Agape never fails I

What never fails? Is it true that love never fails?

The concept of 'Love' is possibly the most talked about and most desired attribute of human existence. Whole movie genres are centred around it, everyone is looking for it and yet very few really find it. Well, it depends on what you are looking for though—there's a lot of philia (brotherly love), storge (dutiful love) and eros (intimate friendships) in the world, but agape (sacrificial love) is hardly in abundance.

I went to the great mirror of scriptures and spoke the ancient words, “Mirror Mirror in the Word, what love quote is the greatest of them all?” And the mirror answered, “Love [Agape] never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

So many times, people quote the famous words of 1 Corinthians 13:8, but they fail to understand the context of it. The word used for love in this passage is neither philia, eros nor storge; it is agape. Therefore, when someone says “love never fails,” we need to ask them specifically, “Do you mean agape or something else?” This clarification is important because the only kind of love that never fails is agape. All other loves have their Achilles’ heels!

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The only kind of love that never fails is agape

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What then is agape? Agape is not love-at-first-sight and it's not the vague and-they-lived-happily-ever-after fantasy of Hollywood. Agape is loving someone fully—understanding the person's weaknesses and inabilities and still accepting them. Rms 5:8 says it well, "But God commends his love [agape] toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". This is why it cannot be love at first sight. At first sight, you can have passion and a mix of philia, eros or storge, but agape comes with understanding. It is not blind love; it is love with clear eyes and a clear mind but with a decision not to count wrongs.

Agape is the love that gives without expecting any returns.

The purest expression of agape is shown when Jesus sacrificed Himself for sins He never committed. We don't deserve His agape, but He gave it anyways. Jesus was not self-seeking but was seeking to save humanity. He is patient waiting for everyone to wilfully acknowledge their sins, accept His agape and come to His saving grace. Though He knows many will not accept His sacrifice, He still gave His agape anyway.

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Any marriage that is based on agape will never fail

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This agape love went beyond the cross into an agape-based marriage between Jesus and the church, in which He is the Faithful Groom. For more than two centuries, this marriage has not failed and will continue to grow strong because it is based on agape. This marriage is the template and the anvil upon which every successful marriage must be forged. It is sure, and it never fails. Any marriage that is based on agape will never fail. If a marriage leads to divorce, agape must have been compromised by at least one party. Jesus has not divorced us in spite of our numerous sins because agape never divorces; it never fails!

Therefore, if Agape never fails, then anything done out of Agape will never fail! Selah!!!

Think about it, are all your thoughts, words and actions done out of Agape? Doing all in Agape is what never fails.

Lord help me to live my life and do all I can by agape in Jesus name, amen.

Shalom!