The Nature of God's Love in Action and Expression
The nature of God's love is fundamentally expressed through His actions, demonstrating His character and benevolence towards creation. The Apostle John states, "God is love" (1 John 4:16 LITV) [1]. This declaration signifies that love is not merely an attribute of God, but an essential aspect of His very being [2].
God's love is manifested in various ways, often categorized by the specific circumstances and relationships involved [3]. Generally, it is understood as benevolence. When directed towards the suffering of His creatures, it is characterized by mercy, pity, and compassion. In the context of impenitent sinners, it is expressed as long-suffering patience. When God bestows favor upon the undeserving, His love is called grace [3]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, highlights that God is "rich in mercy" because He is generous in dispensing it, particularly through Christ Jesus [8].
A significant manifestation of God's love is seen in the sending of His Son. The love of God towards His elect was "secretly in his heart from everlasting" but was "in a most glaring manner manifested" through the mission of Christ into the world [5]. This special love is distinct from His general love shown in creation and providence [5]. The love of Christ itself is described as special, peculiar, free, sovereign, and enduring, exemplified by His role as surety, His assumption of human nature, and His death for humanity [10].
The divine love also serves as the foundation for human love. The exhortation to "love one another" (1 John 4:7) is rooted in the understanding that "love is of God," meaning He is its ultimate source and author [6]. Those who have received God's love are naturally compelled to love others who have also experienced it, thereby demonstrating their love for God [7]. This reciprocal love among believers becomes an evidence of their connection to God [7]. The purity of God's word is another object of affection for those who love God, as it reflects His holiness and guides His servants [9]. The love for God is to be supreme, sincere, and proportional to the mercies received [4].
Sources
- 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 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.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
- 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. -- ”
- 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 John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 John 4:7: As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, Jo1 4:7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: "Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love." This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as, I. From the high and heavenly descent of love: For love is of God. He is the fountain, author, pare”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:11: 4:11-12 Those who have received God’s love cannot help but spontaneously love those who have done the same. As this love flows through us to each other, it becomes evident that we love God.”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy,.... Mercy is a perfection of the divine nature, and is essential to God; and may be considered with respect to the objects of it, either as general, extending to all men in a providential way; or as special, reaching only to some in a way of grace; for though mercy is his nature, yet the display and exertion of it towards any object, is the act of his will; and special mercy, with all the blessings and benefits of it, is only exhibited in Christ Jesus: and God is said to be "rich" in it, because he is free and liberal in dispensing it,”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:140: Here is, 1. David's great affection for the word of God: Thy servant loves it. Every good man, being a servant of God, loves the word of God, because it lets him know his Master's will and directs him in his Master's work. Wherever there is grace there is a warm attachment to the word of God. 2. The ground and reason of that affection; he saw it to be very pure, and therefore he loved it. Our love to the word of God is then an evidence of our love to God when we love it for the sake of its purity, because it bears the image of God's holiness and is designed to ”
- 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”