God is Love
When Christians say “God is Love” what does that mean?
To define what Love is the Bible has much to say concerning this Attribute of God’s Character. First, what love is not. God’s Love is not the same love that humans experience. Humans are emotional beings by design and because humans are by nature corrupt, therefore Love is a feeling and not substance as with God. Human love is conditional for the most part. Love is not consistent with humans. For example, humans can be very much practicing love when things are going their way, then let something go contrary to them and love takes a back seat.
Now for God’s Love. Love is such an important part of God’s character that the apostle John wrote, “God is love.” This means that God holds the well-being of others as His primary concern. For a full definition of love, we must look at Scripture to see Love as Action. 1 Corinthians 13. This is what I will call the “characteristics of Love” God’s way!
love is patient
love is kind
love does not envy
love does not boast
love is not proud
love is not rude
love is not self-seeking
love is not easily angered
love keeps no record of wrongs
love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
love never fails
These “characteristics of Love” is not possible for humans without the Spirit of Christ.
Study the life of Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of others is the ultimate act of love. God’s love is not a love of emotion but of action. His love gives freely to the object of its affection, those who choose to follow His son Jesus. Let us look at some more definitions of Love.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1John 4:9 “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
John 3:16 “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.”
1John 3:1 ¶ “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
So, when Christians say “God is Love” we know what and how to define what Love is and is not!
Leave a Reply