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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How do we know that God is love? | 1 John 4:16 | Aixen7z4 | 126954 | ||
We know that God is love. The Bible tells us so (1 John 4:8,16). But a person may sometimes find if difficult to believe that. “If God is love, then why …?”, they ask. Many evidences convince us that God is, that is, that he exists (Romans 1:20; Hebrews 11:6). We may understand from looking at his creation that God is great (Psalm 33:6-9; Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 32:17) and he is wise (Psalm 104:24; Psalm 136:5; Proverbs 3:19; Jeremiah 51:15). We may even believe that God is good (Psalm 37:1; Isaiah 63:7) because the things he made are good (Genesis 1:31;Psalm 19:1) and he has done good (Psalm 136; Matthew 5:45) . Moreover, his laws are good (Nehemiah 9:13;Psalm 19:7,8) and they are designed for our good (Psalm 19:11; Isaiah 1:19). Similarly, we may see and understand that God is true. He is just. He is holy. Etc. But how do we know of a truth that God is love? It is a topic I intend to pursue, and I trust that others will join in. It is potentially a topic of great benefit, and deep. For one thing, I have noted that “true” and “good” and “just” and “holy” are adjectives. But “Love” is a noun. How can God be love? What does it mean? And how do we know it? How can we know it? |
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2 | How do we know that God is love? | 1 John 4:16 | Stultis the Fool | 126956 | ||
My first thoughts: The best way we know God is love is the fact that he chose to save us by his own death. Christ says, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." [John 15:13] |
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3 | How do we know that God is love? | 1 John 4:16 | Ray | 126999 | ||
Hi Aixen7z4, You wrote that ""true", "good", "just, and "holy" are adjectives, But "Love" is a noun." You continued and said, "How can God be love? What does it mean?" I wish that I knew Greek better, but I believe that 1 John 4:8 speaks of a "kind" of love, agape love. So I do not think of this "love" as a noun. I am not good with grammar terms, but I would interpret the verse as saying that "God is loving." God is Spirit and He has a spirit of love. He is loving. I interpret 1 John 4:13 that God has given us of His spirit. I differentiate between the Giver and the gift; the Spirit and His spirit. I have discussed on the forum that I do not say that God is Love. God is love or loving to my mind. And I say further that God is not an "it". So we can not say that God is Love and then speak of it. He has given us a spirit of love, a spirit of truth. Stultis, I like your reference and first thought. I believe that they show that (He) chose us. John 15:12, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are (My) friends, if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father,/ I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but (I) chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit,..." Contrast/compare 1 John 4:11, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, (God) abides in us, and His love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:15, "Whoever confesses that (Jesus) is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and believe the love which God has for us. God/ is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as (He) is, so also are we in this world." 1 John 4:8, "God/ is love." 1 John 4:16, "God/ is love." The parentheses and slashes are mine for comparisons. |
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