Love Of God
QUESTION: How is the love of God described in the Bible?ANSWER:There are many Scriptures in the Bible that describe the love of God. In fact, the entire Bible is about the love of God for His people and for all of mankind. What follows are only a few of the Scriptures which directly describe the love of God:
- God is love (1 John 4:8). God is the embodiment of love. Love is the very essence of His being.
- Love comes from God (1 John 4:7). God created love. Love is a divine attribute, or characteristic, of God. The essence of God’s nature, and of a godly nature, is love. Love is more than a feeling. The love of God is a way of being.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV).
- The love of God is inclusive. Almighty God so loved every person in this world that He sacrificed His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that all who believe on Jesus would not face eternal damnation (an eternity separated from God), but have eternal life with Him.
“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, KJV).
- The love of God is unconditional. He has invited every human being, no matter how much he or she has sinned, to enter into a love relationship with Him by simply believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, KJV).
- The love of God is sacrificial. Jesus Christ laid down His life so that you and I might have fellowship with God, the Father, by believing on Him. Jesus willingly died at the hands of sinful man because His love for mankind was so great.
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9, KJV).
- The love of God is empowering. Jesus died so that we might live life in this world through Him. To live life through the Lord, who is love, is to live a life of love.
“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:5, KJV).
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1, KJV).
The love of God reproduces itself through every human being who is a born-again believer. The life and love of God is manifested in our lives through the enabling of His Holy Spirit who becomes resident in our hearts the moment we first believe. The love of God also manifests itself when we serve others. If you feel called to sponsor a needy child through a truly loving Christian charity, please visit our friends at Compassion International.
