“GOD IS LOVE”

8 “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8

One of the most popular Bible verses says, “God is love.” But this verse can be easily misunderstood. When some quote it, they assume that since God is love, He will sweep their wrongdoings under the rug.

What does this term actually mean?

The passage from which today’s verse is taken talks about how godly love proves one’s salvation. A person who truly loves God will do what is loving toward God and gracious toward others. On the other hand, those who lack true love do not know God.

In context, the false teachers of John's time were claiming to know God. But their lack of love for others proved that they did not belong to God, in the first place.

The second part of the verse shows the reason why John said this: because God is love, that is, God’s very nature is love. In the Bible, various figures of speech are used to describe God, e.g., God is light, and God is a rock. In this case, God is love. To better understand this statement, we shouldn’t think of love as simply one of the many things God does. He is not just a loving God. Instead, everything God does—including rendering justice—is a loving activity. Thus, God is love.

When we think of God’s nature, we cannot ignore the significance of love. Love is an essential attribute of God. It is so important that it is tied to His Person. But His love does not clash with His righteousness and holiness. As He upholds His holiness, His acts of righteousness benefit all of creation.

Every attribute of God is in perfect harmony with each other. Since He is love, He does not rejoice in wrongdoing, i.e., sin (1 Corinthians 13:6). Instead, He makes sure that it is dealt with justly. His love does not take away the need for justice. He holds the guilty accountable for their actions while acquitting the innocent.

His example of love is best demonstrated by giving His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to take our sin, along with its punishment, penalty, and power. The Cross of Christ unveils both God’s love and His justice. Through Jesus’ death, God’s demands for righteousness and justice were satisfied. Jesus, who never did anything wrong, bore the full weight of our sins, nailing them to the Cross.

When Jesus died on the Cross for you and me, He showed what the term “God is love” truly means.

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash