What is Love?

What is love? This is a question that has perplexed mankind for eons of time.  The definitions can vary from person to person, between men and women and young and old.  Love has a broad definition and cannot be confined to something felt between a man and a women.

Love is a strong feeling of affection and personal attachment for a parent, child, or friend.  Love can also be described as the passionate affection for a member of the opposite sex.  A synonym for love is ‘devotion’. 

Love can also be lead by principle and not affection.  This so called love is shown for principles such as righteousness and goodness.  This is love toward enemies, or for anyone for whom you do not naturally feel affection.  If you are a Bible reader you know that this is known as agape. Agape is love expressed by deliberate choice borne by a sense of duty or propriety.

There is also another type of love called philea or phileo.  This type of love is brotherly affection.  Phileo it disregards propriety or duty and is more like the strong affection or attachment spoken of earlier.  Agape and phileo are not mutually exclusive.  They can be felt together – love governed by principle along with strong personal affection or attachment.

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