God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:8 NIV
The Affection of Jesus Christ
Last March, while visiting Canada, King Charles reportedly expressed his “deep affection” for Canada. His Majesty, who is King of Canada, delivered a warm exchange of greetings in French and English to Gregory Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada and Senate Speaker Raymonde Gagne ahead of a private meeting. In the 30-minute meeting, they are thought to have discussed topics “of great concern to all parties, both nationally and internationally”.
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We English speakers have one word for the affection of the heart – love. So, love is used to express affection for so many varied things – our spouse, our family members, our dog, our favourite sports team, and pizza. We can say we love them all. But because we only have one word for love, that can mean a variety of levels for love. Wisely, the Greeks had a number of words for love, and the deepest, most selfless was agape – the love that God has for His people. It is also used in Philippians 1:8 when Paul, writing to a church that was so precious to him, wrote: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” The apostle was expressing to the believers in Philippi that his love for them was the same love that Jesus had for them. Agape love puts no demands on the one being loved – Paul loved those believers with complete and total abandon, not dependent on their response to him. That is how the Lord Jesus loves them, Paul says, and it is how the Lord Jesus loves us. We are called to love others in the same way.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley