How do we know God Loves us? "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (St. John 3:16)
Jesus Christ is the only hope for humanity and has showed us real love. Jesus had to die so that we might live through Him. God sacrificed the most precious thing to Him, His son Jesus Christ so that we could experience eternal life.
God's love sometimes can never fully be understood. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor. 2:9).
Our Loving and Awesome God sometimes uses other people to help us recognize real love. Through every season of life we experience God's grace, mercy, compassion and faithfulness. Great is God's mercy toward us, His love and kindness toward us and tender mercy we see day after day. God is forever faithful toward us and always providing for us. Do you know that God loves you?
How should we love each other? "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:4-6).
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11).
What is real love? "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres" (1 Cor. 13:4-7).
Do you have real love in your life? Love is a choice that God allows us to make for ourselves. Also, love is action with the right reason.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18).
Anthony Armstrong is senior pastor at Unity Christian Fellowship Church at Pine Bluff.
Editor's note: Pastors, ministers or other writers interested in writing for this section may submit articles for consideration to shope@pbcommercial.com. Please include your phone number and the name and location of your church or ministry.