What does it mean that God is love?
God is love is not a sentimental claim; it is a statement about who God is in Himself. Before anything was created, God was love, for love exists eternally in the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And God's love is shown in action: He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, while we were still sinners and enemies. Because God is love, His love is holy, self-giving, steadfast, and made known to us in Christ.
This question arose from studying Who is God the Father? and What is the Trinity?.
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What the Scripture says
God is love in Himself
John states it twice as a fact of God's own being: God is love. This is not first about how God treats us; it is who He is. Before creation there was love, because the Father loves the Son, as Jesus prayed, 'for you loved me before the foundation of the world.' The triune God has always been a God of love, in the eternal fellowship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love is not something God fell into when we appeared; it is His nature.
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
His love is shown in action
John defines God's love by what it did: 'In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.' And 'God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son.' Paul says it plainly: 'God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' God's love is not an abstraction; it gave, it sent, it sacrificed.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.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.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
It reaches the unlovely and the enemy
The measure of God's love is not how lovable we are but how lost we were. Paul presses the point: 'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,' and 'while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.' John says plainly, 'not that we loved God, but that he loved us.' God's love did not wait for us to be good; it came to us in our sin and our enmity, and that is the gospel.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
It is holy, not sentimental
Because God is love, and because He is holy, His love never makes light of sin. The very verse that says God is love speaks of His Son 'as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.' And the love of God shows itself in us by obedience: 'this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments,' and 'he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?' God's love is a purifying, commanding love, not an indulgence.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
It is steadfast and never ends
God's love is not fickle. Through Jeremiah He declares, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.' Lamentations sings that His steadfast love never ceases and His mercies are new every morning. And Paul's great conclusion is that neither death nor life nor anything in all creation 'will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' The love that is God's very nature is forever.
Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail.It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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How does God's love differ from human love?→“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”How does God discipline His children?→“For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”How do I experience the love of God day to day?→“and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”How can I know God's affection for me is real and not just a doctrine?→“He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”What is the difference between God's discipline and the devil's accusation?→“I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”What does it mean to abide in Christ's love?→“Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”How do I receive love when I don't feel lovable?→“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”Why did God create us?→“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”Can you prove God exists?→“The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”Why does God harden hearts?→“but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”Can someone whose heart has been hardened come back?→“Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”Explore further
Does God use our failures for our good?→Our Walk with Him trail“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.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.
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
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