This week, we are featuring a series of reflections by Brian Harriett on music from dc Talk, a Christian rock/rap trio founded in 1987.

James 2:20 (CEB)

Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown that faith without actions has no value at all?

Matthew 28:19-20 (CEB)

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

Reflection

Simple and plain (Oh), L-O-V-E ain’t all that junk that you see on TV
Put soaps on a rope ’cause they ain’t worth cope’n
With it’s a myth that there ain’t no hope and
Love is enough if it’s unconditionally
Given now ya livin’ out the Great Commission

dc Talk (“Luv is a Verb,” 1992)

The lyric above makes a point much the same as that of James 2:20: “Are you so slow? Do you need to be shown that faith without actions has no value at all?” 

While familiar with “The Great Commission” in Matthew 28:19, we may miss the lesser-known verses about love that prompt specific forms of active love.

By Brian Harriett

For Pondering & Prayer

Try on these Greek concepts of love found in the Bible* and review the verses to which they correspond. Which do you use more often when speaking to others? Which do you value most highly?

Ahab (v.): Hebrew word for love. Describes a variety of intensely close emotional bonds. So Abraham loved his son Isaac (Genesis 22:2). 

Agapao (v.): An unconditional love that is chosen and acted out by the will. “The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7,8).

Agape (n.): Designates love between persons (John 13:35), or people for God (1 John 2:15), of God for humanity (Romans 5:8), and of God for Christ (John 17:26).

Phileo (n.):  In John 21:15, Peter responded that he had phileo, or brotherly love, for Jesus. We are commanded to have agape love (Matthew 5:44).

Philadelphia (n.): This is not the love God has for us, but rather love between brothers and sisters in Christ (adelphoi being a word for “brothers”). It implies that a familial bond between people who would not otherwise share affection. It is possible through Christ. Also one of the seven churches in Revelation (1:11), and the home of Gritty.

*Source: bibleconnection.com

Prayer: Lord, let us love others as you love us! Amen.