UNDER CONTRACT "Covenant Love"
Lakeshore Gastonia Campus Pastor: Robert Rosales

4 Words to Portray Love

1st 2 rooted in MERCY - Showing leniency by not imposing deserved consequences.
1. (hb) ahaba - Describes intense emotion of favor or affection that one person has for another; husband/wife; parent/child; etc.
2. (hb) hesed - Arguably the richest Old Testament word describing a covenant type of love. Conveys the idea of love in action; consistently demonstrated; always ready to overcome any obstacle. Also translated as mercy; loving-kindness; goodness; faithfulness.

2nd 2 rooted in GRACE - Freely bestowing a benefit that could never be earned
3. (gk) charis - Mostly translated as grace in the New Testament. Describes a divine goodwill that could never be earned, but is freely bestowed to benefit the recipient, regardless of the cost to the one allocating the benefit.
4. (gk) agape - Describes what occurs when an individual recognizes and appreciates the value of another to the point they are compelled to bypass any and all limits or boundaries that try to constrain the demonstration of their love. This extends even to the point of sacrificing oneself for the other person with no strings attached and no guarantee of anything in return.

1. Covenant love impassions God to keep His promises.
2. Covenant love moves God to be tenderhearted and extend mercy.
3. Covenant love inspires God to give grace and act with redemptive action.