Agape Love

Agape love is decisive—an act of the will.

As mentioned previously, often love is thought of as primarily a feeling. When someone says they love a person, that typically means he or she has strong feelings towards that person. However, love may or may not include strong feelings. Love is primarily an act of the will. Listen again to what Christ said in John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

This might not make sense to someone who only thinks of love as a feeling. How can you command your feelings? We’ve all heard this said before, “I can’t choose who I fall in love with.” However, Scripture would not affirm this. Love is an act of the will. That is why God can command us to not only love fellow believers but even our enemies. Look at what Christ said in Matthew 5:44-45:

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

How can someone “love” his enemies? It is only possible because love is an act of the will—an act of obedience to God. We can love because God has commanded us to do so. In fact, Scripture even declares that biblical love is obedient. Christ said this:

If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15)