What is the best definition of agape love in English?
Agape love, in English, is best defined as seeking the other person's highest good. It is God-given love in the Greek, agape, that always seeks another's highest good, even at personal cost, rather than using liberty to satisfy flesh in practice.
Les explains that Peter never really got the full impact of agape love, because Peter cut back and said, 'I phileo you, I am fond of you.' That was a lesser term than agape. Les gives his best definition for English speakers: agape love is seeking that other person's highest good. In practice, true agape means always, under every circumstance, trying to seek that other person's highest good, even selling ourselves short to accomplish what is highest good for the other. Rather than use liberty as an occasion to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, believers are to let that God-given agape love operate—the Greek word agape—which always seeks the other person's highest good.