Agape

In 2 Samuel 13 (LXX) both ἀγαπάτω (agapαō, to love) and the cognate ἀγάπη (agapē, love) can refer to Ammon’s incestuous rape of his half sister Tamar (2 Sam. 13:15, LXX). When we read that Demas forsook Paul because he loved this present, evil world, there is no linguistic reason to be surprised that the verb is ἀγαπάτω (agapαō, 2 Tim. 4:10). John 3:35 records that the Father loves the Son and uses the verb ἀγαπάτω (agapαō); John 5:20 repeats the thought, but uses φίλέω (phileō)–without any discernible shift in meaning. The false assumptions surrounding this pair of words are ubiquitous; and so I shall return to them again. My only point here is that there is nothing intrinsic to the verb ἀγαπάτω (agapαō) or the noun ἀγάπη (agapē) to prove its real meaning or hidden meaning refers to some special kind of love.

Perhaps I should add that I am not suggesting there is nothing distinctive about God’s love. The Scriptures insist there is. But the content of God’s love is not connected on a one-to-one basis with the semantic range of any single word or word group. What the Bible has to say about the love of God is conveyed by sentences, paragraphs, discourses, and so forth; that is, by larger semantic units than the word.

—D.A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies.

Arminian Prayer

Lord, I thank thee I am not like those poor presumptuous Calvinists. Lord, I was born with a glorious free-will; I was born with power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace that I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves. Thou givest grace to everybody; some do not improve it, but I do. There are many that will go to hell as much bought with the blood of Christ as I was; they had as much of the Holy Ghost given to them; they had as good a change, and were as much blessed as I am. It was not thy grace that made us to differ; I know it did a great deal, still I turned the point; I made use of what was given me, and others did not-that is the difference between me and them.

—Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons: Volume 1 (Albany, OR: Ages Software, 1998), Sermon #52, Free-will - Slave

His Love

We love because he first loved us. Your love, your affection for other people will only extend insofar as you perceive the love of God in Christ in your life. If you think that God has been sparing in his love toward you, then you will be sparing in your love toward others. If you think that you deserved His love, then your love for others will be conditional on their deserving it. If you feel that His love for you is based on your actions, then you will base your love for others on their actions. But if you know deeply that because of Jesus you're loved richly, unconditionally, generously, warmly, affectionately:—you will grow in that love toward others.

—Rev. Mark Fodale, The Gospel to the Philippians: The Affection of Christ Jesus, Philippians 1.1-11, 7/29/2012.