“What’s Love Got To Do With It?” You may be familiar with the hit song and/or movie about singer, actor and “rock ‘n’ roll queen,” Tina Turner.
Frankly, it is also a concept worth exploring. What’s love got to do with it? When it comes to God, everything. Like many, I have my own ideas about God’s love. But if not careful, the best of our explanations can be so distorted until God ends up misrepresented, misinterpreted and misunderstood.
However, the Apostle John is a credible witness. He knew God’s love through firsthand experiences and his relationship with Jesus Christ. He was passionate to let his readers in on what he knew, not just what he heard.
Tradition teaches that John settled in Ephesus, a large prosperous region. John was vested in the daily lives of Christians in that area, ministering in the trenches where people struggled to live.
Unfortunately, other leaders saw John as old and out-of-touch. In addition, rival teachers in Ephesus fiercely contradicted John’s teachings, despite his credentials and personal experiences as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
At the risk of opposition, outright animosity and divisiveness, John pens divinely inspired letters in 1st, 2nd and 3rd John — New Testament books that precede Jude and Revelation.
God gave revelation to John so that believers are clear on what love looks like. In his writings, John repeatedly stresses the always faithful and ever-loving God. John wanted believers then and now to know God’s love and model that love towards others.
This blog series titled “Perfect Love” provides insight for greater understanding and better application of love God’s way. I hasten to say I am not an expert. I, too, will learn as I discern and write. But my hope and prayer is you and I gain from what I share.
Based on John’s letter in I John 4:7-17, we will explore “Perfect Love” in four subtopics:
- God is the source of love, I John 4:7-8
- God demonstrates love, I John 4:9-10
- God’s love needs to come full circle, I John 4:11-13
- Experience God’s love and expect results, I John 4:14-17
Defining God’s love is nearly impossible. We’re experiencing God’s love daily but we often struggle to describe God’s love.
Recently, I took note of a definition as I listened to a well-known preacher and teacher with a global ministry share a message on “A Life of Love.”
He said, “God‘s love is His unselfish giving of Himself to bring about good and blessing in our life in spite of the fact that we are unlovely and do not deserve it.” I often think of God’s love as Him seeing us at our best and always ready to do what is best for us, in spite of ourselves and our circumstances.
Keep these definitions in mind as I attempt to add practical experiences in the upcoming blogs.
The next blog, “Perfect Love, Part II” will feature the first subtopic, God is the source of love.
Until then, keep the faith.
Anita