SACRIFICAL BENEFIT NOT RELATED TO AGAPE LOVE

SACRIFICAL BENEFIT NOT “RELATED” TO AGAPE LOVE

Thesis: When one member of the human race (person A) is applying agape love toward another member of the human race (person B), person A’s application of agape love to person B does NOT imply that person A will do something sacrificially beneficial for person B.

I believe that the thought that agape love provides something sacrificially beneficial for the one toward whom agape love is being manifested is based upon a false notion that because God the Father agape loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son that every manifestation of agape love will carry with it a sacrificial benefit for the recipient.

John 3:16 For God so loved (agapao) the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (as a sacrifice), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. KJV

This verse is often quoted in support of a relationship between agape love and sacrificial giving. We need to make a distinction between the terms “related” and “associated.”

Here, the term “related” implies that two things cannot be separated from one another; you cannot have one without the other. For example: the thought that agape love is so related to sacrificial giving that they can never be separated from one another. In other words, EVERY manifestation of agape love WILL be attended by a sacrificial benefit received by the one toward whom agape love is manifested.

The term “associated” implies that two things CAN be joined together or separated from one another by an act of volition; you can have one without the other, or the two can be associated or disassociated by an act of volition. For example: sacrificial giving love can be associated with agape love by an act of volition or sacrificial giving can be disassociated from agape love by an act of volition.

So, the question arises as to whether agape love is related to sacrificial giving or is agape love associated with sacrificial giving?

When these two terms are understood as defined, it should be clear that any sacrificial benefit derived by the person who is the object of agape love will be a benefit associated with the manifestation of agape love, but NOT related to agape love.

In fact, the notion that agape love always has an attending manifestation of a sacrificial benefit for the recipient of agape love is inconsistent with the Apostle Paul’s description of the manifestations of agape love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. His descriptions, when thoughtfully considered, suggest the following (if there is any doubt, please read the verses):

• rather than doing something sacrificially beneficial FOR someone, it’s quite the reverse.
• rather than doing something sacrificially beneficial FOR someone, the scriptural indication regards “what you don’t do TO someone.

Does this imply that agape love NEVER does anything sacrificially beneficial for someone? The answer is a resounding, NO! Agape love is always prepared to do something sacrificially beneficial for someone under the following condition – IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LEADING YOU TO DO SO!

Christianity is NOT a religion. It is a spiritual way life that requires walking in the sphere of the Spirit, not grieving the Spirit, and not quenching the Spirit. Only under the latter, namely, the spiritual way of life, is a beneficial act considered divinely good and worthy of reward at the bema seat. Beneficial acts provided religiously are burned as wood, hay and stubble at the same bema seat.

If beneficial acts were, in fact, divinely required to attend every manifestation of agape love, a person’s temporal assets would be quickly diminished to a state of non-existence simply by virtue of the overwhelming personal needs in a world full of totally depraved people who are under divine judgment for rejecting God the Father’s plan. Therefore, the born-again Christian who is divinely required to agape love the entire human race is required to give sacrificially ONLY when led by the Spirit to do so.

The conclusion: By definition, sacrificial giving MAY BE associated with agape love, but NEVER related to agape love. This is why it is so important for a born-again Christian to learn to be led by the Spirit.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. KJV

The word “sons” in this verse is the Greek word “huios.” This verse is not teaching that if you are NOT led by the Spirit you are not saved. The word “huios” means “mature son” of God. Growing believers learn to identify the leadership of the Spirit within their human Spirit and then do as He is leading. This includes knowing when-to and when-not-to give sacrificially to those toward whom agape love is being applied.

Well, what about God the Father agape loving the whole world and then “giving” His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world? The answer: the provision of the sacrifice is associated with agape love, not related to it. God the Father’s agape love is eternal in nature. It existed before all creation; it existed in the Garden of Eden before the Fall of Adam and Eve. It existed after the Fall and before the crucifixion. It was not until the crucifixion that agape love was attended by this sacrifice; therefore, any manifestation of God the Father’s agape love without an attending sacrifice is conclusive evidence that any manifestation of a sacrificial benefit is only an association with agape love and NOT a relationship to it.

Thesis restated: When one member of the human race (person A) is applying agape love toward another member of the human race (person B), person A’s application of agape love to person B does NOT imply that person A will do something sacrificially beneficial for person B.