The Wonderful love of God

Love is one of God’s most precious and well-known attributes (8; )

Explanation: Survey a crowd and as them to complete the statement, “God is___, and the top answer will most likely be LOVE. Love is indeed one of God’s attributes, and it is powerful, amazing, and far-reaching. It definitely deserves to be at the top of the lists. The important thing, however, is that the love of God needs proper identification and definition. Most people have rather fuzzy & squishy ideas of sentimentalism when it comes to a biblical understanding of the Love of God

The OT definition of love (hesed) means a steadfast covenant love

Hesed is not an emotional response to beauty, merit, or kindness, but a moral attitude dedicated to another’s good, whether or not that other is lovable, worthy, or responsive. (Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible)

Consider just a survey of the OT, and one quickly sees the covenant and faithful love God has for His people. Time and time again, repeatedly the Israelites turn away from the One True and Living God and worship false idols. Time, and time again, repeatedly God brings them back to Himself. Even though He judges them for their sin, He does not cast them aside.

The NT definition of love (agape) means unconditional love.

Agapē means to love the undeserving, despite disappointment and rejection (Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible)

While there are other terms for love in the NT, the word Agapē occurs most frequently. Through the life of Jesus, this word becomes synonymous with Christianity. The Incarnation itself displays the magnitude of the love He had, and still has, for humanity. What would compel The Holy One of Glory to ever leave the majesty of Heaven except that He had a great and pure love for the people He chose to redeem?

The Love of God is most clearly seen in the Plan of Redemption (; 5:8; )

The Love of God for His people is to be our standard

The Love of God for His people is to be our standard

God willingly sacrificed Himself in order to Redeem us

It is impossible for us to understand the depth of God’s love, but looking at the Cross helps bring it in focus. God knew before He created that man would sin. God knew that sin would have to paid for, and He also knew that sinful humans could not offer a sufficient payment. God willingly planned on sacrificing Jesus on our behalf, and the plan was made in Eternity Past. The premeditated nature (cf ) of our Salvation through the Cross speaks volumes about God’s love

God loved us when we were unlovable (Rom 5:8)

Consider how easy it is for parents or grandparents to to love their own family. Think also of the love you have for your own mother. Then think of how you feel towards a person who is not like you, a person you don’t personally know, or especially someone who has been mean to you. Parents, think of that child who has bullied your child - how do you feel about him or her? We think we are good people and that God did not really need to put forth a lot of effort to love us - WRONG. We are each and everyone of us rebel sinners who have gone against the things of God, and there is nothing in and of ourselves that is lovely or good. God came to us in our sinful rebellion and He still chose to love us!

God’s love for us is extravagant ()

God did not take a minimalist approach when placing His love on us. By minimalist, I mean the idea of finding out what is the least I can do to get by. (This is how many students look at school). And sadly, this is how some believers think: What is the least that I need to do and still wind up in heaven? This is terrible, and it shows that person does not understand the love of God at all. God gave in an extravagant manner; He gave the very best - He did not hold anything back when it came to the Cross. He gave Himself for we who did not deserve it

God’s manner of Love is our model (; )

God’s manner of Love is our model (; Col 3:12-14)

The natural outworking of the Love of God that is active in a saved person’s life is that he or she will be a loving person. While our level of love towards another human will never reach the depth or level of God’s love for us, it is still our model, and it should motivate us to love others.

In fact, God has given the unbelieving world the right to judge the genuineness of our own faith based on how we treat others. This is why it is so important for believers to be in unity and be at peace with each other. When the church splits or goes to fighting, the lost world looks on and says, “If that is what loving Jesus is about, count me out!”

There are many command statements in the pages of the NT. Some of the common ones are known as the “one another” passages. For example, believers are told to pray for one another (); be at peace with one another (); Be kind to one another (); and to encourage one another (). All together, there are about 50 commands given to believers using the one another form. Not surprisingly, the one that shows up most frequently is for believers to love one another.

The Apostle Paul puts this in perspective for us in . He reminds us what Christ has done for us, and then, as a result of His work in our lives we are to bear with one another, and to forgive one another, and then above all else we are to put on love. There has never been a greater need in the Church of God for believers to walk together in love, that the world may see a difference in us. And may that difference be used of God to bring the lost to Himself for His own glory!