Different Types of Love

THE DIFFERENT BRANDS OF LOVING PERFUME IN THE CHURCH written by Andrew Corbett

37 He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Matthew 22 (NRSV)

Love is closely associated with sweet smelling fragrances (as pictured in the Song of Songs)
The church’s relationship with God is based on loving intimacy
The very nature of God is love. Everything He does reflects love.
The Father’s love is both spontaneous and a predetermined decision.
As we love, we become spiritually fragrant.
Now we will see that there are different types of love, and God deserves the highest kind…

“DO YOU LOVE ME?”
There are four types of love in classic Greek:
1. Affection love - Greek word= eunoia (1Cor. 7:3)
2. Friendship love -Greek word = phileo (second most common Greek word for love in Scripture).
3. Erotic love - Greek word= eros (not used in Scripture)
4. Selfless love - Greek word= agape [ar-gar-pay] (the most common word for love in the New Testament

God deserves _ _ _ _ _ love from us. (Mat. 22:37)

But God also expects us to show _ _ _ _ _ love to others as well.

This brings _ _ _ _ _ to God (John 13:35)

Note the use of two different forms of the word love in Christ’s conversation with Peter (Jn. 21:16ff)

The church is made up of people who are often cold hearted, self-centred, gossips, inwardly immoral and deceptively righteous in appearance- yet God loves them, AND tells us to do the same!

We are to love not just like, yet, as with Peter, liking is sometimes a good place to start.

Obligations
1. How is your love for God? Hot, lukewarm, or cold?
2. How is your love for the church?
3. How is your love for your spouse?

Amen.