Love, Grace and Truth

Generally, when we hear messages on the subject of Biblical love, we are told that there are three different words for love in Koine Greek, the primary language of the New Testament. We are told that agape is God’s unconditional love, phileo is the love shared between friends or family, and eros is a sexual or surface-type of love.

However, if you truly begin to research these words, you’ll soon find that the most current edition of Strong’s concordance never uses the word “unconditional” when defining agape. Agape in its verb form (agapao) also does not contain “unconditional” in its definition, and is more nuanced than most people have been taught. Basically, the biblical verb form of agape means choosing God’s choices by His power. Pretty different, huh? Yet, it perfectly parallels the way Jesus Himself defined how we demonstrate love for God in John 14:15-17.

Another interesting fact of Scripture is that eros is never used in the New Testament. Not a single time. And finally, there is actually another New Testament word for love, philostorgos, which occurs once in Scripture. This form of love refers to a special affection shared between members of God's family, specifically, people born-again and serving the same heavenly Father.

I bring up these facts about biblical love because I believe that similar distortions often take place concerning the subject of grace, yet on a much larger scale.

Frequently, the Koine Greek word for grace (charis) is defined as: Getting what we don’t deserve. We often call this unmerited favor, and a prime example of this definition of grace is found in Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Jesus lived, died and rose for us. It is His blood that saves us and His powerful Spirit that transforms us. You can see why people say grace is getting what we don’t deserve.

A famous acronym of G.R.A.C.E. has developed along similar lines, where we are told that grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. And, that acronym works very well with the Ephesians 2 passage.

However, did you know that the Bible uses the word charis in seven other ways? Let’s look at those right now.    

Favor – “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor (charis) with God and men (Luke 2:52).” Here, we need to ask ourselves: Is this verse suggesting that Jesus grew in God’s riches at Christ’s expense? Clearly, that question is absurd, which is why Biblical translators simply use the word favor here.

Thanks – “Thanks (charis) be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:25)!” Again, does God the Father need God’s riches at Christ’s expense? Of course not. Acronyms can definitely be helpful tools, but forcing the truth of the God-breathed Scriptures to bend to man-made acronyms will eventually get us into trouble.

Kindness – “Let your speech always be with grace (charis), as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person (Colossians 4:6).” Though the NASB translates charis here as grace, the idea Paul is trying to get across is that we need to speak kindly to everyone. 

Credit – “If you love those who love you, what credit (charis) is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit (charis) is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit (charis) is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men (Luke 6:32-35).” 

Though God owes us absolutely nothing, Jesus explains that God has chosen to reward some actions and not reward others. When we graciously and lovingly act like our heavenly Father, we are credited and rewarded by Him for doing so.

Help – ”But He gives a greater grace (charis). Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace (charis) to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:6-8).”

Do you need extra help from God today? The Scriptures give you the steps to receive that divine help. Humble yourself, draw near to God and resist the devil. God is very generous, and loves to give greater grace to the humble.

Gift – “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace (charis) of God (1 Peter 4:10).” If you want to see the way God can use the spiritual gifts in a man that is totally surrendered, do a study on the life of the Apostle Paul. Look at the spiritual gifts as listed in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, and try to determine which one doesn’t show up in his life at least once in the New Testament.

Empowerment – “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8).” To me, this definition of grace is the most neglected of all: Grace empowers us to walk as Jesus walked.

So often, grace is referred to by Christians as freedom from the consequences of sin, when Biblically, that is only a small aspect of grace. The greater aspects of grace we see highlighted in the New Testament are our freedom from the power of sin and a new empowerment to obey Jesus out of love.

Jesus tells us that obedience is God’s love language. And God has richly blessed us with the grace and empowerment to walk as Jesus walked out of love for what Jesus did for us. Just as it was the true testimony of the early Christians, it can be the witness of your life as well because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

All our power is of God; I say, of God. From Him we have life, from Him we have strength, by power derived and conceived from Him we do. … If you keep the way of innocence, the way of righteousness, if you walk with a firm and steady step, if, depending on God with your whole strength and with your whole heart, you only be what you have begun to be, liberty and power to do is given you in proportion to the increase of your spiritual grace. … Let our heart only be athirst, and be ready to receive: in the degree in which we bring to it a capacious faith, in that measure we draw from it an overflowing grace. Thence is given power, with modest chastity, with a sound mind, with a simple voice, with unblemished virtue, that is able to quench the virus of poisons for the healing of the sick, to purge out the stains of foolish souls by restored health, to bid peace to those that are at enmity, repose to the violent, gentleness to the unruly. – Cyprian 250CE, Volume 5, p. 490-491 [CD-ROM]

Grace Pt. 9. Grace for Enemies

One morning as I was mowing my lawn, a young mockingbird began to repeatedly dive-bomb at my head. Naturally, my initial reaction was to find an old badminton racket to scare off the birdie. It was to no avail.

