God is Love

 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8

Did you think about that statement—God is love.  We should be able to substitute the word love in most cases where we see the word God.  How would that work?

We all know the first couple of verses in the Bible, right?

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

What if we substituted the word love for the word God?

In the beginning Love created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of Love was hovering over the waters.

What if we see love in the very beginning?  What if we see the creation coming out of love? Now God is righteous, powerful, all-knowing, eternal, and so much more but at his essence, God is love.

Let’s try this word substitution with some New Testament verses. We will start with John 1:14.

The Word—which we are told is God—became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Let’s try this with love.

Love became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from Love, full of grace and truth.

Love became flesh.  Love was manifested as a person.  We look at the person of Jesus and see love.  When people look at us, they should see love in us.  They should see God in us—love in us.

In the 5^th chapter of John’s gospel, the religious leadings are attacking Jesus for working on the Sabbath.  This is his response.

My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.

Let’s do the substitution, this time for the word Father—who is God.

Love is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.

Love is always at work.  The work of love never ends.  Love does not cease. Let’s put that thinking into the context of 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 Love never fails.

Does that not sound like love is always at work.

Let’s try one more—John 14:6

Jesus is only a few hours from going to the cross. He is sharing with his closest followers and friends.  He tells them that he is going away.  The disciples don’t know where, so Jesus explains that it’s not so much a location as a relationship with him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Let’s try this one with love.

Jesus answered, “Love is the way and the truth and the life.

And now the second part of the verse.

 No one comes to Love except through Love.

When we understand that God is love, we begin to understand that it’s not about being a rulekeeper, though the rules are for our own good.

It’s not about gathering together to worship, though we are supposed to continue in our worship as a group.

It’s not about how much you put in the offering plate but whether it was given in love.

It’s not about whether you can hold a tune but whether your song was offered in love.

It’s not about hoping you get into heaven, but living your life in love so you are already living in the kingdom of God.

You are living in the kingdom of love.

Every time that you read your Bible and come across the word God, think to yourself that God is love.  Even when our circumstances seem harsh, remember that God disciplines those whom he loves.

Now take these two precepts and consider them in the context of God is love.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Perfect love cast our fear.

We may begin by fearing the Lord but our destination is love.  We may receive the discipline of our Father who is love but we will not receive his wrath.

The fear of the Lord might be where we begin, but once we are walking in his ways, fear gives way to love.  God is love.

We are to be imitators of love.

As you try to please God and love others and study your Bible and put the words of our Lord into practice, do so with this thought in mind, especially when you struggle with making sense of it all.

What thought?

God is love.

Amen.