© 1998 Jeffrey Brian White

I do not pretend to have a full grasp of the Love of God, nor do I claim to have attained perfection therein. Nevertheless, I have felt impressed upon by the Holy Ghost to write about the Agape of God. The Agape of God is really too great of a subject to realistically expect a volume of this diminutive size to cover it thoroughly. In any case, even the pages of Holy Writ, wonderful as they are, are insufficient to truly communicate the Agape of God to our hearts, for the Agape of God is entirely spiritual in nature and therefore incomprehensible to the Natural Man (1C 2:10-16), for the Spirit of Truth must initiate us into this understanding. The Agape of God was never meant to remain on pages of paper and parchment and tablets of stone, but to be written in our hearts and birthed in our spirits.

Much of the formatting in the quotes is identical to that in the source works from which the quotes were taken. I have done this for the benefit of those who know how the works' respective authors used their formatting conventions to convey literality in definition. The same goes also for their abbreviations in the quotes.

If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, I suggest that you change your mind and believe. Jesus died for you, to provide forgiveness of sins and atonement for you. He then rose bodily from the dead that you might partake of the Life of God. It is time to turn from refusing the Light, lest your deeds be exposed, and instead come to the Light that your deeds may be manifest that they are done in God. The condemnation is not so much in any specific sin in your heart or which you have committed, but that you have loved darkness rather than Light, because your deeds were evil. Yahweh is willing to deliver you out of the darkness and transplant you in the Kingdom of His Marvelous Light. Why continue in ignorance? It is the will of God that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth. Call upon the name of Jesus, be baptized in his name and receive the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth. If you're reading this book, it is obvious that something in your heart is desiring some kind of satisfying spiritual reality, something better than the religious disciplines or pursuits of the past or present. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord and he went to that place of sacrifice at the place of execution, willingly, fulfilling the will of Yahweh as the Son of God, that we might be saved who BELIEVE. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is that lack of righteousness and its accompanying atheism (the status of being 'without God') that leaves you uncertain, anxiety-stricken, and confused. Jesus is our righteousness and he is also named »Emmanuel« ('God with us'). Believe that he died for your sins. Believe that he rose from the dead. Abraham believed God (before he was called »Abraham«), and Yahweh considered that to be righteousness. As you cease from your current opinions and instead place your trust in Jesus, he will be generating a new spirit, a right spirit, within you and create a new heart within you. Then this book and especially the Bible will begin to make proper sense. Otherwise, the reality of which I have written will remain veiled to your understanding in spite of your ability to read this. Yahweh desires to redeem you from the perverse generation in which we live, reveal his grace, and shine the Love of God abroad in your heart. You're not a hopeless case. But Yahweh has established his covenant through the Blood of Jesus which was poured out on the Cross for our salvation. All you need to do is simply start believing and calling upon the name of Jesus, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, the same shall be saved. If you are not yet ready to commit yourself to Jesus and believe, then understand that you are reading about the Love of God, not that natural affection which proceeds from the human heart and is common to humanity. If and when you are ready to believe, the same Love of God that you read about in this work will begin to be (for you) experientially manifested both unto you from God and within you as you grow up in his image and nature.

Beloved, you are, inasmuch as you have been conformed to the image of Son of God, the Light of the world. We need to believe this, not only because Jesus said it, but because it is true. This may not be entirely evident to you, but it is still true anyway. The Day is dawning and we do not know exactly how bright the Light of the Day shall become. John understood that »as he is, so are we in this world«. Some think it is blasphemous to say something like this and actually believe it. As John wrote, we do not know what we shall be, but we shall indeed be like him, seeing him as he is (1J 2:28-3:3). For now, we know partially, out of an installment, having only a small incremental understanding of Yahweh's heart and his purposes. Nevertheless, the Blood of Christ continues to cleanse our consciousness from dead works. Metanoia encompasses not only a turning away from sin, but also a transformation of consciousness, from grace to grace, strength to strength, out of faith into faith. And the Love of God is the target, means, and beginning of Yahweh's purposes in our lives. That same love which motivated God to come manifested in the flesh, amen, to save people from their sins and iniquities has been implanted in our hearts, for it is contained in the Seed. As that Seed, who is the Anointed One, Christ in us, the hope of glory, sprouts and bears fruit, the Love of God in us grows unto a mighty tree of righteousness, planted and watered via the Word of God. Jesus was and is God manifested in the flesh. And he is the Seed implanted in our hearts. Read the Gospels and pay close attention to Jesus' disposition. As we are transformed to conform ever more to the image of the Son, so also, that Love, generated by the Spirit of God grows ever more pervasive and permeating in our souls. Jesus desires nothing less than to overwhelm and saturate us with his Love. And that Love manifested in God's people is in fact part and parcel to the ultimate purpose of God:

