Love is quickly defined as feelings we have towards someone else or when we really like someone or an emotional state we find ourselves in when we are “in love,” but the Bible defines love differently – as an action.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son…” – John 3:16
God always initiates in every circumstance, with every person. He initiated sending His Son, Jesus, down to earth, to rescue us. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross taking on the penalty of all our past, present, and future sins, and rose from the dead defeating death and sin in victory.
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us,” the apostle John wrote, “that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
Jesus did what His Father sent Him to do with joyful obedience every step of the way. What amazing strength and courage He modeled for us in His life here on earth. He showed us how to live, how to love and serve others, how to resist temptation, and how to really define love.
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:4-5
God does all of this for us because He loves us.
“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
This means we do anything and everything because of what’s already been done for us. Since Jesus has loved us, we are free to love others. Since we are forgiven for all eternity because of Jesus, we can forgive others of their wrongdoings..no matter how big or small. Since Christ is our model for love, we know how to love others.
Be encouraged today to pray to God and thank Him for loving you and ask how you can best love others around you. Who are those people you can love today because Christ has first loved you?
