Study on agapé love and the seven churches

In the beginning of Revelation following the letters to the seven churches John is summoned to heaven by a voice that says “… I will show you what must happen after these things.” Revelation 4:1

In all the modern translations the Revelation 4:1 Greek word “meta” is translated as “after” but in 473 occurrences elsewhere it is translated as “with”. I submit that it should be translated as “with” here also.

I believe the letters to the seven churches are a representation of the church body universal and their condition entering into the tribulation and the instructions given to them are the road-map to overcome, as stated clearly in the letters themselves.  They are not veiled or hidden in symbolism.

Christ is warning some of them they have believed a lie.

Here’s where the lie began -- agapé love means perfect love that is “unconditional” or “God loves us unconditionally”

Untrue.

Agapé = Short Definition: love Definition: love, benevolence, good will, esteem; plur: love-feasts.

It is true that we are not worthy of God’s love “all have sinned” and that “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that who so ever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16, but even here there is a condition to receive the benefit of God’s love, it is to believe. Certainly believing a lie would not count as “believe” since He is “the way, the TRUTH and the life.” John 14:6

The definition of  Love given in 1 Corinthians 13 in verse 5 -- all newer translations says something like “keeps no record of wrongs” while the King James says “thinketh no evil”. In this instance the King James is closer to correct. A better translation might be “does not first assume evil motivation in another” or something to that effect because in the very next sentence it says “does not rejoice in evil”. You cannot know something is evil unless you are able to discern it by taking note or keeping a record. Simply, it is not where you start but you may end up there.

So removing the absolute of logizomai = “keeps no record” of wrongs ...

Logizomai = Short Definition: I reckon, count, decide   Definition: I reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

... it is harder to promote the lie that agapé love is unconditional.

Why does this matter? When someone believes that God’s love is unconditional it is easier to believe the lie that sin does not matter. Clearly if you read the Bible at all you know this is not true. God gives us the blood of Christ as remedy but not a license. Jude 1:4.

This is the condition the church finds itself in now.  This is what we are being warned about in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation.

Here’s how that theory looks in each of the seven letters:

1. Ephesus “you have abandoned your first love.” = your definition of love has changed

2. Smyrna “you got this” * but they will make you suffer for it.

3. Pergamum “some of you” are promoting a false love that causes people to believe sin doesn’t matter. *

4. Thyatira “you are tolerating” openly false teachers teaching you to love sin.

5. Sardis  “you have a reputation” of love but you don’t love -- you want to be loved *

6. Philadelphia “well done” you know what love means *

7. Laodicea “you are not interested in love” *

*loosely paraphrased