Amen! So I have written this short booklet dealing with various aspects of the Love of God as the Spirit has given it to me, unto the end that you also might be strengthened and encouraged in the Love of God.

Before I get into this discourse, I must first stop and present some definitions. In the definitions that follow, I have selected and quoted from various dictionaries to clarify the meanings of these words. One must understand that there were at least three different words in Classical and Koine Greek which can be translated using our English word 'love'. From their definitions we can perceive from this that the ancient Greeks recognized distinctions of love, agapê being the distinction most commonly used in the New Testament and also almost unknown to them apart from ancient Christianity (See agapaô/agapê/agapêtos below). We could conceivably correlate these three to the tripartite structure of man's being (see 2Th 5:23):

For the sakes of clarity and comparison, I have also included definitions for eros/eraô and filos/fileô below.

Eros/eraô appears nowhere in the New Testament except in the name »Erastos« (#2037G = "beloved") which is found in Ac 19:22, Ro 16:23 and 2Ti 4:20. It is however used in the Septuaginta in 1S 19:1 (19:2 in the LXX), where it says »Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted very much in David«. It is also used in Es 2:17, where »the king loved Esther above all the women«, and in Pr 4:6, where it says of the Wisdom of God »love her and she will keep you«. Although eros/eraô is historically associated with sexuality, these examples suggest a usage not unlike modern English 'love'. Nevertheless, each example does suggest the notion of intimate union in love.

Filia/fileô appears in several places in both the Septuaginta and the New Testament along with several derivatives thereof, including: filêma = "a kiss" [#5370G], the name Filêmôn = "friendly" [#5371G], Filêtos = "amiable" [#5372G], as well as many compound words, such as filadelfia = "fraternal affection" [#5360G], and filandros = "fond of man, i.e. affectionate as a wife" [#5362G], using the stem fil-. For sake of brevity, I have given definitions only for fileô, filia and filos below:

It easy to see that filia/fileô can conceivably denote sexual love as well as friendship.

agapaô/agapê/agapêtos

"Note.-These two words are not used indiscriminately. Agapaô, never means to kiss; fileô, never means to acquiesce or cherish with reverence. Fileô denotes the sense or passion of love, but in agapaô is implied the cause of fileô. Agapaô is to make much of a thing, to admire for some good and sufficient reason, but fileô denotes the love which springs naturally from the thing loved, even where no just cause of love exists. Agapaô is never used of an improper love; fileô is. Hence, in the N.T. fileô is never used of man's love to God, but agapaô always. Both words are used of God's love to man, agapaô, when He is said to "Love the world," (John iii.16, etc.) and when He wishes men good, and seeks their salvation; and fileô is affirmed of His love to His people who please Him, (John xvi.27, etc.) Again, fileô is used of Jesus' love for Lazarus, (John xi.3,36); but in verse 5 the word is agapaô, because there the sisters are included, and therefore this word was more correct. Again, we are commanded to love our enemies, etc., but here agapaô is used, never fileô; love cannot be required in this case, though compassion and kindness are. Again, in John xxi.15-17, in the first question Jesus uses agapaô, but Peter uses fileô in his reply; this is repeated, and then Jesus uses Peter's word in the third question. Once more, to love (fileô) life, from an excessive desire to preserve it, and so to lose sight of the real object of living, is reproved by our Lord, (John xii.25.) Whereas to love (agapaô) life, is to consult its real interest. Other examples may be traced out with much profit, e.g. Mark x.21."

For this writing, with the exception of the preceding, the concentration is on agapê/agapaô to the exclusion of filos/fileô. In every verse which I have quoted containing the renderings »love«, »beloved«, or »charity«, I have emphasized it using bold type to signify that the translated word is either agapaô, agapê, or agapêtos. (See definitions below) Agapaô is the verb form, usually rendered as 'to »love«'. Agapê is the noun form, often rendered as either '»love«' or '»charity«'. Agapêtos is a past participle of the verb, often used as a noun and rendered as '»beloved«'.

