2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The Word teaches that God has not given us a spirit of fear. With this being said, Scripture reveals that fear is a spirit and if it is to be eliminated from your life it will have to be rebuked. We cannot therepeutically work ourselves out of the grips of our fears.
We can clearly see by this passage that God has no part in anything that can be interpreted as coming from fear. He does not give it, and it is never from Him. However, as we read on in this passage we do find three things that He does in fact give us through some divine impartation of His Spirit. The first of course, is power. The second endowment is Agape to which this lesson is devoted, and the third impartation is a sound mind. Today we will be looking at this impartation of Agape.
Agape is a realm of love where there is no fear. It is a love that only God can impart to a person. Furthermore, as humans we are naturally born with an Eros and Phileo kind of love within our DNA. These are terms that evolved out of the classical Greek, whereas, Agape is not originally a word found in the Greek language. Agape is understood in its truest sense to be a Christian term inspired by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must conclude that a non-believer does not have this Agape in their DNA. Why? It is because it is an impartation of God Himself within those that believe in Him.
Agape is a Christian term that means: benevolent and unselfish love. This Agape is revealed through its actions which do not flow through natural inclinations or natural feelings that we may demonstrate as humans. In other words, Agape is not a reciprocal based love. On the other hand, Eros and Phileo which all humans have is based on a reciprocal process. This simply means I do something for you and you turn around and do something for me because of what I did for you. This kind of love can be found in husband and wife relationship; brother to brother relationships; sister to sister relationships; or friends.
Phileo, unfortunately is usually witnessed as a conditional love. In other words as long as you are good to me, I will be good to you. This kind of love has strings attached. That is why it is a reciprocal love. Whereas, Eros is a sexual attraction or physical love. All humans have these two types of love written in their DNA. The thing that stands out regarding Agape is that it never gives what someone wants, but what they need. If we think about it, God didn't send the world what it thought it needed. No! God sent His Son, Jesus. If you asked the average person what they believed this world needed most with all of its troubles, they would not tell you it was Jesus.
They would offer things like a different president; the ruling Democratic or Republican Party. Some would say more money, better jobs, greater benefits, wiser politicians, etc. Yet, God didn't take a survey and ask everyone in this world what they wanted; He sent them what they needed. God so Agaped the world that He gave His only begotten Son. In other words, God was saying you may think you don't need my Son, or maybe you don't want Him at all. But what you need is my Son! My Agape has released to this world what it needs the most. My Son, Jesus!
I believe this is the reason that so many of us today have such problems loving people perfectly. What I mean by this is, when a person has a need in their life we tend to be afraid to do or give what's needed most in their life for fear of rejection from them. We need to understand that God does not Agape us looking for some reciprocal response back from us. He does it because that is what needs to be done. We are unloveable, wretched, ugly, mean, disrespectful and many other descriptions that we could use to reveal the depravity of man. Agape always does what is needed, not what someone is wanting. These are two very different things. The world loves in this manner: If I love someone and they reject me, I snap my finger and tell them, poof be gone from me! In other words, I loved you and didn't get back what I thought I should have received in return, therefore, I write them off.
There are a great many believers today that love and respond to others in this same manner. They have failed to recognize that what they have received is an Agape impartation from God. Think about this. How much rejection has God received from His creation over time? Let me ask you this question: How many of you think God still cares about this world? Why? For what reason would God still love this world? I mean, He sends His holy Son Jesus to die on a cross in our place that we might be justified and freed from our sins. And yet, the whole world could care less! The lake is more important; the golf course is more important; our money is more important; and these are just a few references that I will mention by the actions observed of so many regarding their little reverence towards God and His purposes. Most actions by the people in this world is egocentric, period! Yet, God still loves us anyway!
God doesn't love us with an Eros or Phileo type of love. God has "given" for no reciprical benefit for Himself. He offers life over damnation for our benefit. He gave, that we might have life and life more abundant. God gave healing, prosperity, blessing, peace and joy for us; not for Himself. What God has done, He did it not for Himself, but rather for us. This is what Agape is. It demands nothing in return for the kindness that it has given. It is an unconditional love that chooses to give to those who have nothing to offer back in return. Therefore, when the Scriptures command us to love God and our neighbor, He is asking us to do it through that Agape that He has imparted within us who have accepted Him as their Lord. When the Scripture tells us that we are to love our enemies, He is asking us to do it through the Agape that He has imparted to our life. In fact, unless you mature in this Agape you will gravitate back to interpreting through Eros and Phileo. It is impossible to love as God loves unless we mature in this Agape that He imparts to the believer. Therefore, the focus becomes on how do we mature in this Agape?
1 John 4:12 (KJV)
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Agape is perfected in that we function out of that same spirit of love that places no conditions on what it is willing to give to others. If we will allow Agape to be prefected in us it will deliver us frome every known fear that exists. And we know that the Scriptures teach us that fear hath torment and anyone who operates in fear is not made perfect in Agape. Perfect Agape casts out fear! Agape keeps no records of what someone has done to them. Agape is patient and kind. It is not evious or boastful, nor proud. Agape is not rude or self-seeking and is never easily angered. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Agape never fails!
