In this post, I will explain the 7 clear signs of agape love in a relationship or marriage that will remind you what true unconditional love is all about from God’s perspective.
The word love is something we hear every day be it in love songs, movies, or on social media. But what is true love? Moreover, how do you know that there is true love in your relationship?
You must understand that the world’s view of love is different from that of God. The world views love as transactional while God’s love is never transactional.
This post however will show you the 7 signs of agape love in a relationship that will show if true love is present in your relationship, friendship, or marriage. Let’s dive in.
7 Signs Of Agape Love In Your Relationship.
Below are the 7 clear signs of agape love in a relationship different from Eros love that will show if God’s love is reigning supreme in your heart.
- Selfless service.
- Long Suffering.
- Loving Unconditionally.
- Forgiveness.
- Putting Your Partner’s Needs First.
- Forbearance.
- Not Supporting Wrong Things.
1. Selfless Service.
If agape love is present in your Christian relationship, it will be characterized by the selfless service you render to each other without expecting anything in return.
You need to understand that when you choose to love someone, it’s no longer about you but the other person you have pledged to love with all your heart.
It’s so sad even many so-called Christians in Christian relationships or marriage have failed to understand what true love is all about.
Most people even in Christian relationships think of love only as what they can selfishly get and extract from their partner rather than what they can selflessly give the other without expecting anything in return.
However, if God’s love is reigning supreme in your heart John 15:13 talks about, you will desire to serve your partner in your marriage relationship joyfully without any selfish motives.
2. Long Suffering.
The second sign that will show agape love is present in your relationship is the longsuffering you will have for each other despite your flaws or shortcomings as 1 Corinthians 13:4 tells us.
This implies that you will be able to bear a few minor flaws of your partner without complaining or threatening to give up on them when things get hard.
One of the reasons why many marriage relationships are not lasting these days even in church circles is most don’t understand what genuine love is all about.
People nowadays are not willing to tolerate each other’s flaws and easily want out at the slightest inconvenience forgetting that no one is perfect and without flaws.
However, you need to remember that real love is all about grace and willingness to endure inconvenience for your partner and work things out together.
If you truly love your partner, surely, you won’t give up on them despite their flaws. Rather, you will be understanding and longsuffering with them knowing that love is all about forgiveness.
3. Loving Unconditionally.
One of the signs of agape love in a relationship that will show there is true love in a relationship is that people will love each other unconditionally without expecting anything in return from each other.
If you have unconditional love for the person you are in a marriage or relationship with, you will love and serve those people selflessly without expecting anything in return. You will also not give up on a person you love just because you are having a rough patch.
You won’t say” I will only love you if you do X, Y, and Z for me or are lovable.” Instead, you will commit to unconditionally loving the person you claim to be in love with without any strings attached.
Sadly, most relationships and marriages seem to lack this agape love 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 talks about in the New Testament that seeks to serve rather than being served and isn’t self-seeking.
It is why most marriages today end in divorce as people entering it don’t understand what unconditional love is all about and that true love isn’t based on feelings. But is sacrificial and doesn’t give up just because things are hard.
4. Forgiveness.
The other sign that will show the presence of agape love in a relationship or marriage is that there will be forgiveness of each other’s wrongs and offenses without bearing any grudges or beef.
You can’t claim that you love someone if you can’t forgive them for the offenses they have committed against you. Sadly, most people don’t seem to understand this and choose to hold grudges.
Nevertheless, if you say you truly love your partner with Christ-like selfless love, you will easily forgive them if they do you wrong as you understand that no human is perfect as we all make mistakes.
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us in Matthews 6:14,15 that if you don’t forgive others for their wrongs, neither will God in heaven forgive you and this will show that you don’t understand what true love is all about.
Ephesians 4:32 also tells us that we must forgive others, especially significant others just as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us. But this is only possible if agape love is reigning supreme in your heart.
5. Putting Your Partner’s Needs First.
If you say you truly love a person you are in a relationship with or married to, you will put their needs first rather than demanding your selfish needs to be met first which is what human love is all about.
You will seek to selflessly meet the needs of your significant other you are in a relationship or marriage with even if your needs aren’t met first. If you have human love, this will be impossible for you to do due to its selfish nature.
Unfortunately, most couples seem to miss this when they insist that their needs be met first for them to show love to you and this isn’t true love.
It explains why most worldly romantic relationships don’t last as everyone is about themselves rather than thinking what they can bring to the table.
1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that true agape love isn’t self-seeking but loves selflessly by putting the needs of the other person above its own which is contrary to what the world teaches concerning love.
This world says that you must put yourself first but Jesus Christ tells us to die to ourselves and be willing to selflessly lay down our lives for others especially for our significant others in marriage as there is no greater love than that (John 15:13).
6. Forbearance.
The apostle Paul also tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:7 that true agape love that’s from God bears all things and endures all things. Implying that you won’t say you have done enough and give up on the person you claim to love.
This is contrary to what human love is which easily gives up when things get rocky. Sadly, this is what most people do in relationships or marriages when things get hard explaining why so many breakups and divorces exist today.
If you are such a person who is willing to give up on your partner, it clearly shows that you don’t understand what true love is all about and God’s love isn’t in you at all.
When you say you love someone truly, it implies that you won’t easily give up on them when things get hard or quit the relationship cold turkey.
Instead, you will hang in there and keep going even when things are hard in your marriage, as true agape love doesn’t just love when things are convenient but loves in all situations and sacrificially endures all things patiently.
Therefore, if you are in a relationship or marriage and are having a hard time, I encourage you not to give up on your partner.
Instead, love them unconditionally despite the flaws you see in your partner, as true love doesn’t cherry-pick or love only when things are convenient.
7. Not Supporting Wrong Things.
Last but not least, if agape love exists in any kind of relationship be it a love relationship, friendship, or marriage relationship, that relationship won’t support wrong things or condone sin.
Implying that the kind of friendship, romantic relationship, or marriage you are in will not be contrary to God’s word and support sinful things. But will be in line with His will and rejoice in the truth and holiness.
In the same chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 in verse 6, we are told that true divine love from God doesn’t take pleasure in evil or does it support wrong things but rejoices in the truth.
So, if you are in a godly relationship that’s based on God’s love, you won’t do sinful things such as sexual immorality, as that is against God’s word.
That is what differentiates godly relationships from sinful immoral relationships of this world that are based on lust.
Sadly, the opposite is the case with most relationships today based on lust and not true love that condones sin, which explains why fornication is now commonplace as most mistake lust with love.
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Conclusion.
Have the above 7 signs of agape love in a relationship finally helped you understand what true love that’s of God is all about? Comment below if you have.
May God grant you His pure love that will enable you to selflessly love and serve your partner in your marriage relationship without any selfish motives.
In closing, if this post has blessed you in any way, let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share with others using the share button to your right as you go. God bless.
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