Mockingbirds are thugs. They often make me wish they weren’t the State bird of Texas so I could take one out to teach the others a lesson. But that morning as I was swinging into the air, and no doubt giving my neighbors a good laugh, words of Jesus began to come to mind.

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. … If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. … But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” – Luke 6:27-28, 32-33, 35

Could these values work with a thuggish mockingbird? It was worth a shot.

I went inside and got some pieces of bread. With the lawnmower not running, I went over where he was perched, whistled, dropped a couple large crumbs and went back to mowing. The young mockingbird never went for the breadcrumbs, but it immediately stopped dive-bombing at me.

Over the last month or so, that mockingbird has become quite friendly. I can recognize it by a particular set of markings on its chest. It comes out every time I mow, and will often perch just a foot or two away from me. The little guy once flew over and stood on the handle of my lawnmower while it was shut off and I was right beside it looking at something on the ground. We shared a moment together as it just hung out there for about a minute.

The early Christians didn’t view the command to love our enemies as hyperbole, they understood it as an imperative and one of the most effective methods of evangelism.

They comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies. … They follow the commandments of their Christ with much care, living justly and seriously, just as the Lord their God commanded them. – Aristides 125CE, Volume 1, p. 443-444 [CD-ROM]

Now we pray for our enemies and try to win those who hate us unjustly so that they too may live in accordance with Christ’s wonderful teachings, that they too may enter into the expectation, that they too may receive the same good things that we will receive from God, the ruler of the universe. – Justin Martyr 160CE (cited in Eberhard Arnold, The Early Christians in Their Own Words, fourth edition, p. 106.) 

I realize how difficult those words are to swallow. I really do. I’m a Texan, and Texans scoff at the idea of loving enemies. Texans don’t really do the whole turn the other cheek thing. If you slap a Texan on the right cheek, you may get fired upon, and it’ll probably be legal. That is the culture I’ve always lived in.

The way of Jesus, however, calls us to not regard anyone from a worldly point of view.

Instead of seeing enemies as threats to security and safety, we are called to view them as potential friends and family. And the more I've pondered Jesus’ sacrifice for all of humanity and the early Christians’ passion to see all people embrace Christ as Lord, the more my beliefs have changed.

I’m not against gun ownership, but I am for all human life. In all situations. From the womb to the tomb. For, as Jesus has demonstrated to us on the cross, the only way to stop cycles of violence is to absorb it. Not only does that method have the power to stop cycles of violence, it can turn mass-murderers into missionaries. 

Once again, though, I won’t pretend like loving and blessing enemies is an easy task. It’s usually an excruciating endeavor. But when it is done with sincerity, the power of the gospel is unleashed.

There was once a woman at a previous church I worked at who spread a vicious rumor about me designed to destroy my ministry and marriage. Eventually, she was found out, and admitted to what she did. I tried hard to keep it from affecting me, but to tell the truth, I was bitter toward her for a couple of years and we did not exactly get along.

Later on after I became the interim pastor of that church, the same lady began to feel overwhelmed by difficulties within her family. One Sunday as I was walking through the parking lot, I saw her weeping beside her car. I passed her by, but then was reprimanded by the Holy Spirit to go back and pray with her.

I had a brief argument with God, but then by grace submitted to His promptings and went outside. I told her I knew things were rough for her and her loved ones, and I was sorry. I put my arm around her shoulder and asked if I could pray for her. She said yes.

From that day forward, things were different between us. We didn’t instantly become best friends, but it wasn’t cold like before. She would give me give me hugs when we said hello. The power of the gospel was growing like a mustard seed.

It’s easy to love those who love us; that’s why Jesus says there’s no credit in it. Interestingly, the word ‘credit’ in Luke6:32 is charis. Grace. Real grace is unleashed when we depend on and imitate Jesus by loving our enemies. And Jesus promises real rewards for those who do.