Herein is Love

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  (1John 4:11)

The world has an idea of love that vastly differs from God’s.  It is easy for believers to accept that ‘Jesus loves me’ no matter what are the circumstances, we also have to apply the golden rule in this aspect (Matt 7:12). The Apostle clearly states that true love is of God, not derived from the human soul. A disciple of Jesus Christ demonstrates love to them that cannot and perhaps will not reciprocate; to love those who can return our love is rewardless (Matt 5:46) because it doesn’t exceed the righteousness of the best of all religious and humanistic standards (Matt 5:20). We are told to love as He ‘so loved us’, not on what we hold as ideal but it has to be of God.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  (1John 3:17)

God’s love is one of laying down our lives for other, not self seeking. It is not based on emotions, instead it is meekness. God loved us not on the basis of our love for Him, but it is His righteousness. If we know that God is righteous, we also know that our love is freely given from righteousness (1 John 2:29), His gift of righteousness to the saints. A true test of our love is to return love for hate, at this maturity of faith to believe and to act accordingly, the ‘reward shall be great’ (Luke 6:35).