ETYMOLOGICAL NOTE: In his definition of the verb agapaô [#25G], Strong relates it to the Hebrew word 'âgab, which he defines as "a prim. root; to breathe after, i.e. to love (sensually)" [#5689H]. Strong's reference of agapaô to 'âgab seems to be based of phonological similarity. There are several possible explanations for this correspondence. Firstly, all languages having been formed through Yahweh's confusion of language at Babel, it is possible that both words may be derived from the same original root. A second possibility is that it was borrowed from Hebrew 'âgab into Greek, being rendered as agapaô. A third possibility is that of 'random' coincidence. Who knows? Bullinger's statements about the attestation of agapê/agapaô in Classical Greek literature contradict the first and third hypotheses, and suggests that the Septuaginta translators simply borrowed the word directly from the 'âgab, having no real equivalent for it in Greek. This in turn suggests a stronger meaning for 'âgab than Strong's definition. With regard to Bullinger's definition of and note regarding agapê/agapaô, the word has been since his time attested in non-Judeo-Christian literature [BAG] and it must be pointed out, that Bullinger appears to have overlooked the agapê of the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 11:42-43 where Jesus' usage of agapê/agapaô would seem to be the exception which verifies the rule: »But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.« These things having been said, it can still be seen in the occurrences of the word that Bullinger's observations are nevertheless essentially correct.

How I wish I could impart to you the full knowledge of the Love of God, not only what I have learned from the Holy Ghost and the Scriptures, but even Yahweh's own understanding thereof. Although I can present some partial understanding (1C 13:9), only the Spirit of God can truly communicate this aspect of God to your spirit. Nevertheless, Yahweh has given unto me by grace through faith (Ep 2:8) his Dunamis, his enablement, to express something of this to you in this brief writing, that you may be encouraged regarding his disposition concerning you and that unique expression of his individual love toward you.

When John wrote this, he was not making an exact equivalence, in which one might say: "Love is God", but rather expressing Yahweh's true disposition. This is evident in the preceding verse where he says »love is OF (or from) Yahweh; and everyone that loves is begotten of Yahweh« (1J 4:7, BE). It is also therein evident that only those who have been born of the Spirit (Jn 3:7) are truly able to love. This may seem to be an unfair statement, for there are many declarations and songs (speaking) of love in the world. Nevertheless, it is true. Most of the time, when people speak of love, they are simply relating to their emotions and not necessarily to their wills. While there are those feelings of fondness and compassion, which when intensified toward a specific individual, we call "love", the love of God is far superior to this, as Isaiah prophesied:

With regard to Love, as though Yahweh were speaking to us, we could say: »For my love is not your love, says Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so is my love higher than your love«. For this reason, it is important that we cast away our notions of what and how love is, and be taught according to the Truth (Is 55:7; Jn 14:6).

The first thing we need to believe about love the Love of God has to do with the Son of God:

»For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE...« True love is expressed through GIVING. The love in Yahweh's heart moved him to send the Son of God to save. The extremity of this Love of God is expressed this way:

This verse is familiar to many, often quoted, and perhaps we have become somewhat numb to its import. So much of what is called "love" is merely desire, emotion, propaganda, and/or empty words. In addition to this, we sometimes deceive ourselves into thinking that we are 'loving', either because we FEEL the emotion, or, because we are behaving according to some notion in our minds as to which actions or 'works' are indicative of love. But Yahweh would have us understand something of the Agapê of God, that we might perceive and begin to comprehend TRUE LOVE.

Thus, we see that Yahweh's love is SACRIFICIAL in nature, GIVING, even unto the sending of the Son of God, Jesus, to be our propitiation or atonement sacrifice for sins. It is sad that so many do not understand this. Indeed, people are taken aback if one should suggest that they have no love in them. (Perhaps they might have 'love' per se, but without the new birth, it is still not the Love of God.) But, we who are born of the Spirit have love in us, »for Yahweh gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and LOVE and discipline« (2Ti 1:7, BE).

