How often have you heard (or perhaps said) something along the lines of ‘If God is so loving why does He send people to hell?’ Or ‘If God is so loving why is there so much suffering in the world?’

While these and similar questions may seem valid, by asking them we are actually letting our own emotions and opinions influence our thinking of what God’s love really is. So it’s very important that we understand God’s love from a Biblical viewpoint. Why? Because not only will we gain a greater appreciation and love for our God, but we’ll also be strengthened in our faith and our walk with Him.

Where to start

Grab your Bible and read 1 John 3:1-23 and 1 John 4:7-21. Make a note of where you see the word love or beloved and consider what John is wanting to teach us about God’s love. Here’s a helpful starting point:

• God is love. It’s one of His attributes and cannot be separated from His other attributes e.g. wrath
• God’s has bestowed a great love upon His beloved children
• God want us to see (some translations use behold) this great love freely lavished on His beloved children
• As Jesus laid down His life for us, we too should lay down our lives for our fellow believers
• God’s love abides in us and is perfected in us through the work of the Holy Spirit
• We love because He first loved us
• If we do not love we abide in death
• The one who does not love, does not know God
• Loves causes us to practice righteousness not practice sin – God’s love changes our behaviour to be more pleasing to Him
• There is no fear in love, as perfect love casts out fear – believers have no need to fear judgment
• We are commanded to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ
• We cannot claim to love God and hate our brother/sister in Christ
• His love compels us to evangelise

A Perfect and Eternal Love

God’s love for the believer is eternal (John 13:1), and it’s this perfect love that casts out fear. Jesus will not lose those whom the Father has called (John 17). Those whom God has saved by grace (Eph. 2:8) have no fear of judgement. Alleluia!

The same word used to describe us as ‘Beloved’ is the same word used to describe the Father’s love for Jesus (Matthew 3:17). We are loved with the same love that exists between Father and Son! This is certainly something to behold.

Temporary Trials

It’s true that some believers do ensure more hardships than other believer. But why this is the case, we cannot ever be sure. Sometimes it’s an element of God’s loving discipline (Heb 12:6), but we don’t always know. Instead the Bible encourages us to remember that all trials are temporary and all things are for God’s glory (1 Peter 1:6-7). Whilst we have the assurance that trials are temporary we also have the assurance that our God’s love for us is eternal and one day we will dwell with Him for all eternity.

Want to read some more? Have a look at John 15:9-17. Take some time to consider God’s love in your life. How has He demonstrated His love towards you and how are you serving Him in return?

Part 2 will look at ‘common grace’ (where all people have access to God’s love), and what that means for the unbeliever.