Study by Thomas Allee
Love
Long ago, Augustine of Hippo pointed out that the desire of every human heart is to experience a love that is transcendent. Regrettably for us today, however, I don’t think there’s any word in the English language that’s been more stripped of the depth of its meaning than the word love. Due to the shallow romanticism of secular culture, we tend to view the love of God in the same way popular music, art, and literature view love. Yet the Bible says God’s love is far different—and a greater Mystery
Our most fundamental inclination as fallen human creatures is to exchange the truth that God reveals about Himself for a lie, and to serve and worship the creature rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:18-32). We commit idolatry every time we substitute a lesser concept for His glory, whether that substitution takes the crass form of stone gods or the more sophisticated form of redefining God’s character to suit our tastes. A God stripped of justice, of holiness, of sovereignty, and the rest is as much an idol as a statue of wood or stone. We must be careful not to substitute for the biblical God a god who is exhausted in his character by the one attribute of love, especially as popular culture defines it. As Christians we believe in a God who is simple and not made up of parts. God is not one part sovereign, one part just, one part immutable, one part omniscient, one part eternal, and one part loving. Rather, He is all of His attributes at all times. To understand any single attribute, we must understand it in relation to all His other attributes. The love of God is eternal and sovereign. The love of God is immutable and holy. We treat all of His other attributes in the same way. God’s justice is loving and eternal. His holiness is loving and omniscient. Our concept of the love of God will stay on track only as we understand His love in relationship to His other attributes. First John 4:7-11 gives us this classic statement with respect to the love of God: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love…. In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his only Son to be the propitiation (atonement) for our sins. If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Love of God: His Love Foretold So What Of Christs Love For us? The death of Jesus Christ does not demonstrate the Love of God, unless He was indeed the Son of God. If Christ were a mere man executed for crimes against the state, this has nothing at all to do with God. Once again, we must look towards historical accounts for validation. The Old Testament, written over a period of more than 1500 years, was finished approximately 400 years before Christ. The earliest known copies to survive the ravishment of time date to approximately 200 years before Christ (the Dead Sea Scrolls). Much of the Old Testament claims to foretell the coming of Christ. There are over 300 prophecies concerning a coming Messiah who would die for the redemption of mankind, proving God's love towards fallen man. Jesus Christ fulfilled these prophecies completely and consistently. In fact, Christ fulfilled over 30 prophecies alone on the day of His murder. These predictions were incredibly detailed and accurate, including the form of his execution and even His last words (Psalm 22). Christ Who knew exactly what was going to happen, Every whip blow, every curse thrown at him, every hit that landed from the beginning in the Garden to the Hammer Blows the drove in the Nails. He knew it and said; Never the less, not my Will but yours be done. Love of God: His Love Manifested through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ is the Love of God. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10). John 3:16 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. John15:9-17,1 Corinthians 13:4-8,Romas 5:8,Romans5:2,Romans 8:37-39,Galatians 2:20,Ephesians 2:4-5,1 John 3:1Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 36:7,Psalm 86:5,Psalm 136:26
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