is a prevalent concept both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Love is a key attribute of God in Christianity, even if in the New Testament the expression "God is love" explicitly occurs only twice and in two not-too-distant verses: I John 4:8,16. Wikipedia. His love is not gained by anything we do on our own merit. The Bible states that God loved us while we were still sinners; His love abounds from His infinite goodness and mercy. God’s love is steadfast and unchanging. God is the Source of love.
The Hebrew word chesed and the Greek word agape, are used to express the kind of love God demonstrates toward His elect. This is often translated as “steadfast love” or “lovingkindness.” A good example of chesed is found in Numbers 14:18, “The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression”. He has adopted us as His children. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s people repeatedly fell into idolatry and sin, yet when they cried to Him, He forgave them.
In the New Testament, we come across the Greek word agape. Agape love is the goodwill and benevolence of God shown in self-sacrifice and an unconditional commitment to the loved one. Luke 6:35 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
When we look at the Bible which describes love, we will conclude that God is the essence of love. I Corinthians 13:4-8 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” This is God’s description of love, and because God is love. I John 4:8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” This is what God is like.
The greatest expression of God’s love is communicated to us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8 proclaims the same message: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We can see from these verses that it is God’s greatest desire that we join Him in His eternal home, heaven. He has made the way possible by paying the price for our sins. He loves us because He chose to do so. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Love is an attribute of God. Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. God’s love is in no sense in conflict with His holiness, righteousness, justice, or even His wrath. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Everything God does is loving, just as everything He does is just and right. God is the perfect epitome of true love.
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