The term "affectionate" refers to the expression of love, warmth, and tenderness towards others. In the context of the Bible, affection is often seen as a reflection of God's love and a vital component of Christian relationships, both within the family and the broader community of believers.

Biblical Foundation

Affection is deeply rooted in the character of God, who is described as loving and compassionate. In the New Testament, believers are encouraged to emulate this divine love in their interactions with one another. The Apostle Paul frequently emphasizes the importance of affection in the life of a Christian. In Romans 12:10 , Paul exhorts believers to "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another." This verse highlights the call to genuine, heartfelt affection among Christians, characterized by mutual respect and honor.

Family and Affection

The Bible places a strong emphasis on the expression of affection within the family unit. Husbands and wives are called to love each other deeply, as seen in Ephesians 5:25 , where husbands are instructed to "love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her." This sacrificial love is the ultimate expression of affection, mirroring Christ's love for His people.

Parents are also encouraged to show affection to their children. In Proverbs 13:24 , it is written, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently." While this verse speaks to the importance of discipline, it underscores the idea that true affection involves guiding and nurturing children in love.

Affection Among Believers

The early church is depicted as a community marked by affection and unity. Acts 2:46 describes the believers as "continuing daily with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared their food with gladness and sincerity of heart." This communal life was characterized by genuine affection and care for one another, serving as a model for Christian fellowship.

Paul's letters often reflect his deep affection for the churches he ministered to. In Philippians 1:8 , he writes, "God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus." This longing and affection demonstrate the deep bonds formed through shared faith and mission.

Affection and the Love of God

Ultimately, Christian affection is rooted in the love of God, which is poured into the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 states, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." This divine love enables Christians to express genuine affection towards others, reflecting the love of Christ in their relationships.

In summary, affection in the Bible is a vital expression of love that reflects God's character and is essential in the life of believers. It is manifested in family relationships, the community of faith, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.1. (a.) Having affection or warm regard; loving; fond; as, an affectionate brother.

2. (a.) Kindly inclined; zealous.

3. (a.) Proceeding from affection; indicating love; tender; as, the affectionate care of a parent; affectionate countenance, message, language.

4. (a.) Strongly inclined; -- with to.

5387. philostorgos -- tenderly loving
... Transliteration: philostorgos Phonetic Spelling: (fil-os'-tor-gos) Short Definition:
tenderly loving Definition: tenderly loving, kindly affectionate to. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5387.htm - 7k

5362. philandros -- loving men, (of a wife) loving her husband
... love their husband. From philos and aner; fond of man, ie Affectionate as a
wife -- love their husbands. see GREEK philos. see GREEK aner. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5362.htm - 7k

4375. prosphiles -- pleasing, agreeable
... 4375 (an adjective, derived from 4314 , "extending toward" and 5368 , "affectionate
caring") -- properly, worthy of personal affection; hence, dearly prized ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4375.htm - 7k

5368. phileo -- to love
... 5368 (from 5384 , "affectionate friendship") -- properly, to show in intimate ,
characterized by tender, heartfelt consideration and kinship. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5368.htm - 8k

5361. philadelphos -- loving one's brother
... Cognate: 5361 (from 5384 , "affectionate friend" and 80 , "brother") -- "brotherly,"
referring to the love between fellow family-members -- ie () people in ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5361.htm - 7k

4312. Medad -- an Israelite
... NASB Word Usage Medad (2). Medad. From yadad in the sense of loving; affectionate;
Medad, an Israelite -- Medad. see HEBREW yadad. 4311, 4312. Medad. 4313 ...
/hebrew/4312.htm - 6k

3224. Yemimah -- a daughter of Job
... Jemimah. Perhaps from the same as yowm; properly, warm, ie Affectionate; hence,
dove (compare yownah); Jemimah, one of Job's daughters -- Jemimah. ...
/hebrew/3224.htm - 6k

An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy
An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy. <. An Humble,
Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy William Law. ...
/.../law/an humble affectionate and earnest address to the clergy/

The Warmly Affectionate Dutch
... Chapter 19. An Ideal Circuit; Wesley in his Eighties; Wesley Visits Holland;
Incidents in Scotland The Warmly Affectionate Dutch. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/the warmly affectionate dutch.htm

He Bespeaks his Affectionate Interest for the Christians in his ...
... Book IV. Chapter XIII."He bespeaks his Affectionate Interest for the
Christians in his Country. "Imagine, then, with what joy ...
/.../the life of constantine/chapter xiii he bespeaks his affectionate.htm

Of the Affectionate Languishing of the Heart Wounded with Love.
... BOOK VI. OF THE EXERCISES OF HOLY LOVE IN PRAYER. CHAPTER XV. OF THE
AFFECTIONATE LANGUISHING OF THE HEART WOUNDED WITH LOVE. It ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xv of the affectionate.htm

An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy
An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy. <. ... An Humble,
Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy Law, William (1686-1761). ...
/.../law/an humble affectionate and earnest address to the clergy/title page.htm

Then the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of All, Affectionate and Most ...
... Part II."Christ's Descent into Hell. Latin. Second Version. Chapter 9 (25). Then
the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, affectionate and most mild? ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 9 25 then the.htm

Unbroken Friendships.
... Amphilochius of Iconium. With the former, Basil's relations were those of
an affectionate son and of an enthusiastic admirer. The many ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/ix unbroken friendships.htm

All Scripture Bears Full Witness to this Truth, and the End and ...
An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy. <. ...
/.../address 4 0 all scripture bears.htm

Among Unfallen Creatures in Heaven, God's Name and Nature is Love. ...
An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy. <. ...
/.../address 199 0 0 among unfallen creatures.htm

The First and Main Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Was...
An Humble, Affectionate, and Earnest Address to the Clergy. <. ...
/.../address 125 0 0 the first and.htm

Affectionate (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Having affection or warm regard; loving; fond;
as, an affectionate brother. ...Affectionate (5 Occurrences). ...
/a/affectionate.htm - 8k

Fond (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (v.) imp. of Find Found. 2. (superl.) Foolish; silly; simple; weak. 3. (superl.)
Foolishly tender and loving; weakly indulgent; over-affectionate. ...
/f/fond.htm - 8k

Affection (30 Occurrences)
... Romans 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in
honor preferring one another; (Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV). ...
/a/affection.htm - 20k

Vulture (16 Occurrences)
... residents of cities. They paired with affectionate courting and nested in
crevices, in walls, hollow trees and on cliffs. They raised ...
/v/vulture.htm - 14k

Zenas (1 Occurrence)
... He is full of affectionate regard for them, interested in their welfare at every
step; while he himself is far distant in another country, he remembers them ...
/z/zenas.htm - 10k

Outdo (1 Occurrence)
... Outdo (1 Occurrence). Romans 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate
one to another; in honor preferring one another; (See RSV). ...
/o/outdo.htm - 6k

Justus (3 Occurrences)
... next few years proved their loyalty to Christ by their stedfastness unto death in
the Neronic persecution, all fell away from their affectionate allegiance to ...
/j/justus.htm - 12k

Loving (292 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Love. 2. (a.) Affectionate. 3. (a.) Expressing love or kindness;
as, loving words. Multi-Version Concordance Loving (292 Occurrences). ...
/l/loving.htm - 36k

Gallio (3 Occurrences)
... of such a province was called a "proconsul." He is spoken of by his contemporaries
as "sweet Gallio," and is described as a most popular and affectionate man. ...
/g/gallio.htm - 10k

Worldly (25 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Romans 12:10 As for brotherly love, be affectionate to one another;
in matters of worldly honour, yield to one another. (WEY). ...
/w/worldly.htm - 13k

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