Eros - Romantic Passionate Love
Eros
This week we are once again examining the different meanings of the word “love.”
Eros is one of the four Greek words for love, alongside agape (selfless love), storge (familial love), and philia (brotherly love). While eros refers to romantic and sexual love, it is important to note that the term itself does not appear in the New Testament. Instead, the New Testament focuses on providing boundaries for sexual relationships and emphasizes the importance of love in a broader, more spiritual context.
The Greeks chose the name “Eros” as the name of their god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite.
Here are some examples:
I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9
But, strange as it may sound, the Old Testament does broach the topic of romantic love. In fact, the concept of eros is very well illustrated all throughout the book known as Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs. Here are a few examples:
Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine. 3 The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out. No wonder young women adore you. 4 Take me with you—let us hurry. Oh, that the king would bring me to his chambers. Song of Solomon 1:2-4
How beautiful you are and how pleasant, my love, with such delights! 7 Your stature is like a palm tree; your breasts are clusters of fruit. 8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree and take hold of its fruit.” May your breasts be like clusters of grapes, and the fragrance of your breath like apricots.
Song of Solomon 7:6-8
Yes, those are actual verses from the Bible. Steamy, right?! And that's an important point: the Bible does not shy away from the reality of romantic love - nor even from the sensations of physical passion. Indeed, the Scriptures elevate physical love when experienced within the proper boundaries.
Again, these verses do not contain the word eros because they were written in Hebrew, not Greek. But they are proper and effective examples of what the Greeks envisioned whenever they spoke or wrote of eros love.
Eros is a real and genuine love which was created by God for human beings to experience. This was all part of God’s plan! He intended for a man and a woman to relish and delight in each other in every physical way.
Unfortunately, as with all things, when Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was corrupted. This corruption even entered into our relationship to have pure love (Eros) for each other. We see the effects of the fall into sin all around us.
When a man forces himself on a woman, corrupted eros is at work. When a child is molested, corrupted eros is at work. When a man engages in sex with a woman other than his wife, corrupted eros is at work. When a man burns in lust for another man, or a woman for a woman, the corrupted eros is at work. The pornography industry is driven by this corrupted eros. Every sexual desire which lives in the human heart that is beyond the desire of a husband and wife is driven by this corrupted eros.
Christendom has been all over the page when it comes to the proper understanding of eros. In the Middle Ages the belief came to the forefront that any eros was bad or evil. The emphasis on monks and nuns came about because it was believed that any sexual expression, even wholesome within a marriage, made a “person less” than God wanted them to be. Singleness was elevated and marriage was downplayed.
Yet, what is it that God created? God created one man and one woman and told them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth! Sex was part of God’s ordained structure in creation. Sex is not bad or evil! Sex is good in the eyes of God because He made it and declared it was “very good” along with all creation.
What grieves God’s heart is when what He made good and wholesome is perverted and used for evil. This is why Jesus came into this world! He came to not only win forgiveness by His death and resurrection, but He also came to restore us to a right understanding and relationship with each other.
A man is to honor and cherish his wife and be faithful to her. A woman is to honor and respect her husband and be faithful to him. The marriage bed is to be pure and un-defiled. This is what God created, and it is pleasing in His sight.
As Christians in the world today we are faced with a great challenge. We are called to proclaim the truth of all God has done in Christ and His desire for our lives. This includes the proper understanding of human sexuality. We are sexual beings, created this way by God. The issue is: What is God’s will concerning the proper expression of our sexuality? It is here that we face the challenge. Our world today wants free sex with no strings attached. Perverted sexual expression is accepted and we have come to tolerate it in our midst, and we say nothing. The actions and activities which moved God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah are being celebrated in our society.
We can rail and preach fire and brimstone, but this will do nothing but makes us enemies of society and silence our witness. The better path is to elevate what God originally crated and reveal in our lives the goodness of God and His presence in a marriage and the blessing this marriage is to those who honor it and keep it.
Let’s lift up what God calls good and proclaim it loudly and live it proudly. Then those who are trapped in sin and who are filled with guilt and shame will be drawn to us in a way they will listen to what God desires for them. Lift up Jesus and He will draw the world to Himself. Amen!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
This week we are once again examining the different meanings of the word “love.”
