Love & Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford

The Bible gives many examples of love: the caring provision of Boaz for Ruth the deep friendship of David and Jonathan the poetic, passionate love of Solomon and the Shulamite the enduring commitment of Hosea to Gomer the fatherly love of Paul for Timothy and John for the church and, of course, the sacrificial, saving love of Christ for the elect.Īgape, the benevolent, selfless love that God shows, is mentioned often in the New Testament, including in the “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13. In the Greek, this word is agape, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one. Some of these words mean “affectionate love” others indicate “friendship” and still others, “erotic, sexual love.” There is also a distinct word for the type of love that God displays. The Bible uses several different words for “love” in the Hebrew and Greek, interchanging them depending on context. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love. In fact, the Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8) in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. The Bible has a great deal to say about love.

Love & Other Curses by Michael Thomas Ford