Christian love is love that gows

This post was from my study in 1Peter. I wrote it long ago, but I just realized it never posted. When I read it, I thought it was worthy of posting, so, here goes.

In Peter's first letter, he tells the believers that we are to have a love for each other that is growing and maturing. 


1 Peter 1:22
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart 

Peter tells us that we have love for the brethren, but tells us TO love one another. 

In this verse, Peter uses two different Greek words for love.
We begin, as born again Christians, who have had our souls purified, to love the brothers. The word Peter used here is filadelfian, which comes form the word fileo, brotherly love, fondness, feeling of affection (NT:5368 o be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling;). We have this love in a sincere form, without hypocrisy. This is the love that is expected. Peter takes for granted that we would all have this kind of love. This brotherly love is the base line, the starting point.

Then he gives the command, fervently love, agapeesete,  Godly love (NT:5368 wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety) godlike sacrificial love.

Love of brothers comes easily and quickly…when we like them. Sometimes we just feel a connection and we have a sincere love, nothing fake, but a true brotherly affection.
To continue in love, we have to make a judgment, deliberate assent, a decision.
Our love should grow. It begins with brotherly love, friendship, connection, companionship love. It grows to a love that is based on a decision, a set of the will and the mind to love, a love that will continue no matter what, a love that is willing to sacrifice for others, a love that considers the others above ourselves, that looks out for their best interest.  We share agape love because we belong to God and therefore can overlook differences.
Christian love is not a feeling, it is a matter of the will. We show love to others when we treat them the same way God treats us. God forgives us, so we forgive others. God is kind to us, so we are kind to others. It is not a matter of feeling but of willing, and this is something we must constantly work at if we are to succeed.

This is the word that is most often used for love in the NT.  Almost every time Jesus spoke of love, he used the form of Agape.
I am reminded of John 21, when Jesus spoke to Peter after his resurrection. He asked Peter, do you Agape me and Peter replied, I fileo you. Again, Do you Agape me; Lord, you know I fileo You. Then Jesus said, Peter, do you fileo me. Peter said, You know I fileo you.
Now Peter is telling his readers. I know you have fileo that is real, sincere, but you must have agape.
 AGAPE love is used in the verses below.
Jesus tells us that we are to have this kind of love for each other, a love that is based on commitment, that will last.
Mark 12:30-31
 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'  31 "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
John 13:34
 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
This is the kind of love that Christ loves us with, a love that caused Him to give His life for us.
Eph 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
Paul describes this kind of love in 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Cor 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind and  is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  6  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Peter goes on to say that we are to fervently love one another.  We are to love fervently, intently. The only other time this Greek word is used is in Acts 12:5,
" Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him…"  without ceasing is the same word. This is an athletic term that means "striving with all of one's energy." Love is something we have to work at, just as an Olympic contestant has to work at his particular skills. That is the way we are to love.