James says something similar to this in his Epistle with this example:

John likewise wrote:

I suppose we could simply go through every passage and verse of Scripture which mentions »love«, but that would require volumes to elaborate it all. We have seen that Yahweh loves in deed and truth, sending the Son of God to save all who believe on him, Jesus himself being the Truth (1J 14:6). We have seen that we love because Yahweh loved us. We have seen that LOVING involves GIVING. And we have seen that love is FROM YAHWEH and Yahweh's disposition is one of LOVE, so much so, that he himself is Love.

Unfortunately, all of the preceding information is incomplete. There is yet more. The apostle Paul described the Love of God and its manifestation this way:

Anyone reading this passage and considering their own behaviors will no doubt recognize many failings in him/herself. And no wonder, for it is a description of YAHWEH'S LOVE, a description of the way HE loves those who believe! In fact, it is really an explanation of what John meant when he wrote »God is love« (1J 4:8,16, KJV), for it describes his NATURE and general DISPOSITION. So, for the sake of clarity, let's look at this passage again, this time substituting the word »love« with »Yahweh«:

YAHWEH'S LOVE IS NEVER LAPSING! Like Yahweh himself, his love is eternal, always existing and never ceasing to exist. In fact, the name »Yahweh« itself means 'was-is-will-be' [CVOT]. The Psalmist said »for his mercy ENDURETH FOREVER« (Ps 136). This eternal being and quality of the Love of God is what distinguishes his love from typical human love. Because the Love of God is ever existing, and therefore available to all who seek him, Paul was able to say: »...I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS, OUR LORD« (Ro 8:38-39, CLNT).

The emphasis in this passage is that of the vanity of having and partaking of the things of God in the Holy Ghost through faith without the Love of God. Speaking in tongues, prophecy, revelation, faith, giving, etc. are all intended to be accompanied by the Love of God being shed abroad in our hearts. The fact that Paul sets this discourse about Love of God in the midst of his discussion of the ministry, distributions and workings of the Holy Spirit testifies to this and displays the Love of God as being both the motivation and governing principle governing our participation in the manifestations of the Spirit.

With regard to faith: »if I should have all faith, so as to transport mountains, YET HAVE NO LOVE, I AM NOTHING«. It is true that we are saved by the faith of Jesus Christ (Ga 2:15-21; Ep 3:11-12). However, we do not amount to anything if we do not have the Love of God in us. Jesus is called the Son of God's love (Co 1:13) and we are as he is in this world (1J 4:17), and we are being conformed to image of the Son (Ro 8:28-30) as the veil is taken away in Christ (2C 3:12-18), becoming sons of his love.

Below are several verses in which FAITH and LOVE are specifically mentioned together as a PAIR. I have also included some of my notes on them.

Woe unto them who reject the Love of God but would desire to have all faith! The faith of Jesus in us will never WORK or OPERATE or FUNCTION properly without the Love of God. But blessed are we when our faith works through the Love which Yahweh has given us through Jesus Christ! It is faith operating through love which avails things in Christ Jesus. There are different of ways of understanding this. On the one hand, we believe on account of the Love of God in our hearts, on the other hand, our believing functions in the context or environment of the Love of God, that is, our love is mixed with faith and that unto saturaration. This mixture avails all things in the Anointed. It's one thing to believe God for a thing because we want it. It's another to believe God for a thing because we love him or are moved by compassion. Of course, we could also look at this in the sense of faith operating by means of love.

Here again, we see LOVE and FAITH in Paul's blessing unto the believers at Ephesus, only it is specifically love WITH faith and that from God. Love and faith complement one another.

Yet again, we see LOVE and FAITH together, this time as the EXCEEDING ABUNDANCE of the GRACE of God in the Anointed. Without a cause, Yahweh gives faith and love in great measure. This is further explained by Paul in 2.Corinthians 8:7: »Therefore, as ye ABOUND IN every thing, IN FAITH, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and IN YOUR LOVE TO US, see that ye abound in this grace also« (KJV). This statement of his to them testifies to us that they were actually experiencing this abundance and illustrates that we can also.

In faith and love together, we »hold fast the form of SOUND WORDS«. Stay in the realm of Faith and Love, Beloved.

The fact that Paul was hearing of Philemon's »love and faith« tells us that people will talk about these things as they become mature in us. This is an example of a thing »of good report«.

