity. They are used of loyal love between a man and a woman (Ephesians 5:28), of the mutual love between believers (John 15:12), and of love for outsiders (2 Peter 1:7) and our enemies (Matthew 5:44). The Father’s love for the Son and the Son’s love for the Father is also agapē (cf. John 14:31; 17:24). Agapē marks God’s love for the world (John 3:16) and for sinners (Romans 5:8). It characterizes Christ’s love for His church (Ephesians 5:25) and individual people (Galatians 2:20). Also, it is how humanity is to love God (1 John 4:19).

The term reveals God’s deepest nature: He is love (1 John 4:8). Agapē here does not note an aspect of God or a feature of His character; rather, it capsulizes the very nature of God and summarizes the activity of God’s words and deeds throughout the history of salvation. From this the inspired New Testament writers poured into it the essence of the Hebrew ches̱edh: the steadfast covenant love shown by God to His people. This love is a freely given love, an everlasting love, that makes the covenant its sign and expression.

To know this love and believe in the redemption it purchased through Christ’s death and resurrection is what the Bible terms “salvation” (1 John 4:16). Here the great commandment joins with the great message. The command to love the Lord with all one’s heart can only be undertaken in response to His own love; the ability to love in this capacity is realized only because He extended His love first.

The response to God’s love (i.e., “to be born of God,” 1 John 5:1ff.) is to love God and His children. The first great command to love God is followed by another equally great command: to love one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). This refers not to some sentimental love demonstrated by lip service, but to a love characterized by will, sacrifice, and action as it reaches out toward its object in mercy and grace. It is not entirely different from philia, for it can involve deep affection. But it is usually more, for it is unconditional and burns intensely as it reflects Calvary love. Its expression can and should enter into all human relationships, as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows.

Such love recalls the agapē meal or “love feast” (Jude 12, NIV) of ancient Christianity which provided a pattern for the new relationship between God and His people and among believers. Because Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper at the end of the Passover meal, the Early Church continued to observe it in connection with a meal. Because of abuse, this custom was later discontinued in much of the Church.
Then because agapē reaches out to the needy, feeds the hungry, and clothes the naked, the word was later used of this kind of charity as well. But the New Testament agapē stands at the center of Christian existence. Regardless of what may happen in this life, these remain: faith, hope, and love. “But the greatest of these is agapē” (1 Corinthians 13:13).Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary, The - The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Alpha-Gamma.

THIS "charity" or love is the ONLY explanation for the "one mind and one heart" of the early Church and is the ONLY means of uniting true believers in our day. As a Baptist pastor for so many years, involved in missions, establishing a seminary oversees, and teaching in others, and preaching in all sorts of churches including Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Charismatic, Methodist, etc., I have experienced first hand how THIS LOVE unites true believers across all lines. I have been the only white in a black congregation, the only American in a foreign congregation, and the only male in a female congregation, teaching and preaching the TRUTH of God under the anointing of the Spirit of God and have seen God do amazing things because regardless of normal or natural boundaries man established, the LOVE abounded.

(John 13:35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

BLESSINGS!