Does the Bible teach that God is love?

The Apostles, as they looked upon Christ, saw the perfect revelation of all that God is. They saw the perfect purity of Christ, and they realised that God is light — absolute holiness. They saw the perfect love of Christ, and they realised that God is love. These are the great truths that the Apostle presses in the course of the Epistle — God is light and God is love (1 John 4:8). Life and light and love have been perfectly set forth in Christ.

We all know how common it is for men to descant on God as love, even to an extreme exaggeration in effect, not merely that God is love, but that love is God. Much less do we hear of the message that He is light. This, no doubt, is the ultimate folly of man's mind, that makes a mere idol of God. But if it be a truth that God is love, He is a great deal more than love. "Light" is a burning word, expressive of His intrinsic and absolute purity of nature; "love" of its sovereign activity to others as well as in Himself. There is no sacrifice of His light to His love.

The central feature of this chapter is that "God is love". In result His love is toward us. We know this because He has manifested His love — "Because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."

We have not only a statement that God is love, however true, but we have the manifestation of God's love toward us. In our unregenerate days we were dead to God and in our sins. In order that we might live and have our sins forgiven, God manifested His love toward us by sending "His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" and, further, He "sent His Son a propitiation for our sins."

"Herein is love, not that we loved God," but the very reverse. We endeavoured to escape God, we desired not the knowledge of His ways. Such was our wretched history. But "He loved us and sent His Son, the propitiation for our sins." It was not enough "that we might live through Him"; because, if we lived, if we felt what was due to God, if we had a desire to do the will of God, it must be still immense misery, and constant fear, in the sense of His holiness and of our utter unfitness for His presence.

Thus not only does He give a nature that hates sin, but the mighty work of the Lord Jesus Christ is to take away all my guilt out of His sight. Ah! there is love indeed — not merely that I might have spiritual feelings instead of natural religion, not merely that I might groan over my evil, but that I might be justified. And this is secured by the work of Christ's atonement for me. I see it in all its perfection. He sent His Son for me to live, for Him to die! What does He give me in His death? Propitiation for my sins. In this twofold way God has proved His love.

Surely these are witnesses of what price in His sight is His name gained in service for us. But "God is love" may account for it all. There the secret is told. If the manifestations are excellent and marvellous, the hidden springs which are opened in Himself give us to know it all.

Not only so, but that love, according to verse 17 of our chapter, has so acted as to put us even now beyond the reach of judgment. "Herein is love with us made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." Then verse 18 declares, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment." Thank God that if there is no fear, there is blessed and present response, "We love Him, because He first loved us."

The love of God removes all fear as to the future by bringing us to see that as Christ is, so are we in this world. As believers we are as clear from our sins and the judgment they deserve as Christ Himself. When we appear before the judgment seat of Christ, we shall have our glorified bodies and be like Him; but, even now, while we are yet in this world, we are as clear from our sins as He is.

God is a Spirit. God is the living God. God is the true God. God is able. God is faithful. God is the God of hope, of peace, of all comfort, the God of patience and consolation, and above all "God is love" (1 John 4:16).