The
phrase “I love you with all my heart” is one that is used a lot to express a
true and deep love for another person. I say it a lot to my wife. In saying
that, what does it really mean?
In
the Greek language there were four words we translate love. Only three are used
in the New Testament. The one that is not used is eros. It means sexual passion
or sexual desire or it can mean a love of the physical attributes of a person.
It is not used in the New Testament but that does not mean all sexual desire is
wrong. God created us with sexual desire and it is a good thing when used as
God intended it, to be expressed in a marriage relationship between one man and
one woman. And certainly, appreciating someone who we see as beautiful is not
wrong as long as it does not turn into lusting. It is not used because the
focus on the New Testament is a different kind of love.
The
three words used in the New Testament for love are agapao, phileo, and storge.
Storge is used only a very few times and it means affection, the kind we feel
toward parents and children. Phileo means brotherly love and is the concept of
being a good friend to another person. The word that is used by far the most is
agapao and it means an unconditional, no boundaries, timeless love that is
shown by our actions.
Agapao
is the kind of love that God has for us and the kind of love that we are to
show to Him. The difference between it and the other three kinds of love is
that agapao is not based on emotions but of an intentional choice of the mind
to love. It is not a person just feeling an emotion of love, it is a person
deciding to love and showing that love in actions.
In
Mark 12:30 Jesus tells us that we are to love God with all our heart and soul
and mind and strength. We are to love God with our entire being, meaning using
our mind to do that.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Wall is about loving God with our whole life by
intentionally choosing to do that.
In
Romans 12:2 we are told to let God transform our minds so that we can know
God’s will and understand that His will is good and acceptable and perfect. We
come to know God’s will with our minds. We let God transform our minds and that
allows us to choose to obey God.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about letting God transform our minds so we
can choose to obey His will and come to know how good God’s will is.
In
Colossians 3:2 we are told to set our minds on the things above, eternal things,
because things below are of the earth and temporary. We choose to focus our
minds on the things of God.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about setting our minds on eternal things, not
temporary earthly things.
In
Philippians 4:6-7 we are told not to be anxious about anything but to pray
about everything, and that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. God’s
peace does not just calm our emotions but steadies our minds, our thinking and
decision making.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is bringing everything to God in prayer and
experiencing His peace in our lives.
In
Ephesians 6:17 we are told to put on the helmet of salvation. The helmet
protects our minds. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction
of sin and the acknowledgement of our need for Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing by choosing with our minds
to surrender our lives to Jesus as our Lord.
In
2 Corinthians 2:16 we are told that have the mind of Christ. We as followers of
Jesus have the Holy Spirit forming the mind of Christ in us.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about knowing that as disciples of Jesus, the
Holy Spirit is forming His mind in us.
1
John 3:18 says, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed
and truth.”
That
is the essence of agapao. We choose to love and do it in actions and truth.
In
Agapao Love by Raising the Roof and Remove the Walls,
Joe
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