According to the dictionary, the word “charity” means a benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity. But the actual greek word that is used here is “agape,” which means the love of God. For example, in First John 4:8, the Bible literally says, “God is agape.” In other words, God is love. So the word “agape” means the God-Kind of love.
The bible says that love is greater than either hope or faith (1 Cor. 13:13). Why is God’s love greater than hope and faith?
First of all, faith won’t work without love. In other words, faith is dependent on love in order to work. Gal 5:6 says, “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcison; but by faith worketh by love.”
Second, faith won’t work without hope. The New English translation of Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith gives substance to our hopes.” You have to hope for something before your faith can give substance to it. So faith is also dependent on hope. You see, if you don’t hope for anything, your faith can’t work because it has no goal or object to believe God for.
The bible says in (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) that even if all the gifts of the Spirit manifested through us, without God’s love, it wouldn’t profit us anything! It would be as nothing at all.
The bible didn’t say it is by faith or hope that all men will know we are His disciples. No, it’s by God’s love demonstrated in and through us that people will know we are Christians.
LOVE DEFINED
The God-Kind of love is not the same as natural human love. Natural human love can turn to hatred overnight, but God’s love never fails. You see, God’s love is greater than all these things paul list here in (1 Cor.13:4-18). Why is greater? Because one day all those things will vanish and pass away, but God’s love endures forever and won’t pass away.
Not only does God’s love endure forever, the bible says that Gods love endures everything that may come along.
Do you seek your own interests first, or do you put the other person’s welfare first? Putting other people ahead of your own interests is a good rule to follow to see if you’re walking in the God-Kind of love.
And if each of us wants to grow and develop in the God-Kind of love, then before we respond to people, we need to ask ourselves the questions, How would God’s love act? What would God’s love do? This is the way we can get the God-Kind of love to abound in our lives! The love of God never fails, so when you put the love of God to work in your life, you will never fail.
Make this confession from your heart:
The love of God has been she abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost.
I will not let my natural human reasoning dominate me. I refuse to allow the flesh to rule me.
I’m going to walk in the Spirit by walking in love. I am a lover, not a hater.
I will practise and exercise the fruit of love so it can grow and increase..
…….Love Takes No Account of a Suffered Wrong……
Excerpts from Kenneth Hagin’s Book, Love the Way to Victory. Download on thelafamily.org/bom