God Is Love

INTRODUCTION:

  1. This is ONE of the attributes of God - the one that we would like to dwell on. It is the one that comforts and encourages us - sustains us in hope.

  2. Problem today of thinking this is the ONLY essence of God -

    1 John 4:8 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (KJV)

    1 John 4:16 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (KJV)

  3. However, the same construction also appears in other concepts:

      1 John 1:5

      5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (KJV)

      John 4:24 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

      Hebrews 12:29 29 For our God is a consuming fire. (KJV)

Words that define such "LOVE"

    'ahab = used in most English bibles for 'love' - human and divine.

    chesed = another Hebrew word

      Ps. 136 - KJV = "for his mercy endureth forever'

      NASB = "for His lovingkindness is everlasting'

      NIV = "His love endures forever"

      "a genuine affection of lovingkindness that is freely given...'

      'loyal affection, steadfast love, or love strengthened by loyalty'...

    chashaq = to desire, to love, to set love on, to be attached to

    chapets = to favor, to have delight in

    ratsah = to delight in, to be pleased with, to accept favorably'

    'philia' = affectionate love between friends, or friendship

      John 5:20 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (KJV)

      John 16:27 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. (KJV)

    agape = the general term for love in Greek, it is love given irrespective of merit; and instead of desiring to pssess, it seeks to give.

LOVE WITHIN THE GODHOOD

    John 17:24
      24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (KJV)

    Matthew 3:17
      17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (KJV)

    see also John 10:17; 15:9; 17:23, 26; Eph. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:17

    John 14:31
      31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (KJV)

GOD'S LOVE FOR ALL HUMANS

    Psalm 33:5
      5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. (KJV)

    Matthew 5:43-48
      43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (KJV)

    Acts 14:17
      17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (KJV)

    John 3:16
      16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)

    1 John 2:2
      2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (KJV)

    1 John 4:10
      10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (KJV)

    1. THE WORLD = MEANS ALL PEOPLE.

    2. GOD LOVES THE WORLD, = ALL PEOPLE

    3. HIS LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLEE IS DEMONSRATED IN THE GIVING OR SENDING OF HIS OWN SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR THEM ALL.

    Though many NT passages speak of God's love specifically for HIS people (the church) - see Rom. 5:8; Eph. 5:2; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:19; Rev. 1:5, THIS is NOT to negate the above, but to sharpen the focus!

GOD LOVED ISRAEL - AS THE NATION

    Deuteronomy 4:7
      7 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; (KJV)

    Deuteronomy 7:7-8
      7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (KJV)

    Deuteronomy 10:15
      15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. (KJV)

    Deuteronomy 33:3
      3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. (KJV)

    Isaiah 43:4
      4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (KJV)

    Isaiah 63:7-9
      7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (KJV)

    Hosea 11:1
      1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (KJV)

    Micah 7:18-20
      18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. (KJV)

    Romans 11:28
      28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (KJV)

GOD'S LOVE OF SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS ALSO MENTIONED

    2 Samuel 22:20
      20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. (KJV)

    1 Chronicles 28:4
      4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: (KJV)

    2 Samuel 12:24
      24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. (KJV)

    Psalm 47:4
      4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. (KJV)

GOD'S LOVE FOR 'TYPES' OF PEOPLE

    Psalm 11:7
      7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. (KJV)

    Psalm 37:28
      28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. (KJV)

    Psalm 146:8
      8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: (KJV)

    Proverbs 8:17
      17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (KJV)

    Proverbs 15;9

      9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. (KJV)

    Exodus 20:6
      6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (KJV)

    1 Kings 8:23
      23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: (KJV)

    Psalm 32:10
      10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (KJV)

    Psalm 33:22
      22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. (KJV)

    Psalm 103:11
      11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (KJV)

    Psalm 147:11
      11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. (KJV)

GOD LOVES THE CHURCH - THE 'SPIRITUAL ISRAEL'

    Colossians 3:12
      12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (KJV)

    Ephesians 5:25-27
      25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)

    1 Thessalonians 1:4
      4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. (KJV)

    2 Thessalonians 2:13
      13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (KJV)

GOD'S LOVE SEEN AS:

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