Many people say they love Jesus. Exactly how much, and in what way do you love Jesus?
Adults learn that talk is cheap. People say many things, but what they do is sometimes different. People sometimes say one thing in public, a different thing is said in private among family and close friends, and an even greater difference what is privately thought (shared with nobody), and is different again from what they eventually do. All this is commonly called virtue signaling, hypocrisy, lying, and similar.
In John 14:15, Jesus says:
If ye love me, keep my commandments.The Greek word for love used here is Strong's G25, agapeo which has the following meaning:
- of people
- to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
- of things
- to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing
There is another similar word (but with a world of difference), which is Strong's G5368 phileo which has the following meaning:
- to love
- to approve of
- to like
- sanction
- to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend
- to show signs of love
- to kiss
- to be fond of doing
- be wont, use to do
To fully understand the difference, consider a young woman who is considering caving in to her boyfriend's sinful, relentless pressure to have sex outside of marriage. She asks him,
Do you love me?
to which he responds,
"Oh ya, I really like you!
Should the girl consider this a positive response to her question? Based on his response, has she found her one & only true life-long soul mate, who will deeply love her and cherish her, and have children with her, till death do they part?
To me, it seems that he can't even pretend he has a deep, passionate respect and love for her. By his prior pressure and his answer, he seems to merely wants sex, and deflects the question when she asks for a show of commitment.
Let's look at how the disciples loved (or liked) Jesus.
In John 21:7-18 Jesus has a cryptic, yet telling conversation with Peter:
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved,G25 agapao saith unto Peter, "It is the Lord". Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.10 Jesus saith unto them, "Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.12 Jesus saith unto them, "Come and dine." And none of the disciples durst ask him, 'Who art thou?' knowing that it was the Lord.13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovestG25 agapao thou me more than these?" He saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love,G5368 phileo thee." He saith unto him, "Feed my lambs." 16 He saith to him again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest,G25 agapao thou me?" He saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I loveG5368 phileo thee." He saith unto him, "Feed my sheep." 17 He saith unto him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovestG5368 phileo thou me?" Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, 'LovestG5368 phileo thou me?' And he said unto him, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I loveG5368 phileo thee." Jesus saith unto him, "Feed my sheep."
Before I knew how to go to the original Greek, I always found this passage to be strange. What was Jesus trying to get Peter to say? Likely, Peter was equally confused and uncomfortable. Peter kept expanding his answer that he responded with, trying to satisfy Jesus, trying to end the interrogation. Peter liked living in the gray areas of assumptions and superficiality.
Now, we have excellent online tools (such as Blue Letter Bible ) to help us go to the original Greek and better understand what was really going on. Strong's Lexicon numbers every Greek ("Gxxxx") and Hebrew ("Hxxxx") word used in the Bible, where it is used, and its definition. A useful reference text. Blue Letter Bible makes Strong's Lexicon available to everybody.
In Verse 7 of the Bible passage shown above, the disciple whom Jesus loved (Strong's G25, agapao) was John.
In Verses 15 to 16, Jesus tried 3 times to get Peter to say that Peter loved Jesus in a Strong's G25 agapao way. Each time, Peter refused Jesus' proposal, lessening Peter's love to just "liking" Jesus in a Strong's G5368 phileo manner.
So as to not force Peter to do something Peter was unwilling to do, eventually Jesus gives up inviting Peter to the deepest form of G25 agapao love.
Trying to accept Peter where he was at, in Verse 17 Jesus reduces his prior proposal of G25 agapao love, settling for the mere G5368 phileo level of friendship.
Peter accepts this modified proposal, and responds in a like manner at the friendship level of G5368 phileo love.
Conclusion
Therefore you need to decide for yourself exactly how & how much you love Jesus. Is it:- A fair weather, superficial, "take it while you can easily get it", a Strong's G5368 phileo type of love?
or - A unique, loyal, deep, all important, whatever it takes, never let it go, live or die for it, eternal, Strong's G25 agapao type of love?
How about you? How do you want to love Jesus, as a friend G25 fileo way, or like Apostle John, in a 100%, full-on, G5368 agapao manner?
Remember, in John 14:15, Jesus says:
If ye loveG25 agapao me, keep my commandments.Also remember Jesus' statement in Luke 13:22-28
22 And He [Jesus] went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.23 Then said one unto Him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" And He said unto them,24 "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." 25 "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open unto us'; and He shall answer and say unto you, 'I know you not whence ye are':26 Then shall ye begin to say, 'We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.' 27 But He shall say, 'I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.' 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."If you aren't convinced by the verses above, see the following:
[Mat 7:23 KJV] 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
[Mat 25:41 KJV] 41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
[Psa 6:8 KJV] 8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
[Tit 1:16 KJV] 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Being thrust out of the Kingdom of God means you are thrown into the Lake of Fire, to be burned & tormented in Hell for ever & ever.
That is why you need a deep, complete, forever love of Jesus. You must have an agapao type of love, which drives you to willingly keep God's Commandments, and thereby avoid iniquity (ie. premeditated, purposeful sin on a chronic basis).
For more info on iniquity and its fatal consequences, see my Blog posting here.
The superficial friendship kind of love (G5368 fileo) will likely foster iniquity, and iniquity sends you to Hell.
Please download God's 26 Commandments for Christians (available here), then follow the instructions at the end. Time is short, do it today, before it's too late.
Part 2: Agapeo Love Vs. Iniquity
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