Daily Devotions
1 John
"God is love..."
Text: 1 John 4:8
THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
God, being who He is, possesses many divine attributes. The classic statement about the character of God may be found in this text.
“The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.”
Exodus 34:6
While the word “love” may not actually be found in this verse, nevertheless a careful study of the text would show us that God’s nature included love.
GOD’S LOVE DEMONSTRATED
The Apostle John took great pains to point his readers to the love of God. Let us recall his statements about God’s love.
1. Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God… (1 John 3:1).
2. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us… (1 John 3:16).
3. Love is of God…(1 John 4:7)
3. Love is of God…(1 John 4:7)
God’s love is not abstract in any sense of the word. It is lofty but it is also profoundly practical with reference to its application in life!
GOD IS LOVE
The Apostle John sought to apply this teaching about the love of God in very practical and personal terms.
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
1 John 4:8
1. “He who does not love”
a) What does this mean?
i) Not able to love.
ii) Does not show love.
b) No believer should ever be guilty of this.
2. “Does not know God”
a) If one professes to know God, he would have learned about the attributes of God.
b) He would have felt and experienced the love of God.
c) He would have known God and especially His love.
3. “For God is love”
To speak of knowing the Lord must include this knowledge of God’s love. This is not just cognitive knowledge but experiential understanding of His love. That in turn ought to be a life-changing experience.