God’s Attribute of Love

God’s greatest attribute is that of love. The love mentioned in the Bible through stories and proverbs is divine, verifiable, and everlasting. The Bible says that God is love, and he loves everyone. God’s affection is so great that he gives his only son to die for our sins. This bold fact alone is evidence of God’s affection for his children. God is the essence of love. God’s deep affection for his children does not force himself on anyone. Those who come to him do so in response to this.

I have loved you with everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

God’s deep affection shows kindness to all. It does not demand obedience but for us to willingly obey. Jesus’ love always looks out for the interest of others. Jesus summarized the commandments to love God with all our hearts and one another as we love ourselves. John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 express God’s Love for us. Love is an attribute of God and a core aspect of God’s character.

God’s love is in no sense in conflict with his Holiness, righteousness, justice, or wrath. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Everything God does is loving. God is the perfect example of true love. Amazingly, God has given those who receive his son Jesus as their savior the ability to love him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

For God so loved the world that he gives his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3:16

The Greeks used four distinct words to express love: ‘Eros’ between husband and wife: ‘Phileo’ affection between friends: ‘Storgea’ love between parents and children, and ‘Agape’ supreme love. Agape a love without expectation, sacrificially giving for the wellbeing of others, and this is the love of God. God’s affection is more than that of our mothers, fathers, lovers, or friends. It is incomparable, immeasurable, unfathomable, and limitless, more than tongues can tell.

No human mind can comprehend God. We cannot define God. We cannot provide a comprehensive account of who he is. He dwells in an unapproachable light. If God is incomprehensible, then so is his love. While we may and must speak truthfully about this, we can never fathom it. It is divine, as different from our love as his being is different from our being.

But God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

The contemplation of divine affection in its biblical fullness is never something that ends in itself. Our rest in God never finds its fulfillment in ourselves but always leads us out of ourselves towards him and others. We are to live as well as learn through this attribute of God. The love of God for us begets love in us for him and others. The accurate word of love is that we have in the Bible will abide in us and will not return empty as by miracles of grace. We make glancing reflections of the immeasurable love of God visible to others in our own lives.