While visiting family in Minnesota, my brother-in-law took me to one of his favorite antique stores. Just before leaving I spotted a small wall sign made out of chalk. It was from the 40’s and said “God is love.” It was my favorite find of the day! It now sits on a shelf in my office, speaking that all-important truth to me each time I enter.
“God is love” is not someone’s idea about God, it is a revelation God has given us of Himself. Because God is love, it means that He is eternally love. He has always been love and He will always be love. Everything God says is spoken out of love and everything God does is done out of love. Everything God did and said in the Old Testament and the New Testament was said and done out of love.
There are many things that are true about love. One of the things about love is that it must speak truth. God could never say He is love if He withheld the truth or didn’t speak the truth. Love would never deceive, lie, mislead, or misguide.
Love not only must speak the truth, but also demonstrate the truth through every action. God not only tells us He loves us, but He demonstrated that love by sending His Son to die for us. The Cross of Christ tells us that love is not only kind and caring, but love is willing to suffer and lay down its life. If sin didn’t matter, Jesus would never have gone to the Cross.
The Cross is God’s greatest demonstration of His love. Jesus died because of our sin. The Cross of Christ was love’s plan to rescue us from the penalty of sin and all its horrible consequences. Sin is our greatest problem and the love of God met it head on!
The love of God speaks to every man and woman the same eternal truth: “Turn from your sin, come to the Cross and receive the gift of My forgiveness through the blood that My Son shed for you.” This is the gift of salvation freely given to us by grace.
As God’s ambassadors we represent His love in a dark world. ALL people are truly lost, bound by sin, and under its condemnation. Each of us is in desperate need of God’s grace and mercy. Now, more than ever, people need to know that God is love; they also need to know the truth of the Gospel. The Gospel is our only hope, our only salvation, and our only way to be forgiven…and that truth is the most loving thing anyone could ever say.
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NKJV
by Roy Lessin
used by permission
FURTHER READING
God of Love – by Charles Spurgeon
God is Love – by Phil Ware
Rely on God’s Love – by Phil Ware