The love of God

Robin was amazed when the truth dawned upon him that the Bible makes a positive statement about God’s being as, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). God is the embodiment of love. Robin had imagined that only negative statements are possible about God’s being.

Love is a word of relationship. God loves the world He created. For us to claim to love God must then be made visible in showing inclusive love. Recognising equal dignity and not discriminating people on the basis of gender, race, caste, ethnicity or economic status from fellowship. God’s loves is relational.

The nature of God’s love is holy. The bible further teaches because God is love He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins ( 1 John 4:10). Jesus’ sacrifice reveals that the nature of sacrificial God’s love is holy. For humanity to experience God’s love must be made visible in moral life, in our thought, words and deeds.

God’s love is compassionate. This became visible when God incarnated in the person of Jesus Christ full of grace and truth ( John 1:14). To be compassionate demands personal presence and not just uttering words of sympathy for the suffering from a distance. We read in Matthew’s Gospel this description of Jesus’s loving compassion: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:35–36). Do we reach out to people in their pain?

The love of God is empowering. Jesus sacrificed so that we might live life in this world through Him. To live life through the Lord, who is love, is to live a life of love. God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Are we grateful for the amazing love of God?