Part 14 | The Only True God – God is Love

By Vic Gill

Friday 23rd April 2010

I have decided to approach this Bible study slightly differently from the other Bible studies. We will approach this in a catechism style question and answer, where Scripture will solely provide us with the answers and some commentary upon the particular passages.

What is God?

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)

In the Bible we see three particular affirmations about what God is? God is Spirit, God is Light and as in the above verse, God is Love. But what does it mean that God is love? You may have heard the expression “God is love and love is God.” It sounds very noble but how true is it to say love is God. Is love really God? To say love is God is not correct and even true. We would be equating love with God and making love itself equal to God. There is no one and nothing equal with God but God Himself. If God is love and love is God, then surely people would begin worshipping love. The irony and sad reality is that many in this totally depraved world really do worship love. Take for instance ancient Indian, Greek and Roman mythology and the many deities of their worship. Love is deified as gods and goddesses. Take for example Aphrodite, Cupid, Eros, Kāmadeva, Parvati or Venus.

When the Bible says “God is love” it is not telling us what God is made up of in His being. The truth is that no one knows this, not even the mightiest of angels who live in the presence of God. In His deepest essence only God knows what God is. However, when the Scriptures declare “God is love”, it is affirming to us that love is an essential attribute of God’s being. That God is the primary foundation and source of love. The Scriptures also teach us that God is light, merciful, jealous, holy and eternal. It is by no means saying that these attributes are God. Whilst this is quite a basic lesson on the onset, I believe it is an important one to be made early on. Too many poets and romanticists misunderstand the expression of God being love. Wayne Grudem defines God’s love as:

This attribute of God shows that it is part of His nature to give of Himself in order to bring about blessings or good for others (Wayne Grudem)

What is Love?

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

We get one of the clearest definitions from the Bible of what love really looks like. Whilst these are primarily characteristics in the life of the believer, we can find some truths which also reflect the love of God because God is the source of love. We find here that God’s definition of love stands in stark contrast to what we witness in today’s society. This kind of love is not based on romantic fads, but on the very nature of God Himself; His faithfulness, His goodness, kindness, generosity and benevolence towards you.

Why Did God Love the Jews?

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

God’s love for the Jews has in no way, shape or form been influenced by anything external. He has seen nothing worthy in those whom He loves. In fact, He has seen only objects worthy of hatred and wrath. God hasn’t loved the Jews because He saw any particular merit or virtue in them. He has loved them because He has loved them. That’s it. He has loved them according to His own purposes, and not according to external influences outside of Him. He did not attend a council meeting or take advice from anyone because He advices Himself based on His own good counsel. But He has also loved them because He is faithful to His promises. All the reasons for loving the Jews start with God and end with God.

Why Did God Set His Love on us?

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…(2 Timothy 1:9)

God loved the elect for the same reason that God loved the Jews. Not according to our works, but “according to His own purpose and grace…” You may often ask God what He saw in you that He should love you. The simple truth is that according to God’s eternal Word, He saw nothing good in you. In fact, He saw rebellion and sin in you which aroused His anger and wrath towards you. However, He just chose to love you because He just chose to love you. His calling on your life is based according to His purposes and not yours. Scripture retorts to those who question God’s eternal purposes by asking “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honour and another for dishonour?” (Romans 9:20-21) It is vitally important to remember that it was God who initiated a relationship with you, not you. You didn’t make the first move, He did (1 John 4:19).

God loves because it is in His very essence to do so. If He stopped loving He would cease to be God. He loves that which is unlovable and that which is not worthy of His perfect love. He loves not because we deserve to be loved, but because it is His nature to do so and God is true and faithful to His own being. He will not deny Himself.

How Do We Know God Loves Us?

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The greatest expression and demonstration of God’s love was displayed at the cross. God doesn’t just sit up in the heavens declaring His love for us. He actually demonstrated His love through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is one thing to claim love for someone; it is another to demonstrate it and the Bible proclaims that God in Christ demonstrated His love. We can experience this love through the Holy Spirit who leads us to Christ even 2,000 years after Christ came. He did not abandon us or leave us as orphans, but He actually came for us. We know that God loves us because He demonstrated it.

How Should We Love God?

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30)

We are to love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. In other words, God wants us to love Him in return. Love is reciprocated and God commands that we love Him. God delights in loving you and in you loving Him. He delights when you love Him with absolutely everything you have in your power. It may not be a perfect love on your behalf and you may not have the necessary actions and words to displays your love and affection, but God knows your heart. He knows those who genuinely love Him.

Who Does God Love the Most?

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

The truth is that God loves God the most. His pre-eminent passion and greatest pleasure is His own glory. More than He loves you, He loves Himself. He does all things to display and demonstrate His own glory so that in all of eternity He might display the attributes of His grace, kindness and exceeding riches. God loves God the most. Do you have a problem with this? If you do, it confirms your sinful nature. Mankind detests anyone who is worthy of praise and glory because they desire it for themselves. The very fact that humans hate the fact that God does everything for His own glory reveals the corrupt, jealous and wicked hearts of humans. Therefore, the true Christian delights and rejoices in the fact that God is infinitely concerned about His own glory, because only God deserves it. God loves Himself the most.

Can Anything Separate Us From God’s Love?

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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

There is often much discussion about the security of the believer’s salvation. Can a Christian lose their salvation? However I am greatly reminded by the Scriptures that there is nothing which can separate us from God’s love. “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?” It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?” (Romans 8:33-34)

Are you persuaded of God’s love for you? God loves you whether you have a firm grip on the Bible or not. Whether your prayer life is great or not, whether you memorise Bible verses or not, God loves you. You are precious in His sight. You are loved by God and you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Whom Does God Love?

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45)

This love of God extends to all people in all times. It is what Titus 3:4 refers to “the kindness of God our Saviour and His love for mankind.” God loves all mankind and His love is displayed to all creatures.

Sinners and saints both agree that strawberries taste good. Both enjoy the benefits of its taste and colours. Both are experiencing the love of God. Common grace is the undeserved love of God that all of mankind experiences. God bestows upon all creatures common grace which is independent of salvation. Common grace is the grace of God by which God gives innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation. It is a demonstration of God’s love for all of mankind. Patience, mercy and goodness are manifestations of the love of God for sinners. The fact that God does not punish sinners immediately is an act of God’s love. There is great sense in which God loves the entire world and this is called the common grace of God.

Does God Tolerate Sin in His Love?

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)

Certainly not! God disciplines those whom He loves. He will not allow or tolerate sin in your life. Yes God forgives and grace covers a multitude of sins, but a Christian can come under the displeasure of God and as a result lose the joy of their salvation. Don’t think for a moment that the death of Jesus pacified God’s hatred towards sin. He still hates sin and will always hate sin. The death of Jesus satisfied God’s justice and paid the penalty for sin.

Tags: Catechism, God is Love, Love, Wayne Grudem

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