The Source of Love in Divine Nature and Character
The Source of Love in Divine Nature and Character
The concept that love originates from God's nature is rooted in biblical teachings. The apostle John writes, "Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" [1]. This statement establishes a direct connection between loving others and being born of God, implying that love is an essential attribute of God's character.
The biblical basis for understanding God's love is found in passages such as 1 John 4:8, which declares, "God is love" [2]. This phrase is not merely a description of God's actions but a statement about His inherent nature. According to the Tyndale House commentary on 1 John 4:8, this concept forms the foundation of John's letter, emphasizing that God is the source and embodiment of all love [6].
The love of God is described in various biblical passages as sovereign, great, abiding, unfailing, and unalienable [3]. It is characterized as being irrespective of merit and is manifested towards perishing sinners, His saints, and the destitute. The love of God is also demonstrated through Christ's sacrifice, as stated in 1 John 4:10, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins" [2].
The biblical command to love God is rooted in His prior love for humanity. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, love to God is commanded and is the first great commandment, as stated in Matthew 22:38. This love is produced by the Holy Spirit and is a characteristic of saints [4].
Different Christian traditions interpret the source of love in divine nature and character similarly. The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry's commentary on 1 John 4:7, emphasizes that love is "of God" and that He is the "fountain, author, parent" of love [5]. The Presbyterian tradition, as seen in Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on 1 John 4:7, notes that love flows from a sense of God's love to us [7].
The Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, represented by Adam Clarke's commentary on 1 John 4:8, understands "God is love" to mean that God is an "infinite fountain of benevolence and beneficence to every human being" [9]. This understanding underscores God's character as the foundation of love.
The biblical and theological understanding of God's love as the source of all love has implications for Christian living. As John writes, "Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God" [1]. This exhortation is grounded in the understanding that God's love is the origin and model for human love.
The concept of God's love is also linked to His character, as seen in Exodus 23:7, where God's character is given as the motive for righteous behavior [8]. This connection between God's character and love highlights the importance of understanding God's nature in order to grasp the fullness of His love.
Sources
- I John “I John 4:7 (BSB) — Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
- 1 John “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. -- 1 John 4:10”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
- 1 John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 John 4:7: As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, Jo1 4:7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: "Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love." This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as, I. From the high and heavenly descent of love: For love is of God. He is the fountain, author, pare”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:8: 4:8 God is love, the source and embodiment of all love. This concept and the concept that “God is light” (1:5) form the foundation on which John writes this letter.”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 4:7: Resumption of the main theme (Jo1 2:29). Love, the sum of righteousness, is the test of our being born of God. Love flows from a sense of God's love to us: compare Jo1 4:9 with Jo1 3:16, which Jo1 4:9 resumes; and Jo1 4:13 with Jo1 3:24, which similarly Jo1 4:13 resumes. At the same time, Jo1 4:7-21 is connected with the immediately preceding context, Jo1 4:2 setting forth Christ's incarnation, the great proof of God's love (Jo1 4:10). Beloved--an address appropriate to his subject, "love." love--All love is from God as its fountain: especially that”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 23:7: 23:7 God’s character is the motive for righteous behavior (see 22:22-24, 27).”
- 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 4:8: He that loveth not - As already described, knoweth not God - has no experimental knowledge of him. God is love - An infinite fountain of benevolence and beneficence to every human being. He hates no thing that he has made. He cannot hate, because he is love. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends his rain on the just and the unjust. He has made no human being for perdition, nor ever rendered it impossible, by any necessitating decree, for any fallen soul to find mercy. He has given the fullest proof of his love to the whole human race by the in”