Agape

If Christian theology is summarised in just one word, that one precious word is ‘Agape’. This one word mesmerises humanity, changes lives, turns enemies into friends, bonds God and mankind together, has turned our death into life and brings meaning and purpose to our lives.

If a person had only agape and nothing else, that person, without any doubt, would have everything, However, if a person has everything, but does not have agape, then he has nothing, he gains nothing. St Paul describes ‘Agape’ in 1 Corinthians 13. My husband and I chose this reading for our wedding, as most couples do, as it speaks about Love.

It’s not the kind of love, that is here today and gone tomorrow. ‘Agape’ is God’s kind of love, its eternal. When St Paul wrote this epistle to the Corinthians, he was not writing it for couples in engagement encounter retreats or for the newlyweds. He was explaining what agape love is to the born-again Christians, the ones that were spirit filled, the ones that were supernaturally gifted. He was writing it to the charismatic, he was writing to you and me.

It is obvious that the world does not know agape love, but it is more grievous that many of God’s people fall short of agape love. The reason is that if people are not careful with their gifts, then those gifts can divert their focus away from God and towards their abilities to operate those gifts, and soon it becomes more like show business instead of worship. Yes, surely there are divine healing, miracles, deliverance, prophesy, tongues, faith, generosity, signs and wonders. However, if we do not operate in agape love, it all becomes useless. It’s like seeking the hand of God and then turning your face away from Him. We need to be people that seek the heart of God more than anything, and that would be to pursue agape love.

A human person is just a vessel for God to operate these gifts. It is God who heals, delivers and does miracles. God uses ordinary people, with weaknesses, that are available to Him. These people are far from being perfect. If God only wanted to use perfect people, there would be none. It is not our gift that defines us, it is agape love, which defines our relationship with God and others.

St Paul was disappointed with the Corinthians’ lack of love and fanaticism for temporal gifts, as he would be disappointed with most of us today. He observes the rivalry and the division in the body of Christ and he addresses this issue in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, stating we are gifted differently, but we all are members of the same body, the body of Christ. When you hurt a member, you are hurting the body of Christ.

that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (1 Corinthians 12: 25-26 NRSV)

St Paul emphasises that there is a gift that is higher than all other gifts and a way that is beyond comparison, and he recommends pursuing this excellent way. This gift, that is beyond any comparison, is ‘The Gift of Love’.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles.  Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?  But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12: 27-30 NRSV)

When we fail to operate in love, our gifts amount to nothing, we gain nothing.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 NRSV)

As believers, we have these extraordinary gifts, that we can use to edify each other, build each other. However, if we do not have love, we end up hurting each other, tearing each other down; whereas, love always focuses on building up.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a NRSV)

How would you know who is a genuine Christian and who is a counterfeit Christian? You would know them by the fruits they bear, whether they operate in agape love or not. We also need to be conscious of our own love walk. Are we bearing the fruits of the Spirit? It is easier to look at the faults of others and correct them. God wants us to be humble and reflect and examine our own behaviour so that we do not falter and fail.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7: 15-20 NRSV).

The only way we know if people are a genuine Christian is to observe if they bear the fruit of love and if they are mostly patient and kind. You will know they have no love, if they are mostly envious, boastful, arrogant and rude. If they always insist on having their own way, they are irritable or resentful, they rejoice in wrongdoing. You know they are a genuine Christian when they rejoice in the truth, they bear all things, which means they are strong and resilient. They believe all things that the word of God says and do not contradict or oppose God’s teachings, they are teachable. They hope all things that are good for themselves and for others. They persist in what is right and endure hardship and persecution. They pursue what is true and honourable and do not give up easily.

If you fall short of Agape love, do not be disheartened. We develop those fruits when we let go of our selfish ambitions and passions and abide in Jesus Christ, and let His Holy Spirit guide us in becoming more like Jesus Christ.

 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5: 22-26 NRSV).