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God (Part 15)
Attributes: What Is He Like?
God Is Love

➢ What Does This Mean?

• God gives of Himself for the benefit and ultimate good of others.
• God’s love is at the center of His other attributes. Out of God’s love comes His kindness, grace, etc.

➢ Where Do We See This in Scripture?

• “God is love” (I John 4:16) and He is described as “the God of love” (II Cor. 13:11).
• “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (I John 4:8).
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” (John 3:16).
• “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8; note I John 4:9-10).
• God’s love for us will never end because His love is based on His unchanging nature. This endless love was shown to Israel in the Old Testament (Jer. 31:3), just as it is shown to us today (Eph. 5:25).

➢ What Does This Mean for Me?

 Understanding God’s love for us should ignite a desire in us to show love in return. “We love because He first loved us” (I John 4:19; note I John 5:3).
 Genuine love for God will be shown through a sacrificial love for others (John 13:35; I John 4:21).
 Just as God loved us, our love for others must be based on an intentional choice to do so (not an emotional response), even in moments when it may seem difficult (I Cor. 13).
 An understanding of God’s love for us will relieve us of any fears we may struggle with (I John 4:18)