1 Corinthians 13:4, 6-8 (NKJV). Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;… does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
There are two kinds of love: Phileo and Agape. We are very familiar with Phileo love, but we need to know what is Agape love because God loves us with and commands us is to love with Agape love.
Agape love is the undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of others, regardless of their actions. It is a self-sacrificing love that gives freely without expecting anything in return and does not consider the worth of its object. It is a love by choice.
Agape love is unconditional. God initiated the plan of salvation even though He had conceived it long before the foundation of the world by establishing the Abrahamic Covenant, so that He would resolve the sin issue that separated us from Him. It is a love by choice, so that all the families of the earth will be blessed without exception. All of us can be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ. God demonstrated His love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He has chosen not to leave us nor forsake us through the establishment of the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. He has chosen not to remember our sins and lawless deeds because of His Agape love for us. God is aware of the weakness of our flesh. Yet, He has chosen to see us in Christ so that we will always be seen as righteous, holy, and blameless. All this is done out of Agape love, while we are still imperfect! He doesn’t consider our worth because He has chosen to love us regardless of our current state. It keeps loving because it is unconditional.
Jesus showed compassion for people while He was on earth. Love flowed from Him whenever He saw their conditions or needs. He acted out of love by ministering to them through providing food for the crowd, felt for those who had no one to shepherd them, and was empathetic when they lost loved ones. Jesus taught us to go the extra mile in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and He expects us to show the same kind of love to everyone, whether they love us in return or not. We are to love our neighbours, Christians and non-Christians alike, and even enemies with this love through the new creation and with His nature in us. This kind of love can only be lived through the empowerment and enablement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit is full of love for people, and He expects us to serve Him and the people around us with the gifts He has given us.
Reflection: In what practical ways can you cultivate Agape love through the Holy Spirit’s empowerment in your church, family, and workplace?
Sermon Series: Stewardship is Established in Love
以同样的爱去爱他人
哥林多前书 13:4, 6-8 爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，不自夸，不张狂；……不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。爱是永不止息。先知讲道之能终必归于无有，说方言之能终必停止，知识也终必归于无有。
爱有两种：Phileo（情感之爱）和Agape（无条件之爱）。我们对 Phileo比较熟悉，但我们更需要认识Agape，因为神以这种爱来爱我们，也命令我们以这种爱去爱人。
Agape 是一种不可战胜的良善与坚定不移的善意，总是寻求他人最高的益处，不论对方的行为如何。这是一种舍己的爱，甘心付出却不求回报，也不以对方是否“配得”作为爱的条件。这是一种出于选择的爱。
Agape 爱是无条件的。神在创立世界以前就设立了救赎的计划，借着与亚伯拉罕所立的约，要解决使人类与祂隔绝的罪的问题，使地上的万族都能得福。这是一种出于选择的爱，使所有人都能因耶稣基督的宝血得救。神向我们显明祂的爱：就在我们还作罪人的时候，基督就为我们死了。借着在耶稣血里所立的新约，祂选择不离弃我们，也不撇下我们；祂也选择不再记念我们的罪和过犯。这一切都出于祂的 Agape 爱。神知道我们肉体的软弱，却仍选择在基督里看我们，使我们被视为公义、圣洁、无可指摘。祂不看我们的光景是否完全，因为祂选择无条件地爱我们。这爱持续不断，因为它本质上就是无条件的。
当耶稣在地上时，祂对人充满怜悯。祂看见人的需要，爱就自然流露出来。祂出于爱服事人——为众人预备食物，为无牧之羊感到怜悯，在人失去亲人时与他们一同哀痛。耶稣在“好撒玛利亚人”的比喻中教导我们要多走一里路，也期望我们以同样的爱对待每一个人，不论对方是否回报。我们要以这样的爱去爱邻舍——无论是基督徒或非基督徒，甚至仇敌——因为我们在新造的人里，有祂的生命与性情。这种爱，唯有靠着圣灵在我们心中的能力与帮助，才能真实地活出来。
圣灵本身充满对人的爱，祂也期待我们使用祂所赐的恩赐，去服事祂并服事身边的人。
默想：
在教会、家庭和职场中，你可以通过哪些实际的方式，依靠圣灵的能力来培养并活出 Agape 的爱？
讲章系列：管家职分建立在爱中