阿加佩之爱：我们做得到吗？

原文链接：https://tabithaannthelostsock.blogspot.com/2012/02/agape-can-we-do-it.html

日期： 2012-02-08

阿加佩之爱是一种恒久忍耐、仁慈良善的爱；不嫉妒，不自夸，不张狂；不作失礼之事，不求己益，不轻易动怒，不记念他人过错；不以恶为乐，唯独与真理同乐；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。（《哥林多前书》13:4–7）
我活得越久……越感到自己根本无法活出这种阿加佩之爱。我确实在努力以这种方式去爱，但最终总会不知不觉地暗中期待回报，或感到希望正在消退，又或难以信任他人。因此，我得出结论：无论我多么努力，终究做不到。同时，我也发现，我所认识的任何人，同样无法真正活出这种阿加佩之爱。我生命中的每个人，都曾在某个时刻令我失望、伤害过我，或向我索取恩惠。然而，当我自身尚且挣扎不已、不愿被人论断时，我又怎能因此责怪他们呢？这种爱，由基督亲自示范。我们永远无法达到祂那样的境界。我们只能朝此而活，也必然失败。但我想，这失败本身恰恰正是关键所在……祂早已知道我们做不到。正因如此，祂才三次问彼得：“你爱（阿加佩）我吗？”祂早已知道答案——祂深知，作为人，我们永远无法像祂爱我们那样去爱祂。

前几天我在收音机里听到一位男士说：“我无法夸耀自己多么爱神，因为我每天都令祂失望；但我可以夸耀祂多么爱我，因为祂的爱永不失效。”正是这句话，让我真正领悟了这一概念。彼得确实爱神，他曾信誓旦旦地说自己绝不会否认主，却最终失败了。他的爱是附带条件的，会随处境而改变。我们若诚实面对自己，就无法声称自己的爱不是如此——否则，不过是自欺罢了。

但好消息是……无论我们如何努力、又如何失败，基督始终以阿加佩之爱爱着我们。祂来，并非要定我们的罪，而是要赦免我们、拯救我们。我们无需勉强自己去“行出”阿加佩之爱，因为祂的阿加佩之爱借着我们，自然能向世界闪耀出来。祂满有恩典与怜悯。祂已斩断一切捆绑！毫无任何要求！祂只想要你——完完全全、本本真真地要你。

Agape我们做得到吗

Original: https://tabithaannthelostsock.blogspot.com/2012/02/agape-can-we-do-it.html

Date: 2012-02-08

Agape love is a love that is always patient, kind, not envious, boastful or proud of self. It does not dishonor others, act selfishly, it is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Agape does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1Corinthians 13:4-7)
The more I live my life... I feel incapable of this agape love. I do try to love this way, but eventually find myself somehow secretly expecting something in return, feeling like I want to lose hope, or find it hard to trust somebody. So, I have come to the conclusion, that I cannot do it no matter how hard I try. But, I also find it incapable of anyone I have ever met to obtain this Agape as well. Everyone in my life has at some point let me down, hurt me, or expected favors from me. But I cannot hold it agianst them when I myself struggle and do not want to be judged. This love is modeled by Chirst. We cannot ever be as he was. We can live to and fail. But, I think that our failure is the whole point... He knew we could not do it. That is why he asked Peter three times if he Agaped him. He knew the answer. He knows we cannot as humans love him as much as he loves us.
I heard on the radio the other day a man say, "I cannot brag about how much I love God because I fail him everyday. But I can brag about how he loves me because His love never fails.". This is the point that I realized this concept. Peter did love God. He said he would never deny him, but failed. His love was conditional and changed depeding on circumstance. We cannot honestly say ours doesn't or we are fooling ourselves.
But, the good news is... Christ agapes us no matter how much we try and fail. He is not here to condemn us, but to forgive and save us. We don't have to agape, cause his agape through us can shine through to the world. He is full of grace and mercy. He cut all the strings! No expectations! He just wants you... just as you are.