In each of the preceding examples, FAITH and LOVE were presented as a complementary pair, the Perfect Pair. If we were to search the Scriptures more thoroughly, we would without a doubt find many more such examples. Our faith must not remain loveless, for, as Paul wrote, »if I should have all faith, so as to transport mountains, yet have no love, I am NOTHING« (1C 13:2, CLNT). Without Jesus, we can do NOTHING (Jn 15:5), and without the Love of God in us, we are NOTHING.

Many times in Scripture, we see FAITH and Love presented not so much as complementary pairs, but as parallelisms. I have not commented on them because I believe that they are self-explanatory and need no elaboration.

The whole point of presenting these parallelisms is that they all show the Faith of God and the Love of God as concurrent manifestations of his nature in the believer.

Faith, Expectation, Love

In the King James Version, »expectation« is usually translated as »hope« and »love« sometimes as »charity«. »expectation« is however the best translation. Notice that it is »these three« which remain. We work from FAITH. We toil from LOVE. We endure from our EXPECTATION of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yahweh desires that we STAND, that is, REMAIN (Ep 6:10-15; Mt 7:24-25; Hb 12:25-29). Paul wrote: »So that, my beloved brethren, BECOME SETTLED, UNMOVABLE, superabounding in the WORK of the Lord always, being aware that your TOIL is not for naught in the Lord« (1C 15:58, CLNT). In the context of 1.Corinthians 15, Paul is speaking about our resurrection from the dead, the completion of our salvation which we EXPECT. This »expectation« is not some nebulous hope that something good might happen, but an expectation of God's promise in Jesus Christ being fulfilled, knowing that God is faithful to fulfill his word.

Now consider the Armor of God in 1.Thessalonians 5:8. A CUIRASS is a breastplate. A breastplate protects the HEART and LUNGS from injury. Yahweh gives both a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT in the New Birth. The New Heart pumps the Blood of Jesus throughout our systems, administering life to each cell and carrying away the waste and toxins (1J 1:7). Our New Spirits (typlified by the lungs which inhale and exhale) breathe with the breath of Jesus (the 'breath' being the Spirit of God). We put on a Breastplate of FAITH and LOVE. This Breastplate is also called the »BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS« in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, wherein he also describes the »Armor of God« (Ep 6:10-17). Along with this cuirass, we also put on the »HELMET, THE EXPECTATION OF SALVATION«. It is this »expectation of salvation« which guards our minds. Like the frontlet which Aaron wore upon his forehead, upon which signet was written »holy unto Yahweh« (Ex 28:36-38), the »helmet« speaks of the Mind of Christ (1C 2:14-16; Ph 2:5-8).

One rather fascinating aspect of growth in God is that all of it results in the Agapê of God. We come to that motivation, that disposition of Yahweh which moved him to plant his Seed in the earth in the first place. There are several passages in Scripture which elaborate this Growth. Note the expressed or implied sequentiality in each of these passages:

Of the three virtues listed in the verse, »love« is specifically identified as the SUPERLATIVE virtue. Growth from Faith into Hope into Love...

In Moses, circumcision was top be performed on the EIGHTH day. The day after the sabbath is the EIGHTH day and the first day of the following week. Eight is therefore a number denoting a New Beginning. In this passage, the growth leads to an ENTRANCE or New Beginning in the »eternal kingdom«, that is, into Yahweh's Manifest Presence.

In the above quotation, the Agapê of God pervades the workings of the listed virtues, its presence being concurrent with the workings or manifestation of these attributes.

Whereas the Love of God is presented in Romans 5:1-5 as permeating and pervading the workings of the Spirit of God in our hearts, here the Love of God is presented as the COVERING over these five qualities of the New Heart. I am reminded of two verses which connect with the above quoted passage: »His banner OVER me was love« (SS 2:4, BE) and »...love is COVERING a multitude of sins« (1P 4:8, CLNT). So we see that the Love of God is covering over Yahweh's people and their sins.

Note that there are FIVE items which we are to put on as God's elect, upon which we are to put on Love. This reminds us that it is the GRACE of God which makes this transformation possible (See Ep 2:8-10). If we include Love in the list, then we have SIX items to put on, which fact points to the New Man of Ephesians 4 and the Last Adam of 1.Corinthians 15, the New Creation Humanity in Christ's image with which we are adorned. In either case, Love is the glue which holds it all together, being the »bond«.

