The document outlines the concept of love, distinguishing three Greek words for love: eros (sexual love), philia (friendship love), and agapē (divine love). It emphasizes that agapē is a selfless, deliberate act to seek the highest good for others, and discusses love in three dimensions: for God, for others, and for self. Furthermore, it explains how love is demonstrated through obedience to God and acts of kindness towards others.

2. Reflecting Jesus
2. Love Explained

3. Lesson Outline
1. Love Defined
2. Love Described
3. Love Demonstrated

4. 1. Love Defined

5. Love Defined
But what is love?
The word is in such common use to
describe such a diverse range of actions
and emotions that it is essential to define
exactly what love is.

6. Love Defined
Three Greek words for ‘love’
Greek had three words for love. Although there
is some overlap in their use, eros usually refers
to sexual ‘love’, philia is the general word for
love, and when biblical writers speak about
God’s love they usually use agapē.

7. Love Defined
Three Kinds of Love • Eros is physical love that
results from sexual
1. Eros desire and is
appropriate only
between a husband and
wife.
• Eros is based on need—
‘what the other person
can do for me’.

8. Love Defined
Three Kinds of Love • Philia is human
love, the natural
1. Eros fondness and kindness
2. Philia between friends is the
dominant characteristic
of philia.
• Philia is based on
mutuality—‘what we
can do for each other’.

9. Love Defined
Three Kinds of Love • Agapē is divine
love, that which is
1. Eros based on the nature of
2. Philia God himself.
• Agapē is more than a
3. Agapē
wave of emotion, it is a
decision of the will to
always act in another
person’s best interest.

10. Love Defined
Eros Philia Agape
Sexual love Natural love Divine love
Between loves Between friends From God to man
Based on needs Based on likes Based on values
What can you do for What can we do for What can I do for
me? each other? you?
I love me and use I love you; you love I love you and serve
you. me. you.

11. Love Defined
Agapē, or divine love, is the spirit which says, ‘No
matter what any man does to me, I will never seek
to harm him; I will never seek revenge; I will always
seek nothing but his highest good.’ Agapē is
unconquerable benevolence, invincible good will. It
is a principle by which we deliberately live. In other
words, it is a deliberate principle of the mind and a
deliberate conquest of the will. It is not simply a
wave of emotion (Rozell).

12. 2. Love Described

13. Love Described
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love
your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments.’

14. Love Described
Love operates in three dimensions:
1. Upward: Love for God
2. Outward: Love for others
3. Inward: Love for self

15. Love Described

16. 3. Love Demonstrated

17. All Christian love is rooted in
THE LOVE OF GOD

18. Love Demonstrated
John 3:16 Romans 5:8
For God so loved the world But God demonstrates his own
that he gave his one and only love for us in this: While we
Son, that whoever believes in were still sinners, Christ died
him shall not perish but have for us.
eternal life.
1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God!

19. Christians demonstrate love in response to
THE LOVE OF GOD

20. Love Demonstrated
How are we to show love? John 14:15, 23-24
‘If you love me, you will obey what
1. Love for God
I command …’ Jesus replied, ‘If
anyone loves me, he will obey my
teaching. My Father will love
him, and we will come to him and
make our home with him. He who
does not love me will not obey my
teaching. These words you hear are
not my own; they belong to the
Father who sent me.’

21. Love Demonstrated
How are we to show love? Galatians 5:22-23
1. Love for God • patience
• kindness
2. Love for others
• goodness
• faithfulness
We examine these in detail in
the rest of this study.

22. Love Demonstrated
How are we to show love? Biblical self-love
• Do what God says is best for
1. Love for God
you.
2. Love for others • Submit to Jesus Christ as
your Lord and Saviour.
3. Love for self
• Nurture your relationship
with the Lord.
• Say no to harmful lusts and
sins that appeal to your
flesh.

23. Love Demonstrated
The concept of loving yourself is a double-edged
sword. There is a biblical kind of self-love, and a
sinful kind of self-love. The biblical kind of self-
love is treating yourself with agapē, that
is, being a good steward of your life under God’s
instructions. The sinful kind of self-love is
selfish, living to please the desires of your flesh.

24. Love Demonstrated
Selfishness Stewardship
Haughty Humble
Felt needs Real needs
Obey passions Apply principles
Self-satisfaction Self-discipline
Ruled by greed Ruled by God

25. Conclusion

26. Conclusion
1. Love defined: agapē is the kind of love God shows
us: acting for another’s highest good.
2. Love described: we must love in three dimensions:
God, others, and ourselves.
3. Love demonstrated: as obedience towards God, as
fruits towards others, and as stewardship towards
ourselves.