Psalms 18:1, “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.”
In these two Old Testament passages we find two different Hebrew words with separate meanings for the word “love.”
The Hebrew word for “love” in 2nd Chronicles 19:2 is ahab aheb, which is a more general term for love that can express romantic feelings or affection for anything. This is exactly what the Bible means in James 4:4, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” Jehu the prophet was telling king Jehoshaphat that he shouldn't help and be fond of wicked sinners.
Weirdo rockstar Marilyn Manson (real name: Brian Warner) once said: “If Jesus loves everybody, then what's the value of being loved?” That's a good question. Brian obviously doesn't love God and has rejected God's love for Him in Christ; hence, Marilyn Manson only understands one type of love and that is the world's affectionate type of love.
The word loved in this passage is agapao, God's true love. I like to teach the difference between agapao and phileo like this:
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus plainly teaches that all humans are our neighbor. James 2:8-10 plainly warns against becoming a respecter of persons. The Apostle James then reminds us that committing even one sin makes us guilty of all. Do you see what James is saying, and this is a profound truth? James is saying that even the best people are just as wicked as homosexuals, pedophiles and the worst of humanity!
People often misunderstand the pastor in question because he fails to differentiate between CONDITIONALLY hating the sinner because of their sin, versus still UNCONDITIONALLY loving the sinner with Christ's love and compassion.
The disturbing imprecatory prayers which David uttered are the expressions of man's desire for vengeance on God's enemies. Some Bible students would no doubt claim that these are not God’s precepts, but man’s defective prayers. But are these type of prayers really sinful cold-blooded expressions of malignant cruelty? I humbly think not. I do not believe it is sinful to cry out for justice from God, and to express anger and vengeance toward the wicked. That being said, I also firmly believe that such imprecatory prayers should always be embedded in a proper spirit of God's unconditional love for all mankind, even toward bitter enemies.
The word for “love” in Psalms 18:1 is Racham which refers to a deep, compassionate love, similar to the love a parent has for a child. This would be the equivalent of the Greek word agapao in the New Testament, which is God's love. ...
John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
Agapao and phileo are both Greek words for love used in the New Testament. Agapao typically refers to a selfless, unconditional love, while phileo denotes a brotherly or familial love, but both can be used interchangeably in many contexts.
Strong's Concordance reads concerning the Greek word phileo...
From G5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling
What saith the Scripture? ...
Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Colossians 3:1-3 sheds light on the correct understanding of a fondness type of love (phileo).
We learn from the Bible that there are two different types of love mentioned in the New Testament. There is God's love (Greek: agapao, meaning, “to love in a social or moral sense”), which is unconditional love; and then there is worldly love (Greek: phileo, meaning, “to be a friend to, have affection”) which is conditional love.
God loves [agapao] all mankind, which is why the Lord sacrificed His only begotten Son to pay everyone's sin debt. God has a special love [phileo] for His own, affectionate toward those who love and obey Him. This is a conditional love toward those who obey God.
God loves [agapao] all mankind, which is why the Lord sacrificed His only begotten Son to pay everyone's sin debt. God has a special love [phileo] for His own, affectionate toward those who love and obey Him. This is a conditional love toward those who obey God.
God loves everybody, even the vilest sinner who ever lived...
John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
AGAPAO = I love you because of WHO I AM.PHILEO = I love you because of WHO YOU ARE.
God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die in our place on a cross 2,000 years ago because of WHO HE IS (that is agapao love).
A shallow man is only fond of a woman for her physical beauty because of WHO SHE IS (that is phileo love).
I love [agapao] all people, whoever you may be, because of WHO I AM; but I have an affectionate love [phileo] for my web visitors because of WHO YOU ARE (my friends). I have both agapao and phileo love for those people who are near and dear to me. The Bible describes four different types of love using Greek terms:
- Eros (romantic love)
- Storge (familial love)
- Philia (brotherly love)
- Agape (divine, unconditional love)
Each type reflects different relationships and aspects of love in human experience.
So we now understand the answer to Marilyn Manson's question. Brian Warner only comprehends one type of love in the world, an affectionate type of love; but he is oblivious to God's unconditional love that can unconditionally love a complete stranger, even someone who is being unkind to us, mistreating us, or who has hurt us.
So we now understand the answer to Marilyn Manson's question. Brian Warner only comprehends one type of love in the world, an affectionate type of love; but he is oblivious to God's unconditional love that can unconditionally love a complete stranger, even someone who is being unkind to us, mistreating us, or who has hurt us.
