The attributes of God are immense and numerous beyond the comprehension of mere creatures like us. We cannot fully grasp them with our finite brains, and our weakness makes it impossible for us to completely understand the excellencies of God to their fullest extent. Yet God has revealed Himself in the Scriptures to some comprehensible extent. God calls on us to believe and endeavor to know this revelation of His person. The attribute that this article will discuss is the Love of God. When we think about the Love of God, we need to make some necessary distinctions.
There are three ways to speak of the Love of God. The first is His intra-Trinitarian Love, the second is His Love for unbelievers, and the third is His Love for the elect.
To understand the Love of God, we need to know that Love is in the character of God. He is Love (1 John 4:8). When He is acting in Love, He is not doing something contrary to His character.
An attribute is who and what God is. God does not make an effort to act lovingly: Love is who He is. God is a Trinity of three persons. Everything that happens in the universe is because of the outpouring of Love between the persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each of the persons have been in perfect unity from eternity, loving each other perfectly, without the need of any other object of affection. “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing, and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel” (John 5:20).
When He created humanity, God was not in need of fellowship or for objects of His Love. He was already in perfect fellowship with Himself from eternity. All the other kinds of Love of God flow from this Love which God has for His own person.
This divine Love even extends to sinners, which is also known as benevolence. God is kind and loving. He shows benevolence to undeserving sinners, even those who are outside of Christ and therefore remain His enemies. Love is in His character and He acts in Love toward all of humanity.
God gives breath to the sinner who curses His holy name using the very breath that God has granted him. Men drink iniquity like water, giving no regard to God, and yet God is the provider of all that we have. God out of Love for His created order bestows His blessings upon His enemies who rebel against Him and give no regard to His authority and right over them. God on account of all of this deserves our utmost allegiance and worship, but men would rather bow their knees in front of an idol rather than God.
God nevertheless loves His creation, even when in return He receives no love from the unregenerate. Human love requires reciprocity, while God loves without receiving any love from the unsaved. God shows mercy to blasphemers despite the multitude of their sins. He gives countless blessings to His enemies.
God also has a distinct affection for His elect people, which He chose before the making of the world (Eph. 1:5). God is gracious and He loves His own. He is aware of the great multitude of their sins, but still, He loves them. “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says Yahweh, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18). God says to His elect that He will wipe away their sins. In the Old Testament, the sins of the people were covered by the sacrifice of bulls and oxen. Yet God had a greater plan for the redemption of His elect, which can be seen by the sacrifice of His own begotten Son on the cross for such unclean people like us.
The book of Hebrews reveals this work of redemption through the sacrifice of God the Son. Charles Spurgeon once said to “measure the love by the gift.” We can see the Love of God in the fact that God has granted us the greatest gift, which is His own precious Son.
All of the created order, the vast multitude of stars in the heavens above, and the billions of galaxies together are nothing compared to the preciousness of Christ. He was the gift given to us by God. The Son has meanwhile gifted us His life for our redemption. He bore the wrath that we deserved at the cross. “By this we have known love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). The ultimate portrait of the Love of God can be seen at the cross, where we can see the Son of God laying down His life for His enemies.
If a man says to his wife “I love you” and continuously avoids her every day, and does not care for her or support her, will she believe him? Her rightful response will be to wonder how she can believe his love when he has not provided evidence supporting that confession.
Such is not the case with God and His elect. When He says “for God so loved the world,” He gives the evidence of His Love by noting “that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). The Son then provides us with more evidence of His Love by bearing the wrath that was due for His elect. He drank the cup of judgment which His people deserved to drink.
Human love depends on reciprocity, and we love objects that we perceive to be worthy. God loved His people when they did not love Him and also loves people unworthy of His Love.
Many preachers today say that we are so beautiful and worthy that God cannot help but love us. In other words, they claim that God is prompted by our great worthiness to love us. This is not the case. God loves His people out of His sovereign choice, prompted by no other being from outside to do it. God loves us because He is Love.
