God IS Love!
Thank you so much for joining us today! I pray the Lord will, by the Holy Spirit, give you fresh revelation of His Word as you read our post. Our goal is that you would be encouraged in your walk with God as you grow in your understanding of Him and the role He desires to have in your life. Eric
God's Word reveals that 'God is love.' When we, as contemporary people, hear or use the word 'love,' it can signify many different things. For example, we might say "I love my car," or "I love my dog, or " I love ice cream!" For a married couple they will say, "I love my wife" or "I love my husband," and yet often times they have no idea or how that should 'look' or 'be' lived out in regard to actions or behavior in relationship. The term 'making love' has become another way of saying having sexual relations.
The first truth I would like us to establish in this teaching is that "God is love." If we are going to fully comprehend this phrase, we must look into the Greek definition of the word which was translated 'love' in the Scripture. 1 John 4:8 and 16 reads, "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ... 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." The Greek word used for 'love' in the phrase, "God is love" in these verses is 'agape.' In defining agape, we will better perceive what John was teaching the believers, those who had experienced the new birth or a transformed life characterized by faith and love. "Agape” is the most frequently used term for love in the New Testament. Agape is used to describe the selfless sacrificial love that God has for humanity. This form of love is unconditional and is characterized by a commitment to the well-being of others, regardless of circumstances." (Bible Hub Topical Encyclopedia).
The greatest example of agape love we see in the Scripture is Jesus, who as an act of His will, came to earth to be the perfect sacrifice for mankind's sin. Without Jesus' coming and living a life of total obedience to the Father, to the point of death on the cross, all of mankind would be eternally separated from God. Romans 3:23 reveals that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God! One of the most telling truths of agape love is revealed in the knowledge that Jesus was willing to come and pay for our redemption, even while we were yet sinners. Agape is divine love and is not based on emotion, but as an act of the will. God is the ultimate source and example of agape (God's love) to the world.
Note that in both verse 8 and 16, John emphatically states, "God is love." John is not saying that God loves or is loving... He states, God is love! You see, God is love itself. God's essence, nature and very substance is this selfless sacrificial, unconditional love!
Does God love? Is He loving? Absolutely! John 3:16 reveals that He loves the world so much, He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life!
As we look at more of the Word of God, we will gain a clear, applicable knowledge and understanding of how the fact that 'God is love' should affect us and our interactions, relationships and associations with those who are vital parts of our life as well as with all those whom we encounter.
1 John 4:7 reads, " Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." John is urging the believers "to love (agapao) one another." "Agapao” properly means to prefer, to love, for the believers, preferring to "live through Christ." It is embracing God's will (choosing His choices), obeying them through His power and preeminently refers to what God prefers, as He is love." (HELPS Word-studies).
The love we as believers are called to extend to others comes through God's power and preferences. We embrace His will and His desires which always are and always will be based on love because He is love!
Then, 1 John 4:7 continues with, "Everyone who loves (agapao) has been born of God and knows God. "Born of God" intimates a transformation which occurs when one accepts Christ as Savior. We become a 'new creation' and that transformation enables us to reflect God's character. We gain the ability to love selflessly and sacrificially because of our new relationship with God when we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. 'Knows God’s meaning extends "beyond intellectual understanding and involves an intimate, experiential and transformative relationship. Our life will mirror God's." (Bible Hub Study Bible).
We looked at 1 John 4:8 earlier and it stated, "Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love." A defining characteristic of those who follow Christ is love! We also looked at verse 16 earlier, however, I want us to note that John reveals that we have come to 'know' (through personal first hand experience and 'believe' (have faith and trust) the love that God has for us! What a beautiful place for us to be in! We have the Holy Spirit in us, we know and believe through our personal experience the love of God! Then, as we continue to abide in love (agape) and God, He and His love abides in us!
God, through His Spirit has given us the following description of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, Paul describes God's love and also how we should love others. I am sharing from the Amplified Version, "Love (agape) endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]."
"Love is the defining characteristic of God's presence among His people therefore it should be the defining characteristic of God's people themselves." (Textual notes NSFLB). How do you measure up? If you recognize that you struggle in some of these areas, ask God to help you by His Holy Spirit to do better.
Everything God does is an extension of His very nature. Even if we don't understand what or why He does or allows something difficult to happen in our lives or the lives of our loved ones, we must understand that His motive is always for our good and what is taking place is birthed through His love for us. Sometimes, tough love is necessary to bring about what is best.
His plan is always for our good. (Jeremiah 29:11).
Through the gift of the love of God and Jesus' sacrifice we have been justified freely and receive the promise of eternal life. (Romans 5:18).
God, because He is love, is also gracious and merciful. Psalm 86:15 reveals, "But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."
Psalm 36:5 reads, "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds." The nature of God's love is boundless and immeasurable. "Steadfast love" is also translated 'loving devotion' and derives from the Hebrew word, chesed which signifies that His love is loyal and enduring. 'Your faithfulness' refers to God's reliability and trustworthiness!" (Bible Hub Study Bible).
Psalm 36:7, "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings." His loving devotion or steadfast love is precious to us because He provides refuge, or safety and protection to all humanity, in His presence!
God's love is unfailing and endures forever! (Psalm 136:1).
I love the divine promise of God in Isaiah 54:10, " For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Even with all of the instability and turmoil in our world, God is an eternal being and His love will never depart from us! God's nature will never change! (Malachi 3:6). What a wonderful revelation!
God will always be love. He may not always love what we do, but He will always love us. He is constantly working in the lives of all men and women because they were created by Him by love. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB95) reveals, "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. What an amazing truth! His nature of love is always looking to see who needs His help!
The God Who is love, the Creator, also continues to love and to seek those who have not yet responded to His love. Jeremiah 31:3b (NASB95) reads "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness."
Just as God is love and has demonstrated that love to us in many ways, His heart's desire is that we would love Him in the same way He loves us - unconditionally and whole heartedly. Mark 12:30, "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."
We need to extend our whole hearted love to Him and to all we encounter. The world needs to see His love reflected through our lives - in how we relate to and treat them.. The world needs to know that His love is better than life! (Psalm 63:3).
"God loves us not because we are lovable, but because He is love." (Charles Spurgeon).
We can rely on God's sovereignty and wisdom to direct our hearts.
I will close with this encouraging verse and may you accept it as my prayer for you. 2 Thessalonians 3:5, "May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ." Amen.
All Scriptures are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.
Amplified Bible
NSFLB New Spirit Filled Life Bible
NASB95 New American Standard Bible 1995