Three Kinds of Love
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More than 2000 years ago the apostle Paul prophesied: “You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, [and] rude … They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride.” (Contemporary English Version (CEV) 2 Timothy 3:1-4)
● Have you observed this kind of behavior in the world today?
● What kind of results come from this kind of behavior?
Often things can be better understood by carefully defining them and their opposites. What is the opposite of the despicable kind of behavior described above?
Love can be confusing because it means different things to different people. The classical Greek civilization recognized several kinds of love including those expressed in the following words and definitions:
● Eros: Sensual, intimate, sexual love.
● Philia: Fraternal, loyal, friendship love.
● Agape: Pure, altruistic, Christ-like love.
Eros can be exciting, pleasurable, and captivating. Many believe that it is life’s most pleasurable experience. Eros can also be awesome or loathsome, depending on the circumstances. If it is an expression of reciprocal and beneficial interest it can help generate fulfilling relationships. If it is selfish, exploitive, or perverted, it can injure and destroy.
Philia involves many characteristics including the following: Caring, sharing, loyalty, respect, kindness, cooperation, helping, devotion, and promoting well-being. If there was sufficient philia it could happily unite the human family and revolutionize the world.
Since agape is the Greek word attributed to the apostle Paul and translated as love, it’s logical to use the biblical definition: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (New International Version (NIV) 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Now that we have a clearer view of what love is and is not, may we all strive for greater and more enduring success and happiness including the best of eros, philia, and agape.