The Supremacy Of LoveSýnishorn

Loving Your Enemies

When Christ said, “Love your enemies,” He could have used any one of four Greek words. The Greek language is very descriptive and detailed in its expressions. Its words are precise and full of meaning. In speaking of love, the Greek language describes exactly what is meant. It separates the various types of love into four specific words. 

1. Eros love. This is love that arises from passion, infatuation, and sexual attraction. It is the love of a man for a woman. 

2. Storge love. This is love that arises from a natural born affection, the affection of family love. 

3. Phileo love. This is love that is an affection that fills a person’s heart with warmth and tenderness. It is the love of precious affection and feelings toward those who are very near and dear to one’s heart.

4. Agape love. This is a sacrificial love, that is, a love that cares, gives, and works for another person’s good—regardless of how the person may respond. 

The word Christ uses in saying “Love your enemies” is agape: the love that must be willed. The Christian must use his mind and reason, deliberately choosing to love his or her enemy. 

Agape love is God’s love. You can have agape love only as you allow God to love through you. You must will to love as God loves, and God will empower you to do so (Romans 5:5). When you make this choice—the choice to love your enemies as an act of your will—you will be like God. God loves His enemies. He causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on His enemies as well as on those who love Him. As a Christian, you are to be just like God: you are to love your enemies. By loving your enemies, you become more and more like God. You become godly.

Study Questions:

· Can you think of people you love that fall into each of the different types of love? 

· How does it make you feel that God calls us to love our enemies? 

· Have you ever experienced love from an enemy? If so, how did that make you feel?

· Why do you think God calls us to love our enemies?