Looking at these lists, it is easy to see that each begins with FAITH and is either completed, concurrent, or covered and bound together with LOVE. And the Love of God is that ultimate garment of righteousness (Ze 3:1-5; Rv 3:4-5, 18-21; 6:9-11). All of the workings of God in our lives are ultimately intended to produce or manifest the Love of God in us.

What better way to make this real and true in us than to implant it in us? That Seed which Yahweh has planted in your heart is meant to produce this same kind of love in you and join you to Yahweh in love. Why then do we seem to be lacking in love? Well, any seed needs time to grow into a mature plant bearing ripe fruit. That seed planted in you, by which you have been begotten anew (1P 1:22-25), is spirit (Jn 6:63, 3:6), and must GROW within you. We do not develop this kind of nature immediately, but it grows within us as Yahweh gives the increase (1C 3:6). Only Yahweh can do it. Notice what Paul wrote to the Galatians:

It is worthy of note that Paul lists NINE items to describe the »fruit of the Spirit«. These are represented in the Tabernacle of Moses by the NINE arrangements of buds, flowers, and almonds on the each set of three branches on either side of the central shaft of the Golden Lampstand in the Holy Place. Therefore, all of these things either give LIGHT or are produced by LIGHT. The bud, flower, and almond arrangments illustrate three stages of growth and correspond to the »blade«, »ear«, and »full corn in the ear« to which Jesus likened the Kingdom of God (Mk 4:26-28). Similarly, the NINE manifestations or 'gifts' of the Holy Ghost correspond to the same:

These MANIFESTATIONS complement the FRUIT of the Spirit and vice versa. Because they are complimentary, the Fruit of the Spirit, as it ripens and develops unto maturity, establishes the best DISPOSITION within which and from which the manifestations of the Spirit operate to optimal profundity. Likewise, the manifestations of the Spirit encourage, accelerate, and augment the growth of the Fruit. In other words, the moving of the Spirit and the disposition of the Spirit work together.

NOTE: As a number in Scripture, NINE denotes "FULLNESS" [TOM] or "Finality or Judgment" [NIS], or, as Bullinger puts it: "It is the last of the digits, and thus marks the end; and is significant of the conclusion of a matter" [NIS]. Thus, the FULLNESS of the FRUIT and of the MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT together are the ultimate purpose of the Light.

In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul, writing under the guiding and energizing unction of the Holy Ghost, devoted chapters 12 through 14 to teaching about the 'gifts' of the Spirit. Chapter 13, however, emphasizes the »MORE EXCELLENT WAY« and describes the proper dispositional mode or atmosphere in which these manifestations are to operate unto the building up (1C 14:3,12) or edification of the Body of Christ into »an holy temple in the Lord« (Ep 2:18-22). In other words, he tells us how we should handle one another in the administration of these manifestations unto one another: We are to HAVE LOVE (1C 12:31-13:3). He then describes Love's behavior:

John wrote: »God is love« (1J 4:8). Jesus said »He that seen me hath seen the Father« (Jn 14:9, Rotherham). Since »God is love«, this was also Jesus' disposition on earth - everything he said, everything he did: the teachings, the miracles, the healings, his death, his resurrection, his sending of the Holy Ghost - all of the things were, and are now, unto and through his people by the Spirit, expressions of the Love of God. For when God gave his only Son, he was given on account of Yahweh's own love for the children of Adam and consequently revealed that Love by means of his whole life. Again and again we see Jesus »moved with compassion« throughout the Gospels. He is OUR GOLDEN LAMPSTAND, the Light of the World, which also we become as we abide in him.

If you read this verse in another translation (for example, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible), you will find this verse with the word »light« replacing the word »Spirit«. The reason for this is that some of the ancient Greek New Testament manuscripts from which the verse was translated say »pneumatos« (which means 'of (the) Spirit') while others say »fôtos« (which means 'of (the) light'). (The translators had to choose between the two.) Rotherham rendered the verse this way:

Both renderings are correct and both are scripturally sound, for the Lampstand gives LIGHT and symbolizes the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD generating the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, having SEVEN lamps upon it, NINE being the number of items listed by Paul as the ONE fruit, and the Lampstand itself consisting of ONE piece of beaten gold. GOLD represents the divine nature throughout the Scriptures. Thus, the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is the manifestation of Yahweh's own nature in his people and the 'gifts' of the Spirit are the ministry of that nature among God's people. Perhaps then, given the fact that this verse has two attested Greek versions, we should tie them together and render it so:

Or, perhaps:

Now, note the NAMES of each of the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD in Isaiah 11:

Even as Yahweh exists in threefold manifestation as the three persons of the Trinity, as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God himself, the Holy Ghost, operates in sevenfold manifestation as the Seven Spirits of God. The combined actions of these seven Spirits then work in generating the Fruit of the Spirit and distributing himself in the Gifts of the Spirit unto the Fullness of the Spirit, that is, the full conformation of the believer to the Image of the Son, who is Christ. It would require another book to elaborate on the workings of the Seven Spirits of God in Jesus and his people, but it is sufficient here to simply note that this sevenfold moving of the Spirit of God is necessary to the growth of the Love of God in the believer as an individual and in the Body of Christ as a whole.

This is Yahweh's answer to fear - that his people be made perfect in love. Only Yahweh can perfect. As the Psalmist said: »THE LORD WILL PERFECT that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands« (Ps 138:8, KJV). This remark may frustrate some who are still self-willed rather than God-willed, or who have been deceived into self-help methods rather believing unto salvation (which is God's "method"), but it's true. Paul knew that he could plant and Apollos could water, but he also knew that both he and Apollos were nothing and that only YAHWEH GIVES THE INCREASE (1C 3:6-7).

Contained within the word »perfect« is a wonderful principle. The adjective »perfect« translates the word teleios, which means "complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neut. (as noun with 3588) completeness" [#5046G]. The Greek word teleios descends from the Protoindoeuropean root *kwel- which means "the completion of a cycle". Our English words 'cycle' and 'wheel' likewise descend from this very same root. In the New Testament, teleios is used to denote RIPENESS, MATURITY and COMLETENESS. As result, any doctrine about "Christian Perfection" must focus on the perfection being the completion of a cycle in God's dealings with us in the Holy Ghost.

And there are many cycles presented in Scripture. First of all, there is the Week of Creation described in Genesis 1 and 2. There are divisions of time: weeks, months, years. Each week consists of a cycle of seven sequential days starting with First Day, whereon Yahweh said »Let there be light!«, and ending on the Seventh Day, whereon Yahweh rested from his works. Each month was a cycle of thirty days and twelve of these comprised the Israelite year. In the book of the prophet Daniel, he mentions »weeks of years«. In addition to this, there is also a week of millenia which can be discerned in the Scriptures. There are at least two (and probably more) cycles contained within the year: Seedtime through Harvest, with each cycle starting during the time of planting and ending with the harvest of crops, and also the cycle formed by the observance of the three great festivals of Yahweh: Passover, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles, all of which symbolically express the spiritual realities we experience in Christ.

And so it is, that »perfect love« denotes the completion of the cycle of God's dealing with us as they pertain to the Love of God growing within us, the result of which is that we bear the image of the Son of God and that fear is cast out. We can therefore understand that the existence of any fear in us (except the fear of Yahweh) is evidence of the Love of God in us not being mature.

Beloved, the statement »for this is the love of god, that we keep his commandments« has been so skewed by religious tradition that many read it and then attempt to fulfill the commandments contained in ordinances given in the Law of Moses. The apostle Peter's response to this kind of reasoning (with specific regard to the Mosaic requirement of circumcision) was: »Now why do you make a trial of Yahweh, that you should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear?« (Ac 15:10, BE). The apostle Paul encountered the same disposition (that of requirement of the Mosaic Law) among the Galatians and responded this way: »I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. O foolish Galatians, WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD NOT OBEY THE TRUTH, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you? This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? He therefore ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? EVEN AS ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.« (Ga 2:21-3:6, KJV) Peter recognized the performing of the Mosaic Law as an »unbearable yoke« (Ac 15:10) and Paul saw it as something fleshly and akin to witchcraft (compare Ga 3:1 with 5:20). To Paul, the attempt to attain perfection by the works of the Law of Moses was equivalent to disobedience to God. Thus, we OBEY God by BELIEVING.

