Abba God's Love for Us (in Greek and Hebrew Words) -- Phileó and Koinónia and Natsar. /// The Deeper Meaning of Preserve in Psalm 31:23-24 and in Psalm 32:6-7.

See Abba God's Love for Us (in Hebrew Words) -- Checed (Lovingkindness)

See Abba God's Love for Us (in Hebrew Words) -- Aheb (Affectionate Love and Friendship Love)

Abba God's Love for Us
(in Greek and Hebrew Words)

(The prodigal son is embraced by his father. See Luke 15.
 Click for source.)

Some of the words Abba God uses in the New Testament to show His love for us include Phileó and Koinónia and Natsar.

Phileó in John 16:27

John 16:27 -- “[27] For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”

According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word loveth in English is phileó in Greek (Strong’s #5368). It means “1. … to love i.e. delight in, long for, … 2. to kiss…”

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, phileó means “... i.e. Have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling;...); specially, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness) -- kiss, love."

When a Christian opens his (or her) heart to Abba God, he (/she) is able to receive God's phileó love. In doing so, he (/she) is receiving God's personal, tender love, affection, and delight. Imagine being kissed by Abba Father God who is longing to have close fellowship with you. That is what phileó love is. Receiving Abba God's tender love and resting in the fact that He greatly loves you is what brings healing to emotional wounds and healing from the pain of the past. It also weakens temptations and removes their power in your life.

(The prodigal son and his father meet. Click for source.)

Koinónia in 1 John 1:3

1 John 1:3 -- “[3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word fellowship in English is koinónia in Greek (Strong’s #2842). It means “...fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, contact; … 2. contact, fellowship, intimacy:...”

According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, communion also means: “... Fellowship; … a state of giving and receiving; agreement; concord. …”

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines contact as: “... A touching; touch; close union or juncture…”

As we Christians have koinónia (fellowship) with Abba Father God, we are having intimacy (spiritual intimacy) with Abba God; friendship with Abba God; and joint participation with Abba God. Having koinónia with Abba God means that we are giving Abba God our burdens and receiving His blessings.* As we have koinónia with Abba God, we are having concord (harmony and agreement) and close union with His heart.

(* See Philippians 4:6-7. "[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Psalm 55:22. "[22] Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." 

Psalm 62:8. "[8] Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.")

_________________

The Deeper Meaning of Preserve (Natsar) in Psalm 31:23-24 and in Psalm 32:6-7.

Psalm 31:23-24

“[23] O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

[24] Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

Psalm 32:6-7

“[6] For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

[7]Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

Preserve in Hebrew is natsar. Natsar means to guard, protect, maintain, keep, preserve. (See Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.)

According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary (Webster), the word maintain has the following meanings or applications:

“1. … to preserve...not to suffer to fail or decline;...”

“2. To hold; to keep; not to lose or surrender…”

“3. To continue; not to suffer to cease…”

“4. To keep up; to uphold; to support the expense of; …”

“5. To support with food, clothing and other conveniences…”

“7. To support; to defend;... to justify; …”

When God preserves us, He is maintaining us. When He maintains us, God is not allowing us to fail (if we walk uprightly); not losing us because we love Him (if we are His); not allowing us to cease; upholding us; providing for all our physical and financial needs; defending us; and justifying* us (just-as-if-I-never-sinned) (through Jesus Christ, a true believer’s Lord and Savior).

➽ We need to focus on who God is and place into His hands the lies we have believed about Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). God is love, according to 1 John 4:16. He has great, longing, personal, tender, delighting-in-us, affectionate phileó love for believers (if we love Jesus. See John 16:27). But, He also has great, benevolent, affectionate agapé love, which is unconditional love, both for born-again Christians and lost souls (John 3:16).

➧ If you would like to know Abba God the Father and Jesus Christ (God the Son), and be saved from sin, click here to read more.

______________

References:

Webster, Noah. (2009). American Dictionary of the English Language (First Printing in 1828). Baltimore, MA: United Book Press, Inc.