The unsaved world mocks, scoffs and despises true love because they have rejected the gift of eternal life in the Lord Christ Jesus. Thus, they cannot express love for a stranger when they are strangers themselves to the Kingdom of God. Please read my helpful articles, God's Unconditional Love and God's Love In You.
I have heard pastors foolishly teach that we shouldn't love everybody. I love everybody. I loath and hate the homosexual community. I hate the Bible corrupting crowd. I hate the demonic Roman Catholic religion. I hate fornication and this wicked adulterous generation. I hate the abortion industry. I hate the liquor traffic cartel. I hate the ungodly Federal Reserve criminal gang. I hate the radical left-wing communist Democrat party, but I love the soul of the sinner.
I hate greedy corporations and shady advertising. I hate deceptive fine print. In the KOINE Greek language the word for “hate” is miseo, which means “to detest or love less.” I hate bikinis and public nudity wherever there is water in America. I hate the sin of women wearing pants in public. I think it is very interesting that there are four different types of love in the Holy Bible, but only one type of hate. I detest all of the aforementioned evils. I HATE SIN and EVIL (planned sin). Psalm 97:10 commands God's children to HATE EVIL.
There is nothing wrong with hating, if you hate the proper things. We should hate sin and evil, but never hate people. Jesus died on the cross because He loves humanity (John 3:16). He did not come into the world to condemn sinners; but rather, to save them (John 3:17). The Old Testament's Ten Commandments (The Law) condemns mankind (Romans 3:19-20). The primary purpose of The Law is to bring us to Christ to be saved by grace through faith (Galatians 3:24-26). Salvation is freely by grace, not by works that incur debt (Romans 4:4).
Christians Should Love Everyone
I firmly believe that Christians should have God's unconditional love for all sinners, regardless of how wicked they are. I hate sin as much as any preacher, but I do not hate sinners. Please do not misunderstand me dear reader. I believe Bible preachers must preach hard against all manner of sin. 1st Timothy 5:20, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” This Scripture passage simply means that open sin in a local church should not be tolerated, and must be dealt with by the pastor.
For example: Unmarried couples ought not be permitted to shack up in adultery and be accepted as church members in good standing (1st Corinthians 5:1-5). I personally would never kick anybody out of church, but I would preach without apology against sin. I would have someone removed if they disrupted the church service, until they behaved.
Along with adultery, I believe that homosexuality is a sin that should be a legally punishable crime, as it was in 1963 in all 50 states. Just because American society has woefully deteriorated morally to tolerate wickedness, doesn't mean that God has also changed. That being said, homosexuals are still sinners for whom Christ died on the cross of Calvary. What saith the Scripture? ...
Romans 5:6-9, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
I cherish that Scripture passage. Some people might sacrifice their life for a righteous man. A few people might even sacrifice their life for a good man. But who in the world would sacrifice their own life to spare a convicted guilty criminal? Jesus, that's who! That's the eternal point that the Apostle Paul is making here. Knowing that we are filthy rotten guilty sinners, God still sent His only begotten (biological) Son into the world to be beaten, mocked and crucified as a ransom for our sins. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
The prophet Jehu was reprimanding king Jehoshaphat for befriending the wicked world. 2nd Chronicles 19:2, “And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.” Jehoshaphat was helping wicked sinners work against the Lord. He loved them in the sense of favoring them, which is a wicked thing to do. As God's children we are commanded in 2nd Corinthians 6:14-17 to separate from unbelievers and backslidden believers, that is, from wicked unrepentant sinners.
Yet, our love for the souls of men should permeate all else with God's unconditional love that sent Christ to a wooden splintered cross 2,000 years ago. Yes, we should fight against all evildoers to expose and hinder them as much as possible. Psalms 94:16, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” Most professed Christians today are indifferent, apathetic and spiritually comatose! That's why I love and support Pastor Steven Anderson and the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. They are on fire for God, winning souls, making an eternal impact for Christ.
“It is the only happy life to live for the salvation of souls.” —Pastor Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899)
I humbly believe that Pastor Anderson is one of the most misunderstood preachers today. From listening to his Facebook sermon excerpt, it is clear that Brother Anderson is addressing Christians who support wicked unrepentant sinners, with which I fully stand with him. Shame on any redeemed child of God who silently goes along with, or God forbid supports, the sodomite agenda. Homosexuality, cross-dressing, effeminate males, lesbianism and transgenderism are all sinful ungodliness.
