That we now feel shame physically is a result of the fall. And not coincidentally, many who struggle with lust are also plagued by feelings of shame. Even in the context of the marital covenant, epithumia may be absent or minimized; this can be symptomatic of problem areas that need correcting, such as painful experiences of the past or poor communication in the present.
Thanks be to God, with Christ, our physical desires can be reordered, purified, and even enlarged beyond what we imagined possible. It can be present with or without epithumia. This, of course, is a lie straight from the devil. This love is one of affection or belonging. In fact, most of us, if given the choice, would not choose to love or be friends with our relatives. This love offers an emotional refuge from the outside world. This is a rich and powerful form of love, but it can become disordered, when, for example, we take family members for granted, or show them disdain.
At the same time, throughout His life, He made clear that this form of love can also be a barrier or stumbling block. We may even be forced to choose Him at the expense of our blood relations see Mark —30 and Luke — The next love, philia , does appear in the New Testament.
This love is a product of mutuality of interests, time, insights, vision, and experiences. Marriage would not be as God designed it without philia. Common interests are often cultivated while dating, but spouses must continue to cultivate them over time to prevent the closeness in the relationship from eroding.
Relationships are not unlike the second law of thermodynamics: anything left to itself eventually diminishes; useful energy dissipates into disordered energy. The only way to overcome this is an intentional infusion of ordered energy.
Spouses do not need to share all of the same interests that would be boring! One thing that brought Karen and me together was similar taste a somewhat eclectic one, I admit in music and film. Below are a few Scripture examples of God's great love for you! Design credit: Unsplash. Our good, our sins, our past and our flaws are all bare before His eyes, yet being the perfect Father He is, He washes, changes, teaches and grows us tenderly.
He reminds us of our worth as his sons and daughters. He wants to forgive, bless and take care of us. He loves us with unconditional agape love. Heavenly Father, You have shown me what true love is. Before I knew you, you loved me and poured your love out for me on the cross. Lord, I pray that I would reflect your agape love to this world. Lead me by the Holy Spirit to love selflessly and sacrificially Ours alternates all to readily.
If it is our habit to love God with our own affection we shall turn cold towards Him whenever we are unhappy. Your rock is Christ, and it is not the rock that ebbs and flows but the sea. The sun shines as clearly in the darkest day as it does in the brightest. The difference is not in the sun, but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof. It is true whether we believe it or not. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.
For more study on the four types of love in Scripture:. This article is part of our larger resource library of terms important to the Christian faith. From heaven and hell, to communion and baptism, we want to provide easy to read and understand articles that answer your questions about theological terms and their meaning. Storge is based on familiarity. A person will love their family regardless of whether they are people the person would be drawn to otherwise; family members often have nothing in common except familiarity and blood.
Storge is a comfortable affection that can be taken for granted, but it can also be very powerful. Eros is romantic love.
Eros is often associated with sexual desire and lust, but it can also be a good thing in a marriage relationship when accompanied by and bolstering with other kinds of love. Philia is friendship love. This word is used in the Bible. Whereas lovers are both preoccupied with each other, friends are both preoccupied with the same things. Friends, of course, care about one another, but it is similar interests that attract them to one another.
Philia is often overlooked in modern culture, but it is exhorted in the Bible. In Romans , Paul urges the believers to be devoted to one another in brotherly philia. Philia can be strongly associated with agape as well. Agape could be defined as charity. Agape love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return. This is the type of love the Bible speaks about the most.
The New Testament references agape over times. To the Greeks, proper agape meant a general empathy or lovingkindness for all people.
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