God “is” love. “Is” meaning; “existing in this moment of time“, and “the substance, characteristics, and/or character of a thing”. God “is” a “right now”, “in this moment” God; alive, active and available to us. His “substance”, “characteristics”, and “character” is “love”.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
The “love” that God “is” is “agape” (ag-ah’-pay). “Agape” is a noun, it names a person, place, or thing, and it is derived from the word “agapaō” (ag-ap-ah’-o), which a verb, showing action. Consequently, “agape” (love) is the “name” given to the “actions” of “agapaō” (the “root word” meaning “love”).
“Agape” is described by the Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words as follows:
“Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God’s love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1 John 4:9, 10. But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects, Rom. 5:8. It was an exercise of the Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself, Cp. Deut. 7:7, 8.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words.)
“Love can be known only from the actions it prompts.” Keep in mind that God’s “agape” love is “unconditional”; there is nothing “about” you or me that promotes or extracts His love from Him. God extends His love to us, not because we have “earned” or “deserved” it; but because He has made a deliberate decision and choice to love us “regardless” of our “good, bad, or indifferent” qualities. God’s unconditional love loves “anyway”. There is NOTHING that we can do to make Him love us “more” or “less” than He does at this very moment! We can do things that “please” or “dis-please” Him, but those things DO NOT change His love for us.
“Love can be known only from the actions it prompts.”
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV)
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this 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 4:8-10 (NKJV)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
You are loved with an everlasting love because God determined, as a deliberate act of His will, to do so. You cannot “earn” or “deserve” it; you must simply “believe” it, “accept” it, and “receive” it. Today, let His love; envelope you, embrace you, comfort you, console you, inspire you, lift you, motivate you, guide you, heal you………; you ARE loved.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,…..” God “is” love.
*** Fred Wilson *** is an author, former coach, teacher and Life and Liberty News Contributor.
