THE ESSENCE OF PERFECT LOVE: REV JOSEPH ALIYU

The subject of love is an important theme in this letter of John. Note that in the one hundred and five verses of this epistle, the word love is used fifty-nine times.  John had already given some strong instruction about love in the second and third chapters. And nowhere in the fourth chapter, he returns to that theme.  When you look at these verses a little closer you notice a new term John has added to the mix. Four times in these verses he uses the word perfect to describe the love he talks about so much.  John uses three different forms of the word translated perfect, perfected, and perfection. But all three come from the same root word which means “to bring to an  end or completion or full development.” In other words, “complete or mature.” Some things about Agape love:  Agape love is the foundation for all legitimate love - I Corinthians 13.  Agape love is the core of all of God's relationships with us. There is one commandment that is repeated three times in these verses; it is the  exhortation to “love one another.” (vs. 7, 11, 12)