The Love of God

THE love of God is a subject no one should ever get tired of hearing, learning of, and deeply appreciating. If it were not for God’s everlasting, pure and undying love for us, His creation, there would be no point in us writing the types of monthly articles that we do, or for any of us to even attend church services. What many fail to realize, and most likely the reason they fail to realize it, is they have never been taught how to know God properly. Did you know that God’s goodness and mercy are manifestations of God’s nature? And through God’s goodness and mercy is where God’s love is active? Since God’s entire nature is to be holy and righteous, He is thus limited to what and who He can and will love; meaning He cannot and will not love evil, or ungodly behavior. Why? Because it would violate His nature.

His love is expressed by the Greek word “agape,” which is the best of what love can be. Seeking the best possible good for others, without expecting to be paid back. In this perfect love of God, he feels our sorrows, suffers when we suffer, grieves when we grieve. There can be no real love without being moved by compassion toward others (Genesis 6:6; Isaiah 63:9; Ephesians 4:30). In the Hymn “The Love of God” the writer demonstrates how God’s love is beyond our comprehension –

Were the whole earth of parchment made,

Were every blade of grass a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole,

though spread from sky to sky.”

The objects of God’s great love are as follows:

1. Jesus Christ – (John 15:9-10; 17:24)

2. The World – (John 3:16; 7:7; Romans 5:6-10)

3. The Saved – (John 16:27; 17:23)

4. The cheerful Giver – (2 Corinthians 9:7)

It is true that God does not love sinners, not the actual individual themselves, but the sin(s) they are involved in. God loves the individual because they were created in His image (Genesis 1:26), and because of what they are capable of becoming – Saved! God’s love is not one of sentiment, but one of action – “God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten…” The apostle Paul wrote, “But God, being rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead through OUR trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5). Again, in Romans 8:38-39, Paul speaks of God’s love when he says we cannot be separated from it as long as we are IN Christ Jesus our Lord. Unfortunately, many have been falsely taught that the idea of not separating us from God’s love, means “once-saved-always-saved.” But that hogwash cannot be proved by an honest interpretation of the Scriptures.

It is true, the Holy Spirit through Paul’s pen informs us there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love – with one exception – we ourselves can cause that separation when we choose not to obey God’s Word. How you ask? Paul knew it was possible to fall from grace, to lose his love for God, which is why he told the Corinthian brethren “But I buffet my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be as castaway (rejected)” (1 Corinthians 9:27). He was writing to Christians who were still living worldly and rebuking them for it. Paul told them he too could separate himself from God’s love if he were not putting himself to the test every day (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The Atheist would argue that if it is really true that our God is so good, so loving and caring, then why does He allow evil to exist? While we will attempt to give a reasonable answer to this question, most are intellectually dishonest and would never be satisfied with a rational answer. After God created all things (and it must be remembered that Atheists are evolutionists), God looked at all He had created and said, “It was very good” (Genesis 1:31). God created within everyone of us the ability to make our own choices. God did not created evil, but He does allow it for our learning. There would be no such thing as choice if evil did not exist. Because all we could choose was good. If evil were never to exist, then doing good would be meaningless. Because there would be no one to do good for. The Atheist says God should never have allowed evil to exist, which proves God does not exist. The Christian on the other hand understands God will not always allow evil and good to exist together. There will be a time when they will be separated.

Believe it or not, the Bible speaks more about our love of God, than it does about God’s love for us! Yes, there is the oft quoted verse of John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world (all humanity) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In the first epistle of John, we are told that God loves us (1 John 3:1; 4:7-11; also, Revelation 3:19). Then in the books of the Prophets, God speaks of His love for His people Israel (Jeremiah 33:31; Hosea 14:4).

Then the majority of Scriptures speak about our love for God such as “IF you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15; Deuteronomy 11:1, 13; 30:20; Joshua 22:5; Nehemiah 1:5; Psa. 31:23; 97:10; 116:1; Isaiah 56:6; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 6:24; et al.), and “You are My friends IF you do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). We can’t be His friends and receive His love if we are not doing what He commands.

Most would consider our articles as unloving, self-righteous, and possibly un-Christlike. Whether or not you realize it, each and every article has been filled with the Love of God. God’s love for you is that you be saved and become one of His true children (Luke 19:10). Remember the one passage that most people love to quote – John 3:16 – “For God so loved, that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life?” God’s love for each of us began long before Jesus died at Calvary. Because God’s love is eternal, a love that before creation knew man would transgression His law, thereby breaking up the fellowship between Creator and creation (Isaiah 59:1-2). God’s love is universal, as it was for the “world” and “whosoever.” Not only for those God’s pre-elected for salvation, which was never in the mind of God. As the Father’s love provided the perfect sacrifice for sin, the Son’s love motivated Him to leave heaven and be made flesh and blood to give Himself a ransom for us all (1 Timothy 2:6). The word “so” in John 3:16 tells us the degree to which God’s loves us (Romans 8:32).

We love Jesus because of His sacrifice on our behalf. The question is, and one we have been posing for the last few years, is how much do you REALLY love Jesus? Keep in mind that love is an action word, put your money where your mouth is type of love “IF you love ME KEEP MY commandments” (John 14:15). Not your church creeds, manuals, statements of faith, catechisms, etc. The commandments found in the New Covenant of Christ. The commandments we have been trying desperately to show you what you are NOT keeping. The commandments of Christ are the only ones God will use to judgment us all in the end (John 12:48). If you are not living by them now, don’t be surprised when Jesus, the great judge compares your life to what His commandments taught.

We beg you all, please, throw away your man-made creeds and study God’s word alone. God’s love provided all mankind with the simplest of salvation plans, which every accountable person can understand if they are honest and rational. God’s love provided only one church for all accountable men and women to be added to by God (Acts 2:47). He provided one plan of salvation required of everyone as God does not treat one person differently from another. Yes, God requires works/actions on our part to obtain the benefits of Christ’s death – (1) hearing the gospel to receive faith (John 6:28-29; Romans 10:9-10); (2) Once we receive faith, it must then motivate us to repent of our sins (Luke 13:3); confess that Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 10:32-33); and submit to immersion in water to contact the cleansing blood of the Lamb (Acts 22:16), at which point God will add us to the saved, the church of Christ (Acts 2:47). This is how much God loves us all, by giving us only one plan to save us in the same and easy way.

This is what we have been teaching you and praying that you will open your hearts and minds to the truth and be saved. OR that you will love us enough to show us where we are wrong so that we can all obey Jesus’ command to be united (John 17:20-21). God is love, but His love can only be found IN Christ (Romans 8:39).