What's Love Got To Do With It?

What's Love Got to do With It?

Back in 1984, Tina Turner asked a question that we're going to look into. That year she released her hit song “What's Love Got to Do With It?” In this song, she tells us that love “is nothing but a second-hand emotion.” That's not true at all. Objects that are “second-hand” are things that have been used before & are of less value. The value of love is great. Love is at the very heart of Christian belief. Scriptures of God's supreme love are found throughout the Bible. He loves every one of us so much that He paid for our salvation by sacrificing the life of His own Son Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament a word frequently used that is translated as “love” is agape. Agape is the very nature of God. Agape is the word used by believers to describe the pure, selfless, unconditional love of God. The most well-known & most often quoted verse in the Bible uses the word agape. Who can guess what the most well-known verse in the Bible is? John 3:16, tells us that God “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Agape is the love God has for His Son & every believer in Christ. Several other verses about the love of the Lord are translated from this same word. Romans 5:8 reads, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” In 1 John 4:18 it is written that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”

When we deeply love someone, we will do all we can for them. John 15:13 describes this type of love. This verse tells us that “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” That is the agape love God has for His children & the love He wants us to have for one another. Love so great you will sacrifice the life of your own child!

Another word from which love is translated is the Greek word phileo. Phileo describes a special interest in something or someone. Phileo love is a deep affection shown to a friend or family member. The city of “brotherly love”, Philadelphia, gets its name from this word. To understand the difference in meanings of these words for love we could say that you will always agape love your spouse or children, but not always phileo them. They may do something that you don't approve of or something that hurts your feelings. The fact that they did this will not lessen the pure agape love you have for them, but the phileo love could be less.

Jesus had a conversation with Peter that is another example of these two love-words. After Peter had denied Jesus 3 times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. In John 21 we see where Jesus went to Peter & said, “do you agape me more than these (referring to other disciples or fish)?” Peter responded, “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I phileo you.” A second time Jesus asked, “do you agape me?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I phileo you.” Peter still wasn't getting the question Jesus was asking. They were talking about two different types of love. Jesus asked one last time, “do you agape me?” It grieved Peter that Jesus had asked him the same thing three times. Peter told Christ again, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I phileo you.” (John 21:15-17)

The Bible is filled with stories of God's great, unconditional love. In the book of Matthew, we see a story of God's love & commitment to His people. In the 18th chapter of Matthew Jesus' disciples came to Him to ask a question. They asked Lord Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus told them that the greatest in God's kingdom are those who have childlike innocence & humility. He said, “Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.“ (Matthew 18:3)

After He told them these qualities are required to be residents of God's kingdom, He told another story that pointed out how God loves & values all people greatly. He asked His disciples what their opinion would be in a matter concerning sheep. Sheep are loyal animals to their shepherd. They recognize the voice or call of their shepherd & respond to them. In the Kingdom of Heaven, & this parable, our Lord is represented as the great Shepherd & believers are His sheep. In Matthew 18:12 Jesus says, “What do you think? If someone has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray? “