God's Love

The Bible has so much education about love. The Song of Solomon is a wonderful love story. The word love is used to several kinds of desires. The main true loves mentioned are God's love (agape), Brotherly love (philadelphia) and Physical love (eros) . Sometimes a scripture may refer to other kinds of desires like when it talks about someone who loves evil or wickedness.

In the KJV the word charity is often used where today's translators would have used love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This study will focus mainly on God's Love.

In what does the Lord delight?
"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy." Micah 7:18.

How is His mercy continually manifested?
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22,23.

Is His mercy limited to any special class?
"Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things." Acts 17:25.
"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45.

How has mankind repaid Him for His love in creating them and giving them all things to enjoy?
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. See. Isaiah 1:4-6.

While all men were in this condition, how did God still further show His love to them?
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Is there any difference between the love of the Father and that of the Son?
"I and my Father are one." John 10:30.
"Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." John 14:11.

Into what relationship to God does His love bring us, if we accept it?
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." 1 John 3:1.

What is given us to show that we are sons?
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with out spirit, that we are the children of God." Romans 8:14-16.

What does the Holy Spirit beget in the hearts of those who receive it?
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:5.

If the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, what effect will it have?
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 1 John 4:11.

How much must we love one another?
"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12.
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16.

What exhortation is based upon Christ's love for us?
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." Ephesians 5:2.

If we have the love of God, will we love only those who love us?
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:43,44.
"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" Matthew 5:46.

Did God love us because of any good that we had done?
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Titus 3:5,6.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-6.

What alone should prompt all our acts?
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." 2 Corinthians 5:14.

In what other way is God's love manifested to His people?
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Revelation 3:19.
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Hebrews 12:6

What may we confidently expect, from the fact that God so loved us as to give Christ to die for us?
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32.

What is God's love for His children able to do when enemies rise up against them?
"Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee." Deuteronomy 23:5.

If we appreciate this loving kindness, what will we do?
"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalms 36:7.

How enduring is God's love to us?
"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3

Can anything turn aside the love of God for those who trust Him?
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38,39.

Unto whom will the saints of God ascribe universal praise both here and in eternity?
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Revelation 1:5.

Praise God for His wonderful Love for us.