GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:8)
Our God is a loving God. Love is his supreme attribute. John the ‘Apostle of Love’, declares that God is love (1 John 4:8). The first epistle of John is called as the ‘Book of love’; the word ‘love’ occurs 48 times in this book alone. “God is love”- this statement gives us hope and encouragement. What is the nature of God’s love? Let us explore what we can do to reciprocate it!
- I) GOD LOVES US
- God’s Love is Sacrificial:
God loved us so much that He gave his only begotten son for us (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9). Jesus expressed his love by laying down his life on the cross for us (1 John 3:16).
- God’s Love is Unconditional:
Jesus died for us while we were still sinners and manifested his love for us (Rom 5:8). The Bible says that Jesus did not love us based on our righteousness, works, talents and background but unconditionally (Deut. 7:7; 9:4-5; Job 7:17-18).
- God’s Love is Forgiving:
God’s love is forgiving. It is like the love of a father who accepts his children as they are when they repent (Luke 15:18-20). This love called his betrayer as ‘friend’ (Matt. 26:50). God’s love forgives and forgets our sins (Isaiah 38:17; Eph. 4:32).
- God’s Love is Providing:
God blesses us out of his love. He has compassion on us. He cares for us and supplies all our needs (Deut. 7:13; Rom 8:32; Matt 7:11; 1 Peter 5:7; Neh. 9:7-21).
- God’s Love is Sanctifying:
The Lord says, “those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline” (Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:6). God afflicts and leads us in right path for our good, that we may be made more holy and bear much fruits (Ps. 119:67, 71; Jn. 15:2).
- II) DO WE LOVE GOD?
God expects us to love him as much as He loves us. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). Jesus asks the same question to us today. When a believer loves Jesus, it will be manifested in five ways at least.
- Love for the Saviour:
We ought to love Jesus, because He first loved us (1John 4:19). Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). God created us to relate with him. We have to spend time with him in prayer; we must fulfill his desire in our life. The Bible repeatedly instructs us to love God in this manner (Deut. 6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13, 22; 19:8; 30:16, 20; Joshua 22:5).
- Love for the Scriptures:
Those who love God will also love his word. The psalmist expresses his love for God’s word nearly 8 times in Psalm 119 (Psalm 119: 47, 48, 97, 113, 119, 159, 163, 167). The love he had for the word of God urged the psalmist to meditate and obey God’s word. In fact, loving God is to obey his commands (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3). Bible says, “If anybody obeys God’s word, the love for God is truly made complete in them” (1 John 2:5).
- Love for the Sanctuary:
Our love for God will be evident in our love for his sanctuary. The church was bought with the blood of Jesus. Those who despise church are sinning against Jesus (Heb. 10:25). King David, a man after God’s own heart reveals his earnest desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life (Psalm 27:4). Further he shares delightfully, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, let us go to the House of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1). They that love the Lord will gladly serve in the church. They would endeavor sincerely to fulfill the vision of the church. They would also cheerfully contribute towards the ministerial needs (1 Chron. 29:3-7).
- Love for the Saints:
The Bible says, “Whoever does not love their brother or sister, whom they see, how can he love God whom he has not seen”? (1 John 4:20,21). The Bible teaches us many a times that we must love one another (John 13:34; Eph. 5:2). We must pray for one another and help those who are needy (James 2:16; 1 John 3:17; Gal 6:10). We ought to forgive one another (Eph. 4:32). And above all love one another (1 Pet. 4:8).
- Love for the Unsaved:
Christ came into the world to save sinners (1Tim 1:15; Luke 19:10). God wills that everyone must be saved (1Tim 2:4). Those that love God will know this heart throb of God and act accordingly. We need to intercede for the salvation of our unsaved relatives, friends, neighbours, people of our city and country. Apostle Paul, who cried, “the love of Christ compels us”, prayed for the salvation of people; proclaimed gospel; labored hard and even gave up his life. Does God’s love stir us to work and give towards gospel?
God measures our life on the basis of love. Although we might possess all knowledge and full of talents, if we do not have love, we are nothing. What do we in response to the love of Calvary? He who does not have love does not know God. Why? Because God is Love (1 John 4:8). Can people say of us, “See how much he/she loves?” (John 11:36).
