Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Relationships and Religion
God loves us

God loves us

Last updated on: September 17, 2022 at 1:52 pm by Dorian Scott Cole

God loves us 2022-09-17T13:52:37-06:00 Dorian Scott Cole

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

God doesn’t depend on us for anything. God loves us and we depend on God. We’re expected to share that love with all others.

Love defined in Ancient Greek and English

Love defined in Ancient Greek and English. Image composition by Dorian Scott Cole

“What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,” – Psalm 8:4-6 (NASB)

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” – 1 John 3:1 (NASB)

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10 (NASB)

Jesus asks, “Do you love me?”

The New Testament was written in Greek. It’s been translated into Aramaic (language of Jesus), English, and many other languages. Two words meaning types of “love” were translated in both Aramaic and English into one word: Love.

In the Greek this is very obvious in the passage where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. But not so in the English translation below:

“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.” – John 21: 14 – 17 (NASB)

In Greek, the first time Jesus asked, he used the word “agape?” Agape is divine love that God has for us and we have for God and others. It’s part of the character of God.

Peter replied: “philia,” which is brotherly love.

The second time repeated the first time.

The third time Jesus asked, “philia?” Love me like a brother?

Peter replied, “philia.”

Peter was asked not just about loving Jesus like a brother or friend, but about a divine type of love for others – was this part of his character. Jesus clarified that Peter could show agape love for the followers of Jesus, but that he had a personal relationship with Jesus. He would spread Jesus’ message to others.

In English we don’t create a distinction about types of love. We don’t even separate “eros,” which is romantic or sexual attraction, out of the word love. In usage of the word love, we love everything from games to pictures to movies – the list is endless of things we love. We lose important distinctions.

Takeaway

God loves every single person on Earth more than we can imagine. Jesus was an example of God’s love. What Jesus asks of us isn’t to have some kind of affection for others, but to demonstrate the divine love for all others that God has for us. God expects his children, to whom he has given everything and loves beyond measure, to have that same love for all others.

________________________

The standard of belief and conduct for Christianity is love. If there is legalism, this is the legal standard above all.

________________________

If you find these articles intriguing, please consider joining the mailing list.

If I’ve challenged your thinking, I’ve done my job.

___________________

Our answer is God. God’s answer is us. Together we make the world better.

– Dorian

Contemplative

Evangelical

General Christian

Humanist

Interfaith

More Voices

New Visions

Nonreligious

Relationships and Religion

About Dorian Scott Cole

Additional information about the author is on the About tab. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

September 13, 2022

What is love: The Apostles

Next Post

September 17, 2022 Series List for 2022

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz