Narrative of God's Love in Scripture

The biblical narrative consistently portrays God's love as a foundational aspect of His character and His interaction with humanity ^[6]. This divine love is not merely an attribute but is explicitly stated as God's very essence: "God is love" (1 John 4:16) ^{[4, 7]}. This love is manifested in various ways throughout scripture, from creation to redemption.

One of the most profound expressions of God's love is found in the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Apostle John emphasizes this, stating, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10) ^[3]. This act demonstrates that God's love is not contingent on human merit but is freely given ^[6]. John Gill notes that this manifestation of God's love for His elect did not begin with Christ's mission but was revealed in a "most glaring manner" at that time, having been secretly in His heart from eternity ^[10]. Christ's love is further shown in His willingness to offer Himself as a sacrifice, a model for Christian love ^[9]. This sacrificial love is described as "much greater than ordinary human love" ^[12], and it is the motivation for believers to give up their own desires for the good of others ^[8].

The "loving-kindness of God" (Hebrew: hesed) is a recurring theme, described as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, and everlasting ^[2]. This loving-kindness is experienced through Christ ^[2]. It is a love that draws people to God (Jeremiah 31:3), preserves them (Psalm 40:11), and comforts them (Psalm 119:76) ^[2]. The love of God is sovereign, great, abiding, unfailing, and unalienable ^[6]. It is also described as "constraining" (Hosea 11:4) and "everlasting" (Jeremiah 31:3) ^[6]. This love is directed toward perishing sinners, His saints, the destitute, and the cheerful giver ^[6].

The Bible also commands humanity to respond to God's love with love. Loving God is presented as the "first great commandment" (Matthew 22:38), requiring love with all the heart (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37) ^[1]. This love for God is considered better than all sacrifices (Mark 12:33) and is produced by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) ^[1]. It should lead to joy (Psalm 5:11), love for other saints (1 John 5:1), hatred of sin (Psalm 97:10), and obedience to God (Deuteronomy 30:20; 1 John 5:3) ^[1]. Obedience is seen as perfecting this love, which in turn gives boldness (1 John 2:5; 4:17-18) ^[1].

Love for Christ is also a significant aspect of this narrative. God Himself exhibits love for Christ (Matthew 17:5; John 5:20), and saints are called to do the same (1 Peter 1:8) ^[5]. Christ's personal excellence and His love for humanity serve as motives for this love (Song of Solomon 5:9-16; 2 Corinthians 5:14) ^[5]. This love for Christ is manifested through seeking Him, obeying Him (John 14:15, 21, 23), ministering to Him, preferring Him above all others, and taking up the cross for Him ^[5]. It is characterized by sincerity (Ephesians 6:24) and should be supreme ^[5]. The grace and love of God the Father are seen as "exceeding abundant" and are displayed in conversion, leading to faith and love in Christ Jesus ^[11].

The Christian life is understood as being based on the experience and personal knowledge of God's grace and love in Jesus Christ ^[12]. This love of Christ, though it "passes knowledge," can be known and experienced by believers ^[13]. The goal for believers is to be "filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within," reflecting God's image ^[12].

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
1 John “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. -- 1 John 4:10”
1 John “1 John 4:16 (NASB) — We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Christ — Exhibited by God -- Mt 17:5; Joh 5:20. Exhibited by saints -- 1Pe 1:8. His personal excellence is deserving of -- Song 5:9-16. His love to us a motive to -- 2Co 5:14. Manifested in Seeking him. -- Song 3:2. Obeying him. -- Joh 14:15,21,23. Ministering to him. -- Mt 27:55; 25:40. Preferring him to all others. -- Mt 10:37. Taking up the cross for Him. -- Mt 10:38. A characteristic of saints -- Song 1:4. An evidence of adoption -- Joh 8:42. Should be Sincere. -- Eph 6:24. With the soul. -- Song 1:7. In proportion to our mercies. -- Lu 7:47. Supreme. -- ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
I John “I John 4:16 (LITV) — And we have known and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and the one abiding in love abides in God, and God in him.”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 13:4: 13:4-7 This description of Christian love emphasizes the willingness to give up one’s own desires for the good of others (see also 8:1–10:33; Rom 5:6-8; 15:3; 2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:4-8).”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 5:2: 5:2 Christ’s love is shown especially in his offering himself as a sacrifice for us (cp. 5:25; John 15:13; Rom 5:8). Christian love is motivated by and modeled after Christ’s sacrificial love (see Phil 2:5-8). • Paul draws on Old Testament imagery, where the smell of a burning sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to God (see Lev 1:9; 2:2; cp. Rom 12:1).”
1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:9: In this was manifested the love of God towards us,.... The love of God here spoken of, and instanced in, is not his general love to all his creatures, which is shown in the make of them, and in the support of them in their beings, and in his providential care of them, and kindness to them; but his special love towards his elect, and which was before it was manifested; it was secretly in his heart from everlasting, and did not begin to be at the mission of Christ into the world, but was then in a most glaring manner manifested: there were several acts of it before, as t”
1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 1:14: And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant,.... That is, the love of Jehovah the Father; so the Ethiopic version reads, "the grace of God"; of God the Father, since he is distinguished in the text from Jesus Christ. God is abundant in grace and goodness; he is rich and plenteous in mercy; there is an overflow of love in his heart to his chosen people, and in conversion it flows out, and abounds and superabounds; see Rom 5:20. with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus; these are the effects of the love and favour of God displayed in conversion, or which t”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:18: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,.... The love of Christ to his own, to his church and people, is special and peculiar; free and Sovereign; as early as his Father's love, and is durable and unchangeable; the greatest love that ever was heard of; it is matchless and unparalleled; it is exceeding strong and affectionate, and is wonderful and surprising: the instances of it are, his engaging as a surety for them; his espousing both their persons and their cause; his assumption of their nature; his dying in their room and stead; his payment of th”

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