We can group them into four levels so it’s easier to understand!

The first level is “Family Love.” It’s the most basic and common type of love, like the love between you and your parents.

Titus, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, advised older women in the church to teach the younger women. (Titus 2:4, NASB) He said, “…so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,…”

The second level is “Brotherly Love,” which includes feelings of loyalty and of protection and being protected. A team has this type of love, supporting each other so they can win the game.

Peter instructs us to have this kind of love for our fellow church members. He said, (1 Peter 3:8, NLT) “…Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.”

The third level is “Philanthropic Love.” Maybe you’ve heard the word “philanthropy,” which describes a company or person generously making a large donation to people they don't know.

The Apostle Paul describes Philanthropic Love when he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. (Acts 28:2 Christian Standard Bible) He said, “The local people showed us extraordinary kindness…” The word translated “kindness” here is this type of love.

The fourth level – the rarest of all – is selfless. It has only the thought of giving and receiving nothing in return. It’s called “Unconditional Love,” translated from the Greek words, “agapao” or “agape,” so you might hear this type of love also referred to as “Agape Love.”

God has this type of unconditional love for ALL of us. In John it says, (John 3:16 NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s agape love is at the heart of His plan for ALL of humankind. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, EVERYONE who has ever died will be raised from the grave in God’s kingdom!

Jesus said that we should have agape love for God, each other and even our enemies. (See Matthew 5:44, 22:37; John 15:17)

So, what are the different kinds of love in the Bible? Family Love, Brotherly Love, Philanthropic Love, and Unconditional (or Agape) Love. God’s agape love is selfless – and EVERYONE is included! We want to follow Jesus’ commands and have agape love for God, each other and our enemies.

This video is from Christian Questions Podcast. For more information please go to https://christianquestions.com