Eros is one of the four Greek words for love, alongside agape (selfless love), storge (familial love), and philia (brotherly love). While eros refers to romantic and sexual love, it is important to note that the term itself does not appear in the New Testament. Instead, the New Testament focuses on providing boundaries for sexual relationships and emphasizes the importance of love in a broader, more spiritual context.
The Greeks chose the name “Eros” as the name of their god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite.
Here are some examples:
I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9
But, strange as it may sound, the Old Testament does broach the topic of romantic love. In fact, the concept of eros is very well illustrated all throughout the book known as Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs. Here are a few examples:
Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine. 3 The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out. No wonder young women adore you. 4 Take me with you—let us hurry. Oh, that the king would bring me to his chambers. Song of Solomon 1:2-4
How beautiful you are and how pleasant, my love, with such delights! 7 Your stature is like a palm tree; your breasts are clusters of fruit. 8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree and take hold of its fruit.” May your breasts be like clusters of grapes, and the fragrance of your breath like apricots.
Song of Solomon 7:6-8
Yes, those are actual verses from the Bible. Steamy, right?! And that's an important point: the Bible does not shy away from the reality of romantic love - nor even from the sensations of physical passion. Indeed, the Scriptures elevate physical love when experienced within the proper boundaries.
Again, these verses do not contain the word eros because they were written in Hebrew, not Greek. But they are proper and effective examples of what the Greeks envisioned whenever they spoke or wrote of eros love.
Eros is a real and genuine love which was created by God for human beings to experience. This was all part of God’s plan! He intended for a man and a woman to relish and delight in each other in every physical way.
Unfortunately, as with all things, when Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was corrupted. This corruption even entered into our relationship to have pure love (Eros) for each other. We see the effects of the fall into sin all around us.
When a man forces himself on a woman, corrupted eros is at work. When a child is molested, corrupted eros is at work. When a man engages in sex with a woman other than his wife, corrupted eros is at work. When a man burns in lust for another man, or a woman for a woman, the corrupted eros is at work. The pornography industry is driven by this corrupted eros. Every sexual desire which lives in the human heart that is beyond the desire of a husband and wife is driven by this corrupted eros.
Christendom has been all over the page when it comes to the proper understanding of eros. In the Middle Ages the belief came to the forefront that any eros was bad or evil. The emphasis on monks and nuns came about because it was believed that any sexual expression, even wholesome within a marriage, made a “person less” than God wanted them to be. Singleness was elevated and marriage was downplayed.
Yet, what is it that God created? God created one man and one woman and told them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth! Sex was part of God’s ordained structure in creation. Sex is not bad or evil! Sex is good in the eyes of God because He made it and declared it was “very good” along with all creation.
What grieves God’s heart is when what He made good and wholesome is perverted and used for evil. This is why Jesus came into this world! He came to not only win forgiveness by His death and resurrection, but He also came to restore us to a right understanding and relationship with each other.
A man is to honor and cherish his wife and be faithful to her. A woman is to honor and respect her husband and be faithful to him. The marriage bed is to be pure and un-defiled. This is what God created, and it is pleasing in His sight.
As Christians in the world today we are faced with a great challenge. We are called to proclaim the truth of all God has done in Christ and His desire for our lives. This includes the proper understanding of human sexuality. We are sexual beings, created this way by God. The issue is: What is God’s will concerning the proper expression of our sexuality? It is here that we face the challenge. Our world today wants free sex with no strings attached. Perverted sexual expression is accepted and we have come to tolerate it in our midst, and we say nothing. The actions and activities which moved God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah are being celebrated in our society.
We can rail and preach fire and brimstone, but this will do nothing but makes us enemies of society and silence our witness. The better path is to elevate what God originally crated and reveal in our lives the goodness of God and His presence in a marriage and the blessing this marriage is to those who honor it and keep it.
Let’s lift up what God calls good and proclaim it loudly and live it proudly. Then those who are trapped in sin and who are filled with guilt and shame will be drawn to us in a way they will listen to what God desires for them. Lift up Jesus and He will draw the world to Himself. Amen!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
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