TWO LOVES

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                                      TWO LOVES
           We are familiar with the account of Jesus having bread and fish on
the fire to greet His disciples when they returned from the fruitless night
of fishing.  After they had eaten, Jesus asked Peter a straight question, and
got a straight answer, though not exactly the one He wanted.  Watch a play of
words, in the Greek text.  Jn 21:15,16,17

           Jesus: Peter, do you love (Agape) Me more than these?
           Peter: Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love (Phileo) thee.
           Jesus: Son of Jonas, lovest (Agape) thou Me?
           Peter: Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love (Phileo) Thee.
           Jesus: Simon, Son of Jonas, lovest (Phileo) thou Me?
           Peter-grieved: Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I
love (Phileo) Thee.
           Peter, who had been so self-confident a short time before the
trial and crucifixion of Jesus, and had fallen so flat on his face, now
realized his limitations, and could not, honestly, say that he was able to
demonstrate Agape love to anyone.  And, indeed, he could not have done so,
for he had not received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as yet.  
       Jesus had to re-word His question, and come down to the level of human
love to make contact with Peter, or any other person who has never received
the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
           Agape love is not natural to humanity, and cannot be generated by
humanity.  It is natural only to God, and is imparted by Him alone to those
who seek Him for it.  If we do not seek for it, as "for hid treasures" we
will never possess it.
           Phileo love, at its best, can do no more than fail.  We see it 
       every day--good friends becoming estranged, and hating each other,
 families falling apart for no apparent reasons, and a host of other
situations which could be named.
           Agape love, on the other hand, if sought after and maintained by a
life of prayer and seeking after God, never fails or falls short of its goal.
 It is a Supernatural Love, and it shows itself in a different way than
Phileo love does.
           Phileo love feeds on the response of the person loved, and is apt
to be turned into some other emotion when not satisfied by its object.
           Agape Love, on the other hand, feeds on the Spirit of God as we
pray in the Spirit, and is totally independent of the reactions, or lack of
them, from its object.