God Is Love

Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 21 January 2024

God Is Love

‘God is love’ is perhaps the most used, most accessible summary of Christianity that many people use. Some use it in a praising way. Some use it in a derogatory way. Some use it in a dismissive way. Some use it in a permissive way. But what does it mean? When we read of what this phrase means in 1 John 4, we realise that ‘love’ is not an empty vessel that we can fill with our own desires or indulgences. We also realise that ‘love’ is not just spoken as a declaration, but displayed as a deed. Moreover, ‘love’ is profoundly other-person centred, and that it doesn’t avoid sin, but confronts it head-on. Most significantly, ‘love’ doesn’t begin with us, but with God – and this completely changes the way we view our place in the world.

Scripture References: 1 John 4:7-16, Psalms 52:1-9, Exodus 34:1-9

From Series: "God is ..."

How well do we know our God? Do we know his character, his nature, his attributes? Do we know who he truly is? And, do we respond with the awe, obedience, and love that this God deserves? Do we glorify him, because we know him? Do we represent him, because we know him? The aim of this series is to spend some time—albeit brief and shallow—getting to know God as he is—as he is revealed in his word. We are looking at five attributes of God—God is… holy, Trinity, loving, just, jealous. And as we do, my hope is that we will know him more deeply, love him more fully, obey him more wholeheartedly, and represent him for faithfully.

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