What is
Agápē
Love
???

Agápē Love

Agápē love is self-giving love that seeks the highest good of the recipient, independent of their worthiness. It is not based on merit but is freely given. However, if received, agápē love has the power to transform the recipient, making them worthy of the love they originally did not deserve. 

Key Characteristics of Agápē Love:
Unconditional: It is not based on any quality in the recipient; it is purely an act of the giver’s will and grace.
Transformative: It does not leave the loved one unchanged. When embraced, it renews, sanctifies, and elevates.
Redemptive: It does not merely overlook flaws but actively works to redeem and restore the one who is loved.
Divine in Origin: While humans can express agápē, it originates from God, as seen in Christ’s love for sinners (Romans 5:8).
Initiatory, Not Reciprocal: It is given first, without expectation of return, yet calls forth a response that enables the recipient to love in return (1 John 4:19).
Biblical Foundation of Transformational Agápē Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (We were unworthy, yet He loved us.)
1 John 4:9-10 – “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him… not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” (His love makes us spiritually alive.)
Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (His love regenerates us, making us worthy of adoption as sons.)
Ezekiel 16:6-14 – God’s love for Israel is depicted as transforming an abandoned, unworthy infant into a radiant bride.
Agápē Love in Practice In Salvation: God loves sinners, and when they receive His love through faith, they are transformed into saints.
In Human Relationships: When we love others unconditionally, it calls forth their best, helping them to grow into what they were meant to be.
In Leadership & Business (Agápē Capitalism™): If businesses and leaders adopt agápē principles—serving, uplifting, and valuing people beyond their immediate utility—it can create communities of dignity and transformation.
This definition of agápē love radically challenges transactional views of love. Instead of saying, “I love you because you are worthy,” it says, “I love you because love makes you worthy.” Would you like to incorporate this definition into a specific project or explore applications of Agápē Capitalism™ further? You said: make it clear that as we are all sinners, none of us is intrinsically worthy of any of the blessings we receive from God the minute we wake up until we go to sleep ChatGPT said: Agápē Love: The Love That Makes Us Worthy Agápē love is the highest form of love—a love given freely to the utterly unworthy, yet it does not leave them as they are. Instead, if received, it transforms them and makes them worthy. This is the very nature of God's love for humanity. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, every breath we take, every ray of sunshine, every drop of rain, every moment of joy or comfort we experience is an undeserved gift from God. None of us is intrinsically worthy of these blessings, because all of us are sinners by nature. We Are Not Worthy—But God Still Loves Us Romans 3:10-12 – “There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Isaiah 64:6 – “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
We do not deserve the goodness of God, yet He pours it out upon us daily—not because of who we are, but because of who He is. This is the essence of agápē: love that flows from the character of the giver, not the merit of the recipient. The Transformational Power of Agápē Though we are unworthy, agápē love does not leave us in our unworthiness. When we receive God's love by faith, it changes us: Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Without Christ, we are utterly undeserving. In Christ, we are made new, adopted as children of God, and granted a righteousness that is not our own. Living in Agápē: Loving Others as We Have Been Loved Understanding agápē love should fundamentally change the way we treat others. If we were loved despite our unworthiness, how can we withhold love from others? If we received unmerited grace, how can we not extend grace to those who least deserve it? This is the foundation of Agápē Capitalism™—an economic and business philosophy that recognizes that people have intrinsic value not because of their productivity, wealth, or social status, but because they are beloved of God. A truly agápē-driven society would be one where grace, generosity, and transformation shape our approach to work, leadership, and community. Final Thought Every moment of every day, God gives us what we do not deserve. We are unworthy of every blessing, yet He blesses us anyway, and His love, if we receive it, makes us worthy. This is the love of God in Christ Jesus.