April 19, 2015

Background Scripture: 1 John 4-5

Devotional Reading: Romans 8:31-39

I just finished scanning the morning newspaper – and as nicely as I can put it, I was appalled by what I read, especially the letters to the editor on the editorial pages.

Our editorial pages are the last two pages of the first section of the newspaper, so by the time I got to these two pages, I was already disturbed by the news stories that “oozed” with conflict and downright hatred. But several letters by self-identified “Christians” only deepened my gloom, for they presented Christianity at its worst: judgmental, angry and hateful. 

I decided that if I were on the outside looking in to Christianity, I would not be attracted to it unless I, too, were filled with disdain and loathing for those with whom I disagree. Love seeks not limits, but outlets. Too often, we bottle up Christian love with limits as to whom God’s love and ours must be available.

Putting down the newspaper and turning to write this column, I turned once again to 1 John 4-5, and my gloom deepened as I read: “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not know love does not know for God is love … No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7,8,11,12).

I acknowledge this passage may be interpreted in two different ways: that we are to love all people (including the “unlovable”), or we are called to love only our brothers and sisters in Christ (and that does not include Christians who are “unlovable” or those whom we regard as “disbelievers”).

My response would be to say “Praise God!” if most Christians would love other Christians (and not just those with whom they agree). But, in so many other places in the New Testament it is clear Christians are called to love everyone, including our “enemies.”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?“ (Mt. 5:43-46).

What kind of love?

What I am going to say next, I’m sure you’ve read and/or heard many times. Whereas in English the word “love” is used predominantly in translation, in Greek there are several words that express different aspects of love. Eros is the love of a man and a woman. Storge is the word for family affection, as philia is brotherly and sisterly love.

Philanthropia represents humanitarianism. And agape is used to signify God’s benevolent love for us, our love to God and our love for fellow human beings.  Whereas eros is based primarily upon feelings and emotions, agape is based upon our loving obedience to God’s will and treating others as we want God to treat us.

So, very often, responding with agape love to others is an act of will more than emotion. It may be an oversimplification, but eros is a response to what we want, while agape is a response to what God wants. And that is why Jesus told us to “love” our enemies (Mt. 5:43,44; Lk. 6:27; 6:35; Ro. 12:20).

When we have enemies – whether we call them that – we often get caught in the desire to inflict retribution on them. But the best way to get rid of enemies is to turn them into friends. We may think it an impossible task, but frequently it is unbelievably easy, a fact unknown to us because we’ve never tried it.

Daniel Poling is right on target when he says: “Hate cannot destroy hate, but love can and does. Not the soft and negative thing that has carried the name and misrepresented the emotion, but love that suffers all things and is kind, love that accepts responsibility, love that marches, love that suffers, love that bleeds and dies for a great cause – yet to rise again!”

Maybe that is because often you and your “enemy” get tired of regarding each other with animosity. It takes tremendous energy to continue to harass and/or be harassed by an enemy. It is an invigorating experience to convert an enemy into a friend. Question: Between now and the time God calls you home, how many enemies could you win as friends if you tried and asked God to help you? Love, after all, is turning belief into action.

Jesus’ mistakes?

Today, in a magazine to which I subscribe, I saw a cartoon in which Roman Catholic Pope Francis is holding a document labeled “Love, Caring, Justice” and is confronted by a man saying, “You’re making exactly the same crazy impractical mistakes as Jesus!”

I pray that Pope Francis may continue to make those “mistakes.” But it is a job too big for even a pope, and we in our own churches and denominations need to be as “mistaken” as he is. Frederick Spanheim the Elder says: “They are the true disciples of Christ, not who know most, but who love most.”

What poses a threat to the Gospel of Jesus Christ also poses a threat to the whole world. Harper Lee, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird, has also written: “Without love, life is pointless and dangerous. Man is on his way to Venus, but he still hasn’t learned to live with his wife. “Man has succeeded in increasing his lifespan, yet he exterminates his brothers six million at a whack. Man now has the power to destroy himself and his planet; depend upon it, he will – should he cease to love.”

The world appears to be on a dangerous, self-destructive track. Love has the power to get the world on the right track. But, if you speak of love, nobody will know what you mean unless you act it out.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.