I want to plead with you to read this carefully and meditate on this truth of the Love of God. It is very easy to treat these truths trivially, but I entreat you to prayerfully desire to experience the Love of God and resolve to know it deeply.
I pray that we all may encounter, cherish, and seek to know the Love of God as much as this is possible for fallen sinners.
There are three ways to speak of the Love of God. The first is His intra-Trinitarian Love, the second is His Love for unbelievers, and the third is His Love for the elect.
To understand the Love of God, we need to know that Love is in the character of God. He is Love (1 John 4:8). When He is acting in Love, He is not doing something contrary to His character.
An attribute is who and what God is. God does not make an effort to act lovingly: Love is who He is. God is a Trinity of three persons. Everything that happens in the universe is because of the outpouring of Love between the persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each of the persons have been in perfect unity from eternity, loving each other perfectly, without the need of any other object of affection. “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing, and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel” (John 5:20).
When He created humanity, God was not in need of fellowship or for objects of His Love. He was already in perfect fellowship with Himself from eternity. All the other kinds of Love of God flow from this Love which God has for His own person.
This divine Love even extends to sinners, which is also known as benevolence. God is kind and loving. He shows benevolence to undeserving sinners, even those who are outside of Christ and therefore remain His enemies. Love is in His character and He acts in Love toward all of humanity.
God gives breath to the sinner who curses His holy name using the very breath that God has granted him. Men drink iniquity like water, giving no regard to God, and yet God is the provider of all that we have. God out of Love for His created order bestows His blessings upon His enemies who rebel against Him and give no regard to His authority and right over them. God on account of all of this deserves our utmost allegiance and worship, but men would rather bow their knees in front of an idol rather than God.
God nevertheless loves His creation, even when in return He receives no love from the unregenerate. Human love requires reciprocity, while God loves without receiving any love from the unsaved. God shows mercy to blasphemers despite the multitude of their sins. He gives countless blessings to His enemies.
God also has a distinct affection for His elect people, which He chose before the making of the world (Eph. 1:5). God is gracious and He loves His own. He is aware of the great multitude of their sins, but still, He loves them. “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says Yahweh, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool’” (Isaiah 1:18). God says to His elect that He will wipe away their sins. In the Old Testament, the sins of the people were covered by the sacrifice of bulls and oxen. Yet God had a greater plan for the redemption of His elect, which can be seen by the sacrifice of His own begotten Son on the cross for such unclean people like us.
The book of Hebrews reveals this work of redemption through the sacrifice of God the Son. Charles Spurgeon once said to “measure the love by the gift.” We can see the Love of God in the fact that God has granted us the greatest gift, which is His own precious Son.
All of the created order, the vast multitude of stars in the heavens above, and the billions of galaxies together are nothing compared to the preciousness of Christ. He was the gift given to us by God. The Son has meanwhile gifted us His life for our redemption. He bore the wrath that we deserved at the cross. “By this we have known love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). The ultimate portrait of the Love of God can be seen at the cross, where we can see the Son of God laying down His life for His enemies.
If a man says to his wife “I love you” and continuously avoids her every day, and does not care for her or support her, will she believe him? Her rightful response will be to wonder how she can believe his love when he has not provided evidence supporting that confession.
Such is not the case with God and His elect. When He says “for God so loved the world,” He gives the evidence of His Love by noting “that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). The Son then provides us with more evidence of His Love by bearing the wrath that was due for His elect. He drank the cup of judgment which His people deserved to drink.
Human love depends on reciprocity, and we love objects that we perceive to be worthy. God loved His people when they did not love Him and also loves people unworthy of His Love.
Many preachers today say that we are so beautiful and worthy that God cannot help but love us. In other words, they claim that God is prompted by our great worthiness to love us. This is not the case. God loves His people out of His sovereign choice, prompted by no other being from outside to do it. God loves us because He is Love.
