In our study of love as found in John 13-17 we’ve considered the Father’s love, Jesus’s love and our love as believers. Now let’s look at love as experienced and expressed by the world.
Jesus said, those who don’t have “agape” love for Him will not obey His commands. They are committed to doing their own thing. If you obey Jesus’ commands, the world will hate you. But if you live as they do they’ll have a natural affection for you. They’ll have “phileo” love for you, because your life styles and commitments are the same. They’ll feel comfortable in your presence.
There’s a recurring theme, however, in these chapters: the world needs to be exposed to an “agape love and lifestyle.” Jesus said He wanted the world to know He loved the Father (John
In 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, Paul put it this way: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved.” It’s the only way the lost will know true, “agape” love, and turn to Jesus.