The Lord has instructed us to call God our Father, to regard Him as the fountain of paternal affection, the source of the love that has been flowing from century to century through the channel of the human heart. All the pity, compassion, and love which have been manifested in the earth have emanated from the throne of God, and, compared to the love that dwells in His heart, are as a fountain to an ocean. His love is perpetually flowing forth to make the weak strong, to make the fainthearted firm, and give moral courage to the wavering. God works through Christ, and man may come unto the Father in the name of the Son. Our science and our song is "Hear what the Lord hath done for my soul."--Signs of the Times, March 5, 1896. {YRP 131.5} & {RH, January 19, 1911 par. 12}  

     When on this earth, Christ did not make God's power and greatness the chief theme of his discourses. He speaks of him oftenest as our Father, and of himself as our Elder Brother. He desires our minds, weakened by sin, to be encouraged to grasp the idea that God is love. He seeks to inspire us with confidence, and to lead us to heed the words, "Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me."  {RH, January 19, 1911 par. 13}  

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March 5, 1896 - Divinity in Humanity   By Mrs. E. G. White.   ............

The Lord has instructed us to call God our Father, to regard him as the fountain of paternal affection, the source of the love that has been flowing from century to century through the channel of the human heart. All the pity, compassion, and love which have been manifested in the earth have emanated from the throne of God, and, compared to the love that dwells in his heart, are as a fountain to an ocean. His love is perpetually flowing forth to make the weak strong, to make the faint-hearted firm, and give moral courage to the wavering. God works through Christ, and man may come unto the Father in the name of the Son. Our science and our song is, "Hear what the Lord hath done for my soul.  {ST, March 5, 1896 par. 3}  

     Who can comprehend the gift of Infinite Love? "When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." For centuries before the manifestation of Christ to the world, God exercised forbearance toward a rebellious world. He saw his holy law trampled in the dust, and he let his judgments fall upon the world in a flood; but man did not learn the lesson from this experience, and turned to his rebellious ways.  {ST, March 5, 1896 par. 4}  

     Again men multiplied upon the earth, and again they took the attitude of rebellion against God. Loyalty to the law of God was not only condemned, but punished as a crime. Men made void the law, and naturalized the principles of sin. Those who did not disregard the law of God were subject to the strongest enmity; for every species of sin was legalized. Satan boasted before the angels of heaven that he held dominion over the creation of God. The unity of society was made by enmity to God. A corrupt harmony existed among men in their aversion to God, which bound them together in one vast army. The universe of heaven, and the angels of God, were watching for the exhibition of justice, but when the unfallen worlds expected retribution to be administered, mercy prevailed, and the counsel of God was with the Prince of heaven. He was to unfold the scheme of redemption, to make manifest the plan of salvation. He who was equal with God, who was great in counsel, mighty in working, was equal to the emergency that had arrived in the government of God. God sent his Son into the world, not to pass sentence of condemnation upon a rebellious race, but to make manifest his love, and to hold out the hope of eternal life to those who should believe in his Son.  {ST, March 5, 1896 par. 5}  

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The end is near, and students should make most diligent effort to carry forward the work of acquiring knowledge that they may impart to others. If the converting power of God should come upon these souls, if they should come to realize that they need a power out of and far above themselves, they would not remain a day longer like mere machines, but would have a desire to work for God. Has the truth been lodged in the soul? Has the love of souls for whom Christ died become a living principle in their hearts? Unless they become vitally connected with God, they can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love and self-indulgence and temptation to sin. If they were soundly converted to God, they would experience the love that dwells in the heart of Jesus; and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it would well up like an irrepressible stream, refreshing their own sterile lives, and refreshing all those who are connected with them. I long to address the young men and women who are so willing to reach only cheap standards. O that the Lord might influence their minds to see what perfection of character is! O that they might know the faith that works by love, and purifies the soul! We are living in days of peril. Christ alone can help us and give us the victory. Christ must be all in all to us; he must dwell in the heart; his life must circulate through us, as the blood circulates through the veins. His Spirit must be a vitalizing power that will cause us to influence others to become Christlike and holy.                             Mrs. E. G. White.   {YI, October 31, 1895 par. 6} 

There is nothing inherently "wrong" with "agape" love.  Just like there is nothing inherently wrong with "phileo" love.

What has been proven conclusively, is that modern scholar's interpretation of "agape" as a "God-like love" is totally false.

So this sentence: "Agape is love which is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself." cannot possibly be correct.

Let's love with phileo and agape, and let the higher-critical scholars' work alone.