Love Guides All

Sunday School Lesson

Theme: The Law of Love

Scriptures: 1 John 4:7-1 John 5:5

Notes and questions

B1 What is love?

B2 Love words in the New Testament

• Good loves
• ἀγάπη agápē. This is the love of choice. It is the highest and deepest love.
• ""And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12 NKJV)
• "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NKJV)
• "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love [is] the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10 NKJV)
• φιλέω philéō which is the love friends have for each other.
• φιλόστοργος philóstorgos. This is the natural affection seen between spouses, parents and children as in "[Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;" (Romans 12:10 NKJV)
• Eros which is emotional love. It is used for emotional and physical love. That blast of feelings with emotions. One writer describes it this way, “Eros love is that insatiable desire to be near the target of this love – the exciting, passionate, nervous feelings that sweep over people in the appropriate circumstances.”
• The list:
• φιλάγαθος philágathos--love for good people (Titus 1:8).
• Φιλαδέλφεια Philadélpheia--a city named for brotherly love (Revelation 1:11 and Revealation 3:7).
• φιλάδελφος philádelphos (φιλαδελφία philadelphía)--love as brothers or sisters, fellow citizens (Hebrews 13:1, 1 Peter 3:8).
• φίλανδρος phílandros--love for husbands (Titus 2:4).
• φιλανθρωπία philanthrōpía--love for people, kindness (Acts 28:2 and Titus 3:4).
• φιλανθρώπως philanthrṓpōs--love of others as in being courteous (Acts 27:3).
• φιλάργυρος philárgyros (φιλαργυρία philargyría)--love of money (Luke 16:14, 2 Timothy 3:2, and (1 Timothy 6:10).
• φίλαυτος phílautos--love of self (2 Timothy 3:2).
• φιλέω philéō--friendly love (John 21:15, etc.).
• φιλήδονος philḗdonos--love of pleasure (2 Timothy 3:4).
• φίλημα phílēma--kiss (Luke 7:45, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, etc.).
• Φιλήμων Philḗmōn--one who kisses (Philemon 1:1).
• Φίλητος Phílētos--beloved (2 Timothey 2:17, he was a heretic).
• φιλία philía--friendship (James 4:4).
• Φίλιπποι Phílippoi--lover of horses (Acts 16:12, etc.).
• Φίλιππος Phílippos--loves horses (Phillip as in Matthew 10:3, etc..
• φιλόθεος philótheos--lover of God (pious) as in 2 Timothy 3:4.
• Φιλόλογος Philólogos--lover of the word as in Romans 16:15.
• φιλονεικία philoneikía--lover of strife and contention as in Luke 22:24.
• φιλόνεικος philóneikos--love to argue as in 1 Corinthians 11:16.
• φιλονεξία philonexía--love for strangers as in hospitable (Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:2).
• φιλόξενος philóxenos--lover of guests as in generous and hospitalbe (1 Timothy 3:2, etc.).
• φιλοπρωτεύω philoprōteúō--love of being first, wanting the pre-eminence as in 3 John 9.
• φίλος phílos--friend as in Acts 10:24 and James 2:23, etc.
• φιλοσοφία philosophía--love of wisdom, so zeal for skill, knowledge, etc. (Colossians 2:8).
• φιλόσοφος philósophos--philosopher as in Acts 17:18.
• φιλόστοργος philóstorgos--mutual, natural love of parents to children, etc. (Romans 12:10).
• φιλότεκνος philóteknos--love of children (Titus 2:4).
• φιλοτιμέομαι philotiméomai--love of honor, study, as in eager to do something. (1 Thessalonians 4:11 (aspire).
• φιλοφρόνως philophrónōs--kind and friendly as in Acts 28:7.
• φιλόφρων philóphrōn--courteous, humble minded, kind (1 Peter 3:8).
• Bad loves
• φιλαργυρία philargyría as in "For the love of money is a root of all [kinds of] evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV)
• ἄστοργος ástorgos which is without natural affection. Natural affection is as parents for children, siblings, etc.
• Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 2 Timothy 3:3.
• Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Romans 1:31
• What are some English words? (love and like which cover many different areas).

B3 What is the love chapter in the Bible most think of?

B4 How do others know love based on 1 Corinthians 13.

• The actions towards others.
• The motivation for our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

B5 15 Things to love (from Dake’s Bible. Be careful with Dake’s for he teaches the false doctrine of adoptionism and has a faulty doctrine of the Trinity).

• God (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37-39)
• Neighbors (Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:38-39)
• Strangers (Deuteronomy 10:19)
• Salvation (Psalm 40:16)
• God’s name (Psalm 69:36 and Psalm 119:132)
• Wisdom (Proverbs 4:6)
• Good (Amos 5:15)
• Mercy (Micah 6:8)
• Truth (Zechariah 8:19)
• Peace (Zechariah 8:19)
• Enemies (Matthew 5:44)
• One another (referring to Christian brethren) (1 Peter 3:8)
• Husbands (Titus 2:4)
• Wives (Ephesians 5:25)
• Children (Titus 2:4)

B6 How and how much to love (from Dake’s Bible with the same cautions)

• With all the heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37)
• As one loves himself (Matthew 22:39)
• As Christ loves us (John 15:12)
• Enough to lay down life for others (John 15:13)
• Without hypocrisy (Romans 12:9)
• Unfeigned (2 Corinthians 6:6)
• Sincere (2 Corinthians 8:8)
• By service to one another (Galatians 5:13)
• Forbearing one another (Ephesians 4:2)
• With a pure heart fervently (1 Peter 1:22)
• As brethren (Romans 12:9 and 1 Peter 3:8)
• Not in word but deed (1 John 3:18)
• Without fear (1 John 4:18)

B7 Can we love God by performing rituals and sacraments?

B8 Do we love the way God wants us to? (The work of the Holy Spirit with our cooperation. Galatians 5:22-26)

B9 1 John 4:7-12,

• Do non-Christians have real love? What is the difference between how a Christian loves and a non-Christian?
• Who loved first? Did God love us first or did we love God first?

B10 1 John 4:13-18,

• What is one way we know that we are Christians?
• If someone says, “Jesus is the Son of God,” is he/she a Christian?
• How does perfect love drive out fear?

B11 1 John 4:19-21

• What is the problem with hate?
• How do we love our Christian brother and sister?

B12 1 John 5:1-5,

• How does obeying God’s rules show that we love God?
• What rules is the Apostle talking about?
• Is this happening today (Christians obeying God’s rules)?
• Do we feel overwhelmed by all the evil that is happening today? How does this passage bring comfort to us?

B13 Next week

• Surviving Jericho
• Theme: Acting in faith
• Scriptures: Joshua 2:1-24