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4. Love a) Intro (1) This is
often called the most central attribute of God, but it is doubtful whether it
should be regarded as more central than the other perfections of God. (Berkhof, Summary of Christian Doctrine). Such a
statement may surprise us, but we must remember that God possesses, enjoys,
and glories in all His attributes equally. (2) The love of God, like the holiness of God, is
emphasized in the Bible because man is in desperate need of understanding it. b) Definitions (1) The
quality in God which moves Him to give of Himself and His gifts. (Gibson) (2) God seeks the highest good of humans at His
own infinite cost. (House, Charts
of Christian Theology and Doctrine) (3) [It is] … that perfection of the divine
nature by which God is eternally moved to communicate himself. It is not a
mere emotional impulse, but a rational and voluntary affection, having its ground
in truth and holiness and its exercise in free choice. (Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology,
p. 86.) c) God’s
love is agapā love. (1) When the
Bible speaks in reference to God’s love, it is almost exclusively refers to
the Greek word agapā (2) Agapā denotes a reasoned-out love,
rather than an emotionally-based love (but not devoid of emotion)—one that
loves the object irrespective of the worth of the object and even though the
love may not be reciprocated.
(Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology) (3) Agapā
is the love that God possesses and
is a selfless love that seeks to benefit another. It was coined almost
exclusively by the New Testament writers (Jn 3:16; Ro 5:5; 8:39; 2Co 3:11;
1Jn 4:7-16). It is usually distinguished from philos love, in that its devotion is not based on emotion
but on the will. However, sometimes philos love is a synonym for agapā
(Jn 5:20; 16:27). d) God’s
love is part of His nature and essence (1Jn 4:8, 16) (1) In
obvious terms, we are told in Scripture that 1) “God is spirit” (Jn 4:24), 2)
“God is light” (1Jn 1:5), and 3) “God is love” (1Jn 4:8, 16). Therefore, love
is an attribute of God’s essence and nature. (2) However, it would be incorrect to say “love
is God” for in doing so it would make love the sole attribute of God. That is
to say, that God either possesses only the attribute of love or God’s major
attribute is love. God’s love is equivalent in degree to God’s holiness, or
any other attribute. However, because God’s holiness must be comprehended by
sinful man, and God’s love is so inconceivable to sinful man, these
attributes are emphasized in the Scriptures. e) God’s
love is eternal (Je 31:3; Ps 25:6) (1) Because
God is an eternal God “who is who (He is)” (Ex 3:14), His love has always
been part of His essence. (2) Though difficult to comprehend, the objects
of God’s love have been the objects of His love from ages past (Ps 25:6).
Thus He tells Jeremiah that He has loved Him with an everlasting love (Je
31:3). That is, it has been an everlasting love from eternity past and will
be so into eternity future. (3) How blessed to know that the great and holy
God loved His people before heaven and earth were called into existence, that
He had set His heart upon them from all eternity. A.W. Pink f) God’s
love is unconditional (Dt 7:7-8; Ep 2:4-5; 2Ti 1:9) (1) God’s
love is not influenced by anything man is or does, but on the basis that God
has chosen to love him unconditionally (Dt 7:7-8). (2) Should God require something from man in
order to love him, no one would meet the requirements. In fact all men are
spiritually dead until according to God’s love, He makes them spiritually
alive (Ep 2:4-5). (3) We can add that God’s mercy and grace
(favor) to the sinner are not based on man’s works, but on God’s love (Tit
3:4-5). (4) Therefore God loved us because it was
according to His own choice (Ep 1:4) and His “own purpose” (2Ti 1:9). g) God’s
love is infinite (Ep 2:7; 3:19) (1) Derived
from an infinite God, His love is limitless and without measure. The breadth
and length and height and depth of God’s love surpasses man’s knowledge (Ep
3:18-19). (2) So His love is without limit. There is a
depth to it which none can fathom; there is a height to it which none can
scale; there is a length and breadth to it which defies measurement, by any
creature-standard. A.W. Pink (3) Not even in eternity will the believer be
able to search out the vastness of God’s love (Ep 2:7). h) God’s
love is immutable (Ro 8:35-39) (1) If God’s
love were as fickle as man’s love, then no one would be secure in God’s love.
But because God is an immutable God, therefore His love is immutable. (2) Since God’s love will not and cannot change
toward the objects of His love, there is nothing that could separate the love
of an omnipotent God (Ro 8:35-39 cf. Jn 10:28-29). (3) As stated by an unknown hymn writer, “His
love no end nor measure knows, no change can turn its course, eternally the
same it flows, from one eternal source.” i) Christ
possesses the divine attribute of love (Ep 5:2; Tit 3:4) (1) We know
that nothing can separate us from God’s love, but Ro 8:35 called it Christ’s
love, showing that Christ possesses the same divine attribute of love. (2) Christ was not only sent by the Father, but
Christ voluntarily died for mankind because of His own love (Ga 2:20; Ep 5:2,
25). (3) Christ is called “God our Savior” when He
and His love appeared for mankind (Tit 3:4). (4) Together, both the Father and the Son loved
believers and gave them eternal hope (2Th 2:16). j) Applications
of God’s love (1) If the
believer should ever doubt the love of God, he should understand that just as
Christ is the special object of God’s love (Jn 15:9), believers too are the
special object of God’s love (Jn 15:9; 17:23; Ep1:4-5). (2) If the believer should ever think that he
is too unworthy for God to love him, he should remember that God’s
unconditional love was demonstrated while he was God’s enemy (Ro 5:8-10). (3) If the believer should ever become
prideful, he need only remember that the love of God can only be experienced
in Christ (Jn 14:6; Ro 8:39; 1Jn 4:10). (4) If the believer should ever care to know
whether the love of God abides in him, he should look at the degree that he
obeys Christ’s Word (Jn 14:15; Jn 15:12) and how much he loves the brethren
(1Jn 4:16). (5) If the believer should ever wonder how he
can love in a greater way, he should meditate on God’s attribute of love (1Jn
4:19; Ro 5:5; 1Th 4:9). |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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