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Biblical Loves

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

English speakers often overuse general and precise words, especially with profound concepts like the word "love." Even though English contains the world's largest vocabulary, speakers carelessly tend to flatten nuances. However, Scripture draws from Koine Greek, offering four distinct words for "love," each relaying different dimensions of human connection, restoring clarity and depth to what has often been reduced for human emotion. 1.) Eros signifies romantic and sexual love—within marriage honorable, but outside porneia. 2.) Storge signifying natural family affection among family members—parents, children, and siblings, referring to a loyal, comfortable affection within close-knot relationships extending to those treated as family. 3.) Phileo, brotherly love and affection, signifies personal attachment, and chosen companionship outside the family, forming the root of Philadelphia-"brotherly love" exhorting believers to love their spiritual brethren (Hebrews 13:1), describing the bonds formed through shared values and covenant. 4.) Agape, signifying divine selfless love, transcending phileo by being intentional, sacrificial, and rooted solidly in God's nature. Unlike emotional affection, agape flows from will and principle, demonstrating love as action, a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22) as well as the greatest virtue (I Corinthians 13:13) embodying humility, selflessness, and Christlike service. Jesus summarized the great law, love God with all our might, and our neighbor as ourselves, which requires God-like love agape.

You Are My Friends!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

While it is common on Facebook to defriend/unfriend, Christ's love for His people is a friending with the condition that godly fruit is produced.

Keeping Love Alive (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we love another person, we like to think about him/her, to hear about him/her, please him/her, and we are jealous about his/her reputation and honor.

Keeping Love Alive (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Works demonstrate our faith, our response to God's calling and His freely given grace. Reciprocity is always a part of our relationship with God.

Loving Christ and Revelation 2:1-7

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

There is a direct relationship between loving Christ and doing the right works. God's love for us places us under a compelling obligation to reciprocate.

Deuteronomy and Holiness

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God has provided the God-plane marriage relationship to teach us how to submit to one another, sacrificing our self-centeredness for the benefit of our spouse.

Thank You For Being A Friend

Sermonette by Ted E. Bowling

True friendship is not just a casual relationship, but a deep commitment of trust, enabling the sharing of our deepest thoughts without fear of betrayal.

The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Kindness goes hand-in-hand with love. It is an active expression of love toward God and fellow man, produced through the power of God's Spirit.

How to Know We Love Christ

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We cannot become weary of well-doing, allowing our first love to deteriorate, looking to the world for satisfaction. Here are 8 tests of our love for Christ.

The Purpose of the Marriage Relationship

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Marriage prepares God's called-out ones to collectively become the bride of Christ. God hates divorce but allows it on grounds of adultery and violence.

The Lord's Nourishing and Cherishing

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The marriage covenant must be elevated to the stature of Christ and the church. A caring husband must love his wife as he nourishes his own physical body.

Loyalty and Submission (Part 3)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As wives are admonished to emulate the ideal of the Proverbs 31 woman, husbands must emulate the sacrificial spirit of Jesus Christ.

Friendship Within the Church

Sermon by Mark Schindler

We will be judged on our responsiveness to each other and our subsequent friendship with our brethren, one that goes through the grave for all eternity.

Prayer and Seeking God

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Rather than having an apathetic relationship toward God, we must ardently, earnestly, and fervently seek God in order to imitate His behavior in our lives.

Childrearing (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Children do not initiate love but reflect it. If a child does not receive a convincing demonstration of this love, he will not become a conductor of love.

We Have an Advocate With the Father

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

When we sin, we have an advocate with Jesus Christ, who has been commissioned to forgive our sins upon repentance. There is no forgiveness apart from Christ.

Perfect, Gentle Courtesy (Part 3)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Parents are obligated to teach God's laws to their children. According to Emily Post, good manners are to the family what good morals are to society.