Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)The greatest virtue of the Christian life is love. The use of agape (love) was rare in pagan Greek literature, doubtless because the concept it representedâunselfish, self-giving, willful devotionâwas so uncommon in that culture it was even ridiculed and despised as a sign of weakness. But in the New Testament it is proclaimed as the supreme virtue, the virtue under which all others are subsumed. Agape love centers on the needs and welfare of the one loved and will pay whatever personal price is necessary to meet those needs and foster that welfare. . . .