As I have presented, FAITH and LOVE are associated with one another in growth, for »faith worketh by love« (Ga 5:6), both are FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Ga 5:22), and both together form the »Breastplate of Righteousness« (Ep 6:14; 1Th 5:8). If you read the passage to which Paul was referring, Genesis 15:1-6, you will see that Yahweh spoke and Abraham believed him. This is actually somewhat similar to what John was driving at. Jesus said similar things to this also:

Note that the emphasis in the Parable of the True Vine is on the notion of »ABIDING« or »REMAINING« in the Vine, that is, remaining within the Anointed. Several things are said of this »abiding« or »remaining«:

We could write a whole book about this concept of »remaining« or »abiding«, but I will simply focus briefly on it here as it pertains to the Agapê of God.

The word rendered as »remain« or »abide« in the Parable of the True Vine is the Greek word menô, which means "to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy" [#3306G] or "remain" [CLNT]. The English word 'abide' comes from the Indo-European root *bheidh- which means "to persuade, compel, confide". From *bheidh- come several other English words (some via Latin): bide, abide, abode, Latin fidês which means 'faith' or 'trust', from which we ultimately get our word faith [AHDofIER], and the Greek word pistis from the verb peithô [Gemoll]. Peithô means "to convince (by argument, true or false); by anal. to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflex. or pass. to assent (to evidence or authority); to rely (by inward certainty)" [#3982G]. Pistis means "persuasion, credence, conviction, reliance, constancy, truth" [#4102G]. The verb pisteuô means "to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by impl. to entrust (espec. one's spiritual well-being to Christ)" [#4100G]. Paul defined pistis as »an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed« (Hb 11:1, CLNT) and said that faith is the GIFT OF GOD (Ep 2:8-10).

So what am I saying? I am saying this: We »abide« by actively BELIEVING the things which the Spirit of God speaks to us from the Throne of Grace and ENTRUSTING ourselves to Yahweh through Jesus Christ. Likewise, we »keep« his commandments, his declarations, by believing them and thereby causing them to remain in our consciousness. And nowhere in New Testament writ does it say that we are to 'keep' the New Testament Scriptures in the same manner as the Israelites were commanded to 'keep' the Law of Moses.

The word rendered »keeping« here is tereô, which means "to guard (from loss or injury, prop. by keeping the eye upon...), i.e. to note (a prophecy; fig. to fulfill a command); by impl. to detain (in custody; fig. to maintain); by extens. to withhold (for personal ends; fig. to keep unmarried)" [#5083G].

Many years ago, the Spirit of God revealed to me that this really meant to keep his words in my heart, as the Psalmist said: »Thy word have I hid in mine heart...« (Ps 119:11, KJV). Another translation reads: »In my heart have I stored up Your promise« (CVOT). This is what it means to keep Jesus' commandments. This was grace to me, for I had been taught that "keeping his commandments" meant to do everything written in the Scriptures and had fallen into a seemingly endless cycle of striving in my strength of will and then failing. Striving and failing and striving and failing. Beloved, simply believe and remember the things Jesus speaks to you - The Love of God will yet be shed abroad in your heart and those words will be made flesh (Jn 1:14), that is, they will cleanse you and bear good fruit, for the Word of God is the Seed and Jesus said: »Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you« (Jn 15:3, KJV).

Now the word translated as »precept« is entolê.

Like teleios, entolê also descends from *kwel-. Young defines entolê as a "thing given in trust" [Young]. Perhaps, then, it would be better to translate this word as 'entrustment'. If we did this, the preceding verses would read this way:

To keep a "thing given in trust" is to handle it as a wise steward. In the Kingdom of God, ANYTHING Jesus gives us through the Holy Spirit is an ENTRUSTMENT, whether a revelation, command, word, vision, understanding, metamorphosis, etc.

While I was writing this short piece, I had several experiences which helped me to understand many of the things which I have written here and have experienced simultaneously an upswing in the manifestation of the Love of God within my being. The Spirit of God has so dealt with me that I love him and others more easily and fully. As a result, several fears in my heart have simply vanished away and others have been greatly weakened and I am enjoying a greater freedom to love and to perceive the Love of God toward me, his people, and others.

(more may be added later)