Don't Misunderstand Different Types Of Love
I heard a Baptist preacher this week foolishly saying that he couldn't understand why any child of God would love pedophiles. There is truth to his claim that homosexuals target children. That being said, the pastor I just mentioned doesn't consider any other type of love than worldly (phileo) love. Of course, no child of God should love pedophiles or homosexuals in the sense of being fond of who they are as people. We ought not help, encourage nor go along with their wicked filth. But dear reader, we are expected by God to unconditionally love (agapao) all mankind, just as God loves the world and died for it (John 3:16).
What saith the Scripture? ...
James 2:8-10, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
So, the pastor who is errantly teaching that Christians should hate homosexuals and pedophiles is actually guilty of being a respecter of persons, woefully failing to realize that apart from the precious blood of Jesus that washes all our sins away (1st Peter 1:18-19), we are JUST AS GUILTY in God's sight as pedophiles, homosexuals, murders, rapists, liars, extortioners and all manner of vile wickedness! James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
Explained another way, just because you are not a homosexual or pedophile DOESN'T make you any more righteous or less sinful than such wicked sinners. We were just as guilty in God's sight BEFORE we trust Jesus Christ and He forgave all of our sins. Mark 2:5, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Carefully notice in this Scripture passage that Jesus only forgave the man in response to FAITH in Him. Faith unlocks the windows of Heaven!
Praying Imprecatory Prayers Is Natural
I have a hard time believing that any Bible-believing preacher who loves God could truly hate another human being on all levels. That is simply unbiblical to do. When David exclaimed in Psalms 139:22, “I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies,” the shepherd boy turned king was understandably upset toward the wicked.
Admittedly, I have often prayed imprecatory type prayers for God to severely punish wicked neo-evangelical pastors (e.g., Marty Herron, Jeff Redlin, Josh Thompson, Bill Adams, Bobby Moffett) for their evil indifference, blatant corruption on the gospel (aka, the deadly “repent of your sins” to get to Heaven heresy), sinful compromise and for wickedly bidding Godspeed to false prophets.
But if David indeed wanted the wicked to burn in Hell, and he felt absolutely no compassion whatsoever for the wicked who are in need of God's salvation, then David had a sinful bad attitude. Please consider this New Testament Scripture passage in which Jesus reprimanded His disciples for desiring to destroy the Samaritans for their unbelief. ...
Luke 9:51-56, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”
The Scripture tells us that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”
These beautiful Scripture passages all teach us that God is a forgiving God who delights in mercy. The Lord is not pleased when someone dies in their sins without His Son, forever damned in the fires, torments and loneliness of Hell. The Bible teaches that God so loved the whole world that 'HE GAVE' (His only begotten Son - John 3:16). With all this in mind, why would God expect us as His children to hate anyone? I simply cannot ascribe to that belief dear reader, and I hope neither can you. By the way, don't miss that great truth in John 3:16. LOVE is synonymous with GIVING! When you love, you give; when you give, you love.
The old adage is very true: We should never accept the sin with the sinner, not reject the sinner with the sin. No Bible preacher hates sin and preaches against it any harder than I do. Sin kills, steals and destroys lives and families. Yet, there must be a BALANCE. There must be a proper spiritual balance between hating and fighting against the sin that destroys, versus the unconditional love of God which sent Jesus to die on a cross for the sins of all humanity.
To reiterate, I humbly believe it is WRONG for any preacher to teach that we should hate homosexuals, pedophiles or any group of horrible sinners. We should hate THE SIN, but not the person committing the sin, for whom Christ died on a cross (Romans 5:6-9).
The greatest Bible preacher is the one who wisely maintains a proper BALANCE between HATRED for sin versus LOVE for people (and all people are sinners). The Apostle Paul warns in 1st Corinthians 13:1-3 that WITHOUT LOVE (charity) our preaching and works for Christ will be ineffective and greatly hindered. Put another way, people don't care what you know until they know that you care. Jude:1:22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Soulwinning is every Christian's job!
We've got a serious IMBALANCE problem today in our Bible colleges and churches. Some churches love people, but there is no hard preaching against sin. Other churches hate sin vehemently, but like Pastor Fred Phelps (1929-2014), they hate the sinner and bring reproach upon the name of Jesus. There must be a proper balance between love and hate. I think I have the mind of Christ in this important matter (1st Corinthians 2:14-16).
Thank you for reading my ministry blog dear friend. Jesus is precious!!!
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