God's Love for You

There are two words used in the original language of the New Testament for love, the Greek words Phileo and agape. Simply defined, Phileo is friendship love. Phileo is a conditional love based on the actions, character, or lovability of the object being loved.

Agapa, on the other hand, is unconditional love. It is not based upon the character of the one being loved, but on the character of the one expressing love. Agape loves whether the person is deserving of not because it has chosen to love. This is the kind of love God has for us.

By sending His only Son to die for our sins and to give us life, God demonstrated His unconditional love. He continues to love us conditionally regardless of our behavior or performance. It is vital that we understand His agape love toward us if we are to love others in the same way.