What does love mean? There are four greek words for love. Eros is erotic love or a love of passion. It is a self-satisfying love. Phileo is brotherly love. It means an affection and involves a giving and receiving. Storge is the natural affection we have for our families. And then there is agape which has its origins in God. It is an unconditional love that has a consuming passion for others. John wants us to have agape love for others. He encourages us to give for others and lay down our lives for each other even if we don’t get anything in return. Agape love is not naturally within us. God gives it to us as a gift. It is poured into our spirits from the Holy Spirit. Are we being transformed by the grace of God? Or are we becoming more selfish? If you do not love, you do not know God. The ultimate illustration of the love of God is Christ on the cross. The love of God was made visible by Him giving us His Son as a propitiation for our sin that we might live through Him. Since God showed us love, we are to love one another. It’s through our love for one another that others will see God. The fruit of the Spirit is love. Our love is to testify or bear witness of God. In order for us to testify of this love, we must first experience the love of God transforming our own hearts and lives. By abiding in God and Him in us, our love is perfected. This leads us to have a confidence on the day of judgement because we know the transformation of love in us. God does not desire to leave any of us where we are. He desires to transform us. We can only love others because God first loved us. It’s only when we look to the cross of Christ by faith that we can know the love of God.