Evolutionists claim
(just like they do for other transcendent qualities like the mathematics behind music) that love arose because it was beneficial for us – it evolved. This ad hoc evolutionary story is actually
called begging the question. It’s trying
to explain something most people don’t know the origins of and if you listen to
them ‘Evolution’ usually becomes their God and they ascribe personal
characteristics to the force behind this love almost as if it were second
nature (because there are in fact personal characteristics behind this love in
reality).
But instead of
being “I don’t know, therefore God” we need to question if God fits the bill of
being love. The question should be: what
is the greatest expression of love and how does this relate to God? The Bible defines the greatest expression of
love as: 'Greater love hath no man than
this that a man lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13).
The historic records document that Jesus (all of God in human form) has
done exactly this on the cross of Calvary. It is not coincidence
that Jesus gave up his life, but it has outstanding significance.
The thing about
love is that everyone wants it – that’s what makes it more powerful than hate,
and what makes it amazingly like God himself.
We should want to be with God for eternity and have this relationship
because God is love and we naturally want love.
God being the ultimate source of love is not a flighty concept like the
Star Wars ‘force’. It’s a love that is
evidenced by deeds more than mere fuzzy feelings. It is so complex that there needed to be four
words in the Greek to explain it.
Eros – Eros is the root word for “erotic,” but it
does not describe sexual love only, it actually describes all emotional love;
the feeling of love.
Philos – Philos love, or brotherly/friendship love, is
the love between two people who have common interests and experiences, or a
fondness for.
Storge – It’s familial love, the love one has for a
dependent. It is commonly called “motherly love.” It is very much
about family duty and responsibility.
Agape - Agape love is not in any way dependent on circumstances; it has
been called “charity.” It is a love freely given, and freely committed
to.
Only the last one
of these is colloquially called Christian love or God’s love. Therefore it is Agape which changes more than
others, enables more than others, that allows us to reach even for a moment the
personal creator God who made all things out of love. Most people in the world want this type of love to be given to them - an unconditional love. Love because they have value as a person more than what they've done or haven't done. That's what makes Agape most powerful because all people desire recognition for their personhood, this love and yet we feel it is owed to us. A feeling that would be nonsense (because no one owes us love for merely existing) if we were not created by a love-God for receiving this love.
The question of course “how could a loving God permit evil and suffering?” is because people think love necessarily overshadows righteousness and justice, two of God’s other main qualities. But God has given us hope for a future where love will reign. Love overcomes evil is a consistent theme in movies, books and in life and ultimate love overcomes ultimate evil is something that is not just fodder for entertainment, it is a universal truth – the most universal of truths. Evil was not created by God, it was born out of the loving gift of God (see about Free Will) but in his wisdom we are to accept the consequences of that loving gift. The consequences of not making the right choice.
The question of course “how could a loving God permit evil and suffering?” is because people think love necessarily overshadows righteousness and justice, two of God’s other main qualities. But God has given us hope for a future where love will reign. Love overcomes evil is a consistent theme in movies, books and in life and ultimate love overcomes ultimate evil is something that is not just fodder for entertainment, it is a universal truth – the most universal of truths. Evil was not created by God, it was born out of the loving gift of God (see about Free Will) but in his wisdom we are to accept the consequences of that loving gift. The consequences of not making the right choice.
Love has always
been a choice. People think nowdays “I
can’t choose who I fall in love with” but that’s an insult to people who came
from arranged marriages. Not all arranged
marriages are some loveless trap, love can develop over time and can be
ultimately chosen. There is a love
deeper than fuzzy feelings – a love more poignant. A Gandhi type love, a Jesus type love, an
apostle Paul type love, a love all of us can chose because God gave us the
capacity for it. To love by deeds like
that isn’t easy but nothing truly good ever is.
The universe pulses
with connectedness and love connects us all, but it’s not our love of each other (as we are often cruel to others) but God’s
love for his whole creation that connects us.
That’s why people look to Google for answers on love, when they really
should be looking to the creator of all love – the one who is love himself.
