Love One Another

David A. Bielby dbielby at juno.com
Wed Sep 22 10:20:10 EDT 1999


On Wed, 22 Sep 1999 08:24:37 -0700 david reigle <reigles at paonline.com>
writes:
> It seems we might be trying to load too much theology into one little 
> word. I agree agape is a significant and even loaded word, but to ask a

> question like "Can we love someone without liking them?" is quite a lot
to pull 
> out of a word's definition.  Perhaps such a question could be better
answered by a 
> study of how love was taught and practiced in the NT. (this is probably
not 
> the forum for such a discussion, so I won't go further.)    
> Hope this was helpful,
> Dave Reigle
> Elizabethtown, Pa.
> 
> 
> On Tue, 21 Sep 1999 10:16:55 -0700 George Goolde 
> <goolde at mtnempire.net>
> writes:
>>0700, you wrote:
> > 
> > >I heard a teaching that said you can love someone but you don't 
> > have to
> > >like them. It seems to me that this flies in the face of agape. 
> >It 
> > seems
> > >to me that the lexicons are saying that agape must not only 
> >decide
> > >someone has value, but that decision must affect their feelings 
> >and actions.
> > 
> > >Am I corrrect in your opinion? 
> > 
> > I do believe that agape affects someone's actions - but not 
> > necessarily  their feelings.  I don't think that God, when He so
loved the 
> world (John 3:16) was saying that He liked the world.  But He did
exercise 
> > sacrificial love.
> >
> > I would translate agape as a delight in and desire for the 
> > well-being of
> > the objects of the love, even to the point of self-sacrifice, if 
> > necessary.
> > 
> > Hope this helps,
> > 
> > George
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > George A. Goolde
> > Professor, Bible and Theology
> > Southern California Bible College & Seminary
> > El Cajon, California
> > 
> > goolde at mtnempire.net

Dear George,

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the input, but I'm not seeing what you
mean by Agape yet. 

It seems to me that defining 'agape' to EXCLUDE emotions, feelings,
tenderness of heart and an affection/liking for something or someone
doesn't fit with the general use of the word.  If one does things because
they are right...then what's the difference between Paul's kickoff to 1
Cor 13 & Agape (sacrificing even our bodies to the flames but have not
AGAPE)? I really want to try to let my theology (and I don't want to
inject theology into this list) be driven by a fair exegesis of the text.

So, if 'Agape' normally includes the idea of a warm affection for someone
based on a valuing of that person, then why couldn't John 3:16 include
the idea that hO THEOS had such a warm affectionate liking for the KOSMOS
that He gave....?  Isn't it true that John's useage of Agape is really a
simple view, which drives us to conclude that John didn't intend to split
emotions, affection, warmth of heart from the word Agape?  I think I
agree with Dave Reigles on this one.

I know the definition you have given is popular, but where can I find a
lexicon which states that definition? 

If you define Agape to include delight but not a warmth or emotional
feeling, what do you mean by delight?

My bottom line question is: Can I stand with confidence and say that
normally 'Agape' should not be presented as a decision of the will that
doesn't involve affection or emotions or warmth of heart; So when I state
that Agape is more than a logical, rational decision resulting in action,
then I'm on solid grounds exegetically, for most passages in John &
elsewhere in the NT? 

Thanks for interacting with me on this issue. I cherish the input.

David Bielby 
Vineyard Bloomington-Normal   Illinois  USA
E-Mail dbielby at juno.com
Phone 309-827-8292



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