Topical Bible: The Love of God: Great

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the love of God is central to Christian theology and is profoundly woven throughout the biblical narrative. It is a love that is both incomprehensible in its depth and transformative in its power. The love of God is not merely an attribute but is intrinsic to His very nature, as articulated in 1 John 4:8, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Old Testament Foundations

The love of God is first revealed in the Old Testament, where it is often expressed through the Hebrew word "hesed," which conveys steadfast love, mercy, and covenantal faithfulness. In Deuteronomy 7:9, the love of God is linked to His covenant with Israel: "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments."

The Psalms frequently celebrate God's enduring love. Psalm 136 is a litany of God's mighty acts, each followed by the refrain, "His loving devotion endures forever." This enduring love is not only for Israel but extends to all creation, as seen in Psalm 145:9, "The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made."

New Testament Revelation

In the New Testament, the love of God is most fully revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 encapsulates this revelation: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This sacrificial love is the ultimate demonstration of God's love for humanity.

The Apostle Paul expounds on the greatness of God's love in Romans 5:8, "But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This love is unmerited and unconditional, offered to all regardless of their state.

Theological Implications

The love of God is transformative, calling believers to respond in love towards God and others. The Great Commandment, as stated in Matthew 22:37-39, emphasizes this response: "Jesus declared, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

The Apostle John further elaborates on the ethical implications of God's love in 1 John 4:19-21, "We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well."

Eternal and Unchanging

The love of God is eternal and unchanging, as affirmed in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This assurance of God's unchanging love provides comfort and hope to believers, affirming that His love is not dependent on human actions but is rooted in His character and promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ephesians 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

5250. huperpleonazo -- to abound exceedingly
... be very great in number). As a strengthened form of 5428 ("more than"), 5250 ("makes ")
expresses the way God will inbirth faith, through divine love, in the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5250.htm - 7k

Library

The Second Chapter: God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man ...
... BOOK FOUR. AN INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION The Second Chapter: God's Great Goodness
and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament. The Disciple ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the second chapter gods great.htm

The Tests of Love to God
... As the sun expels fogs and vapours, so divine love in a great measure expels carnal
fear. Does he love God that can hear His blessed truths spoken against and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/the tests of love to.htm

The Fire of Love
... AND THAT ILK MAN SHALL BE CALLED GREAT OR SMALL AFTER THE QUANTITY OF HIS LOVE.
CHAPTER VIII THAT THE PERFECT LOVER OF GOD HAD LIEVER RUN INTO GREAT PAIN THAN ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/

Robert Hall -- Marks of Love to God
... have the love of God in your soul presents a most critical subject of inquiry; since
the love of God will be acknowledged by all to be the great, the essential ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 3/robert hall marks of.htm

God's Love for Man
... Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He ... He could pour out
His infinite love upon a ... "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 1 gods love for.htm

Love
... water. We must love God above estate and relations. Great is the love to
relations. ... (2) Great will be our advantage if we love God. He ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 2 love.htm

Revelations of Divine Love
... the deep Wisdom of the Trinity is our Mother, and the great Love of the ... of this falling
we shall have an high marvellous knowing of Love in God, without end ...
//christianbookshelf.org/julian/revelations of divine love/

Treatise on the Love of God
... OF GOD'S WILL SIGNIFIED IN THE COMMANDMENTS MOVES US TO THE LOVE OF THE COUNSELS.
CHAPTER VIII. THAT THE CONTEMPT OF THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS IS A GREAT SIN. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/francis/treatise on the love of god/

"Love and I" --A Mystery
... Oh, what a meeting there must have been of the seas of love that day, when God's
great love to us came rolling in like a glorious springtide, and his love to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 28 1882/love and ia mystery.htm

xiv. Upon the Love of God.
... You may, and ought if you can, but it is a great mistake to think you can ... But the
question whether we ought to love God for His sake or for our own being a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/butler/human nature/sermon xiii xiv upon the.htm