The apostle John wrote all about God and love in 1 John 4. In 1 John 4:8, John states that God is love. John writes that since God loves us and love is of God, we should also love one another and if you are born of God (i.e., born again), we know what love is. God's love is perfected in us when we love others.
God, through the apostle Paul, wrote the book of love (1 Corinthians 13), which answers for all time the question posed by the Monotones in the classic song "Book of Love" ("oh, I wonder, wonder, who, who-oo-ooh who, who wrote the book of love?"). In fact, take 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and substitute the word "God" for the word "love." For example, "God suffers long and is kind (especially to the Israelites - they must have really tested His patience), God does not envy, God does not parade Himself, is not puffed up."
God knew us while we were being formed in our mother's womb, and He loved us even before then (Psalm 139:18). He loves us so much that He sent His Son into the world to die for us on the Cross, even before we knew or loved God (1 John 4:10). During Jesus' ministry, He loved people so much that he healed the sick, raised the dead, and forgave their sins. He showed His Father's love to others and gave His life on the Cross in the ultimate act of love so that our sins would be forgiven. In 1 John 3:16, John wrote: "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." John 15:13 states: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
1 Corinthians 13:13 states: "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Love, therefore, is the most important part of our relationship with God and our relationships with other Christians. So let's remember God's love for us every day and thank Him for His love, and then share the love that God gives us with others.
Thanks for reading! See you next time!
Diane
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