I want to plead with you to read this carefully and meditate on this truth of the Love of God. It is very easy to treat these truths trivially, but I entreat you to prayerfully desire to experience the Love of God and resolve to know it deeply.
I pray that we all may encounter, cherish, and seek to know the Love of God as much as this is possible for fallen sinners.
About The Author
JOEL RIAZ
1689 Federalism | Amillennialism | General Equity Theonomist
Joel Riaz lives in Abbottabad, Pakistan, with his wife, Irum. Having grown up in a Christian community, Riaz is well-acquainted with the Christian Faith and is the first person in his community to embrace Reformed Baptist Doctrine. He serves as an elder at Jesus The Holy Lamb, a Reformed Baptist Church.
1689 Federalism | Amillennialism | General Equity Theonomist
Joel Riaz lives in Abbottabad, Pakistan, with his wife, Irum. Having grown up in a Christian community, Riaz is well-acquainted with the Christian Faith and is the first person in his community to embrace Reformed Baptist Doctrine. He serves as an elder at Jesus The Holy Lamb, a Reformed Baptist Church.
Posted in Christian Living
Posted in Attributes of God, Knowledge, Understanding, Charles Spurgeon, Love, Elect, Sacrifice, Redemption
Posted in Attributes of God, Knowledge, Understanding, Charles Spurgeon, Love, Elect, Sacrifice, Redemption
Recent
Archive
2024
May
IVF is Evil.Find Your WhyWhy Do We Struggle with Self-Control?Old Time ReligionThe Pastor and His BibleLessons from Jude Pt. 4: The Dreams of False TeachersJoining with Creation: Why Your Praise Matters to GodChrist is Worthy of a Healthy ChurchBiblical Discernment and Why It Is NecessaryWhat is the Point of the Bible?Faith Cometh: First Mention Basics of Faith Pt. 2
June
July
Is God For Us?What Laws Are We Supposed to Obey?Remember MeDying Thoughts of a Godly ManOn Justification through Faith Alone in Christ AloneHigh Strangeness and a Christian ResponseDiscovering Perfect FaithfulnessChildren: The Best Bible School for AdultsThe Trembling PastorUnderstanding the Law: Part I
September
Rest In ChristFive Minutes for the Imago DeiUnderstanding the Law: Part IIThe Privilege of Knowing God TrulyEphesians: Abounding Riches of GracePrayer and Providence: A Look At Mark 7:24-30The Love of GodEphesians: Our Inheritance, Hope, and Glory in ChristThe Immutability of GodFighting Sin by Trusting in the Superior Satisfaction
Categories
Tags
17th Century
70 A.D.
Abandonment
Actions
Adam
Adoption
Angels
Animosity
Antinomianism
Anxiety
Assurance
Atonement
Attributes of God
Attrition
Augustine of Hippo
Awe
Baptism
Batman
Belief
Betrayal
Bible Reading
Bible School
Bible Study
Bigfoot
Bitterness
Blame
Blandina
Bravery
Business
Busyness
C.S. Lewis
Calvinism
Camaraderie
Catechism
Ceremonial Law
Challenges
Change
Chants
Chaos
Character
Charlatans
Charles Spurgeon
Children
Choice
Chords
Christology
Church Officer
Circumstances
Civil Law
Clash of the Titans
Claude Ramsey
Clefs
Commandments
Commentary
Communion
Composers
Confession
Contentment
Conversion
Conviction
Coram Deo
Corporate Worship
Creation
Cryogenics
Culture
Death
Decree
Defamation
Dementia
Demons
