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GOD LOVE
"Love" can be defined as a settled
purpose of the will to seek the well-being of another;
to place supreme value upon someone or something else,
no matter what the costs.
Biblical Words for "Love"
OT "hesed" = unfailing, uninhibited
covenant love; God’s loyalty to his covenant
obligations (Ex. 34:6-7; Neh. 9:17; Hos. 3:1)
NT "agape" = self-giving, unmerited
favor; the sum total of all the virtues (Lk. 6:35;
1 Cor. 13)
Biblical Teaching
- It is God’s nature to love, 1 Jn. 4:8, 16.
- God’s love was active even before creation,
Jn. 17:24
- Love between God the Father and God the Son is reciprocal,
Jn. 14:31
- God loves all people, including his enemies, Mt.
5:45; Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:10
- As Redeemer, God especially loves believers, Mal.
1:2-3; Eph. 2:4; 1 Jn. 3:1
- God’s love is the basis of election/adoption
into his family, Dt. 7:7-9; Eph. 1:4-5
- Contrast human love with God’s love, contrast
Hos. 6:4 with 1 Chr. 16:34; Lk. 6:32 with Rom. 8:35-39
- God’s love is the reason behind the incarnation,
Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:9; Tit. 3:4
- God’s love is the motive for Christ’s death,
Jn. 15:13; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2, 25
- God’s love is not motivated by our love for
him, 1 Jn. 4:10; Rom. 5:8
Note: Though God is love, love is not God. Despite
popular thinking, love does not exhaust God’s
character. We should never idolize one of God’s
attributes at the expense of the others. Rather, each
attribute is qualified by all the others, and all
of God’s attributes work harmoniously together
such that He is one integrated, undivided being.
Summary
God's love is spontaneous, sovereign, undeserved, and intense. It is the source of all blessing.
GOD JEALOUS
Biblical Words for "Jealous"
"Jealousy" can be defined as God’s righteous
possessiveness; His fierce desire for what is best for
his people.
OT qana’ = to be jealous, to be zealous
NT zeloo = to be deeply concerned about; to
boil, to bubble
Jealousy is "that zeal that protects a love
relationship or avenges it when broken" (J. I.
Packer); or "holy outrage mingled with love"
(D. A. Carson).
Biblical Teaching
- God’s name is jealous, Ex. 34:14
- God reserves for himself the worship and obedience
of his people, Ex. 20:5
- God’s jealousy is aroused when his people forsake
their covenant obligations, Deut. 4:23-24; Ps. 78:58
- Godly jealousy is a virtue, not a vice when it is
used positively to show protective care and concern
for others, 2 Cor. 11:2.
- God’s jealousy sent Israel into judgment, Ps.
79:4-5, yet
- God’s jealousy led him to restore Israel after
judgment, Ez. 39:25; Joel 2:18; Zech. 8:2-3
- The Advent of the Messiah and the blessing of God’s
people is accomplished by the "zeal of the Lord,"
Is. 9:7; 37:32
Practical Implications
Eph. 5:1 says to imitate God. In what ways can you
imitate God’s love specifically?
Could an observer learn anything of God’s great
love from the love I show my spouse, family, neighbors?
Read Rom. 12:11. What would others say I am zealous
for in my life?
Is it always appropriate to limit the biblical concept
of love to "sacrificial giving" without
respect to our interpersonal relationships? Doesn’t
the idea of love include reciprocity?
What really gets you excited about serving God/others?
Read 2 Cor. 11:2-4. How do you demonstrate a godly
jealousy for other believers who are being deceived
about the fundamental truths of the gospel?
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