The Affections of Christ Jesus: Love at the Heart of Paul’s Theology is a deep, thorough, and "loving" argument focused on the Apostle Paul's theology. Is love the core of Paul’s understanding of the gospel? Is love the means by which human beings relate to a Holy and Divine God? Is love the heart behind how Christians relate to the church and the world? Gupta works his way through these complex and important topics through the framework of Paul's letters. In a day and age when words have diminished meaning due to overuse or misuse, Gupta refocuses the lens and reframes the vital definition, application, and theology of "love." This book is rich, but appropriate for ministers, scholars, and laypeople alike. Highly recommended!

Nijay Gupta writes on the theme of love and affection in this tome on Paul’s letter. He engages directly and indirect Greek words, including agape but also words which exhibit affection God has for us, we have to God, to one another and to the outsider. The book is most interesting when he compares to contemporary non-biblical sources like Plato on 1 Corinthians 13-like exposition on love, or imagining the context and community Paul is engaging in, and encouraging the love that is shared despite growing pains and challenges. It broadens the idea of love to themes like unity and grace and shows how it is rooted in a demonstration of love. Always Christocentric, ultimately the love theme in Paul’s letter is the result of the model lover, Jesus Christ, through his life, death, resurrection and enthronement.
Read this book if you wish to study on the theme of love in Paul’s letter, do a word study or Bible study in small groups, or for your own edification.