Understanding Eros, Phileo, and Agape Love at Living The Legacy Church
In our 13th service on December 8th, 2023, we were joined by Julie in worship, and it was a night filled with spiritual revelations. As we delve into the essence of love, let’s explore the concepts of Eros, Phileo, and Agape, drawing inspiration from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 2.
Eros, Phileo, and Agape are three distinct Greek words representing different aspects of love. Eros is often associated with passionate, romantic love, Phileo represents brotherly love or friendship, and Agape is the selfless, unconditional love exemplified by Jesus Christ.
In Mark 2, we witness a powerful connection between Phileo and Agape love. It’s the story of a paralyzed man brought to Jesus by his friends. Their Phileo love, their deep friendship and concern for their friend, led them to carry him on a mat to Jesus. This act of compassion demonstrates the essence of Phileo love, where we go to great lengths to help those we care about.
The parallel in our lives is clear: just as the paralyzed man had his mat, we all have our own burdens and sins to bear. Faith can heal, but we must also acknowledge and carry our own “mat” of sins. When we encounter Jesus and experience His forgiveness, we, like the healed man, should rise and walk with our mat. Our mat represents the place where we once dwelled in sin, and by carrying it, we demonstrate our transformation.
As it is beautifully said by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.” Just as the healed man didn’t leave his mat behind, we should carry our past sins as a testament to God’s transformative power.
The key takeaway from this profound lesson is that our faith in Jesus not only heals us but also calls us to acknowledge our past sins and bear them with humility and gratitude. As members of Living The Legacy Church, let us strive to live out Eros, Phileo, and most importantly, Agape love in our daily lives.
We invite you to join us in this transformative journey of love and faith. If you’re seeking a spiritual community that embraces and embodies these profound truths, contact Ken Delisi at Living The Legacy Church today at 305-613-6333. Let’s walk this path together, carrying our mats of transformation as a testament to God’s redeeming love.