Dependance
Desire
Devastation
Diligence
Disagreement
Discernment
Discipleship
Discipline
Disobedience
Doctrines of Grace
Doctrine
Dreams
Drudgery
Ecclesiology
Elect
Embryo Grading
Emotionalism
Encouragement
Endor
English Puritanism
Entrepreneurship
Ephesians
Ethnomusicology
Eugenics
Eusebius
Evangelicalism
Evangelism
Evangelist
Evil
Exhortation
Expectations
Fables
Failure
Fairy Tales
Faithfulness
Faithlessness
Faith
False Teachers
Families
Family Worship
Famine
Fasting
Fear
Fellowship
Fertilization
Fervor
Five Points
Forgiveness
Form
Foster Care
Function
Fuxs Counterpoint
Gatherings
Gathering
Gentiles
Gentleness
George Whitefield
Ghosts
Giants
Glory
God's Word
Goodness
Good
Gospel Mission
Gospel
Grace
Gratitude
Greek Mythology
Grief
Happiness
Hardship
Help
Herodotus
Heroes of Renown
Heroes
Homeschooling
Hope
Human Trafficking
Humility
Humphrey Bogart
Hypocrites
IVF
Identity
Idolatry
Immutability
In Vitro Fertilization
Incan Empire
Inheritance
Intellectualism
Israel
James White
Jason and the Argonauts
Jerusalem
Jews
John Calvin
John Frame
John Knox
Joy
Judaism
Jude
Judges
Justification
Kids
Knowledge
Law
Laziness
Learning
Legalism
Legend
Life
Light
Liturgy
Local Church
Love
Luke Bryan
Malak
Marcus Aurelius
Marriage
Martyrdom
Matthew Henry
Meditation
Memory.
Mercy
Minds
Molech
Monergism
Money
Monotony
Moral Law
Morality
Mosaic Law
Mothman
Motivation
Music Theory
Musical Education
Musical Notation
Musicology
Music
Mystery
Mysticism
Myth
Nations
Neglect
Nephilim
Nervousness
New Covenant
Nick Needham
Notes
Obedience
Old Covenant
Old Testament
Omniscience
Online
Order
Orthodox Jew
Pain
Parents
Pastor
Paul The Apostle
Paul Washer
Peace
Pentateuch
Persecution
Perseverance
Plagiarism
Politics
Pornography
Power
Praise
Prayer
Praying
Preacher
Preaching
Preparation
Pride
Priest
Privilege
Prophesy
Prophets
Providence
Psalms
Pulpit Ministry
Punishment
Purification
Purpose
Qualification
Questions
Quick Wit
Reality Shows
Reconciliation
Redemption
Reflection
Reformed Evangelism
Regeneration
Regulative Principle
Religion
Rememberance
Repentance
Responsibility
Rest
Revelation
Reverence
Revival
Reward
Rhetoric
Richard Baxter
Riches
Righteousness
Roman Empire
Romans
Rome
Sabbath
Sacrifice
Sacrificial System
Saints
Salvation
Sanctification
Sarcasm
Satisfaction
Self-Control
Self-Discipline
Self-Examination
Sermon Preparation
Serpent
Service
Sex Selection
Shame
ShatteredHopes
Sickness
Sinbad
Sin
Social Media
Speech
Spirits
Spiritual Warfare
Spirit
Staves
Stewardship
Story
Struggles
Study Group
Study
Style
Suffering
Sundays
Supernatural
Supplication
Surrender
Teacher
Teaching
Teleology
Temporal
Temptations
Temptation
Thankfulness
The Bible
The Great Commission
The Holy Scriptures
The Joker
The Local Church
The Lord's Supper
The Lord\'s Supper
The Lyons Region
The Sons of Korah
Theology
Thomas Brooks
Thorpe
Tim Challies
Torah
Total Depravity
Tradition
Transcendence
Trembling
Trials
Trouble
Trust
Truth
Tulip
Turner Classic Movies
Tyre
UFO
Unchanging
Understanding
Unexplained
Unseen Realm
Villians
Virtue
Wailing
Warning
War
Weakness
Wealth
Weeping
Western Music
Westminster Confession
Wisdom
Witch
Wonder
Words
Worship
Youngsters