1 Corinthians 13:13 “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is Love – “AGAPE” (unconditional, unrestricted, unobstructed, unhindered, love that gives without expecting anything in return).” It is not a Quid pro quo (something you give someone in return. something that you offer or give to someone in return for something that they have offered or given you).
John 3:16 Amplified Bible (AMP) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
The Characteristic/Nature of Love
The bible says that the motive behind God’s giving up of His dear Son was his love for the world (his creation/people). Notice this; not that he loved the Christians but the World as a whole. It was “Love” which emanates from Him that compelled God to give His Son which He loved so much.
Love is in the giving.
Love does not give because it is capable of doing so; but it gives because that is its nature. “Where love is, there is giving”. In other words, we can say that, giving is the offspring or “Aroma – Fragrance” of love.
Love always gives the best and exceptionally.
John says that … God gave his one and only begotten (the Son of His love).
This is the Son of God whom John described in John 1:1-2 being “ONE” with His Father in every aspect”. For the very first time in all Eternity past, Father God; out of His love towards the World gave His Son to redeem humanity to him.
There was no other gift or object that was of the highest value in his Kingdom that God could have given in exchange for us.
To redeem mankind, God had to give the best he ever had; His love towards us was and is still measured by what He had given. The demand of Justice for our souls was so high that in order to meet the requirements for our redemption, the best of the best were to be offered as the eternal sacrifice. If you want to know how much you’re worth before God, look at what God gave in exchange of you.
But it was all driven by the “love character”.
The Nature of Love (GOD) in us.
The Bible says that God is Love.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.
Apostle John did not say that “God has love”, but what he said is “GOD IS LOVE”. That means love originates and emanates (proceeds or come) from him. He is the very definition of love. Love is who He is. Therefore, if we are the children of God it means we have the same nature of love in us. 1 John 3:6-8 …because as He is, so are we in this world.
Romans 5:5 Lexham English Bible …because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Acts 17:28 Worldwide English (New Testament)
In him we live, and move, and are alive. Some of your own writers have said, “We have come from him”.
John 1:12-13 GOD’S WORD Translation
However, he gave the right to become God’s children to everyone who believed in him. 13These are people who haven’t been born in a physical way—from a human impulse or from a husband’s desire to have a child. Their birth (genetic) was from God.
1 Peter 1:23 J.B. Phillips New Testament
Now that you have, by obeying the truth, made your souls clean enough for a genuine love of your fellows, see that you do love each other, fervently and from the heart. For you are the sons of God now; the living, permanent Word of the living God has given you his own indestructible heredity (of his kind)
How to activate the love of God?
God gave us his nature of love. When we gave our lives to Christ Jesus, the Holy Ghost came to live in us and made our bodies his dwelling place. When He came in us, he brought with him the nature of Love – God. But that love lies dormant or inactive in us because we have not put it to work we have not activated it.
In order to activate the love of God, we must understand the makings of this Love of God.
The love of god is made up of difference ingredients.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient (it endures and persists. It never gives up easily), love is kind (it is gentle and generous). Love does not envy (not jealousy and greedy. It is content), love does not boast (not braggadocios or pretentious), love is not proud (it does not show off). 5 Love does not dishonor (humiliates and degrades) others, love is not self-seeking (it always seeks to promote the good of others), love is not easily angered (hard to be provoked and enraged), and love keeps no record of wrongs (no opportunity for gossips).
1 Peter 4:8 English Standard Version (ESV)
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Romans 13:10
Love does no wrong to others (love is always careful and pays attention to the details before it acts or reacts), so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor (it could be your enemy or those who do not share the same faith with you) as thyself.”
1 John 4:8
He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love (not that he has love, but He is the very essence and quintessence of Love – love emanates from him and it is defined by Him and through Him).
Ephesians 5:2
Live a life filled with love, (practice a love life always) following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
1 John 4:20
If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God whom we have not seen if we do not love others whom we have seen.
We show that we truly love by loving those who are hostile towards us and mistreat us. We forgive them and offer help when they are in need. We don’t wait for them to apologies or ask for help but we look to see if they need help and we take the opportunity.
Love will always compel (force) you to move with compassion towards the needy. God’s character is the character of Love.
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