Love of God

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The deepest possible expression of God’s character. Though God loves all people, he is especially committed to sacrificial, loyal relationships with his people.

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God’s nature is love

1 John 4:8 NASB95

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

His love is perfectly expressed within the Trinity

Mark 1:10–11 NASB95

Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

See also Jn 5:20; Jn 10:17; Jn 14:23; Eph 1:6; Col 1:13

Characteristics of God’s love

It is eternal

Jeremiah 31:3 NASB95

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

See also Ps 103:17; Ps 136:1–26; Is 49:15–16; Is 54:8; Is 54:10

It is a covenant love

Deuteronomy 7:9 NASB95

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

See also Ex 20:6; Dt 7:12; 1 Ki 8:23; Ps 106:45; Da 9:4

It is lavish

Exodus 34:6–7 NASB95

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

See also Ne 9:17; Ps 103:8; Joe 2:13; Jon 4:2; 1 Jn 3:1

It is holy and just

Psalm 33:5 NASB95

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Images of God’s love

God as a father:

Dt 1:31; Ho 11:1–4; Lk 15:11–32; Heb 12:6; Pr 3:12

God as a husband:

Je 31:32; Ho 2:14–20; Re 21:2

God’s loving actions

The gift of God’s Son is a unique act of love

1 John 4:9–10 NASB95

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God sets his love on the unlovely

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 NASB95

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

See also Eze 16:1–14; Ro 5:8; Eph 2:4–5

God always acts in love towards believers

Romans 8:38–39 NASB95

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s love for his people

Israel

Isaiah 43:4 NASB95

“Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.

See also Dt 10:15; 2 Ch 9:8; Mt 15:24; Ro 9:15–16; Ex 33:19; Ro 11:28

The church

Revelation 1:5 NASB95

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—

God’s love for the world

Dt 10:18; Jn 3:16–17

See also Ps 145:9; Ps 145:17; Mt 5:45; Ac 14:17; Ac 17:25

God’s love for individuals

2 Sa 12:24–25 “Jedidiah” means “loved by the Lord”.

David:

2 Sa 7:15; Is 55:3

Ezr 7:28 Ezra; Ne 13:26 Solomon

God’s love transforms human love

Human love must respond to God’s love

1 John 4:19 NASB95

We love, because He first loved us.

See also Dt 6:5; Dt 30:6; Eph 5:1; Col 3:12–14

Human love must be modelled on God’s love

Matthew 5:44–45 NASB95

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.