How does God show His love for us?

4. Who can possess love for God?

Anyone who will turn to the Lord w/ all of their hearts, ready to obey all He commands (Deu 30:1-11 = Notice the ability to turn to the Lord is w/in a person’s reach. And once a person does that, God gives them also the power to love Him by circumcising their heart.

What does circumcision of the heart get us under the NC?

The additional help of the HS, see Rom 2:29 w/5:1-5; Gal 4:6).

5. Why is love for God easy (i.e. Why is God the One person we should find the easiest to love)?

b/c He is perfect in what He says and does (Deu 32:4; 2Sa 22:31; Psa 18:30; Mat 5:48):

5.1.  He is perfect in goodness/righteousness/justice. And therefore everything He does is always perfectly good/righteous and just (Deu 32:4; Psa 7:11, 11:7, 25:8, 33:4, 111:1-7, 116:5, 119:137, 145:17; Isa 45:21; Dan 9:14; Hos 14:9; 2Ti 4:8).

IOW: He never does anything that is morally wrong/evil or wicked (Psa 5:4, 92:15; Hab 1:13; 1Jo 3:5).

5.2. He is perfect in His love/care for His children. And therefore everything He does in re: to His children is always perfectly loving, merciful and caring (love = Exo 34:6 w/Num 14:18 w/Neh 9:17 w/Psa 86:5, 15 w/Psa 103:4-8 w/Psa 145:8 w/Joe 2:13 w/Jon 4:2; Deu 5:9-10, 7:12-13, 23:5, 33:2-3; Psa 33:5 w/Psa 36:5-7 w/Psa 48:9 w/Psa 52:1 w/Psa 57:10 w/Psa 62:11-12 w/Psa 108:4; Psa 89:14; Psa 130:7; Psa 106:1 w/Psa 107:1 w/Psa 118:1-4, 29 w/Psa 136:1-26; Rom 8:35-37; Eph 2:4, 3:19; 1Th 1:4; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:10; Rev 1:5/ care = Deu 32:9-13; 1Pe 5:7/ God’s love to His children includes discipleship and discipline – Psa 119:75, 142-144; Heb 12:5-11).

IOW: There is no one (family member, friend, etc.) who is better at loving, caring or being generous toward us than God (Psa 63:3).

Q: What makes us (as human beings) unable to love, care or be generous as perfectly as God can?

Q: Why do we tend to think people (sinful humans) can be better at loving us?

Q: What are the ways in which God shows love to His children?

5.2.1. He prospers us (even in the midst of adversity)

(Mat 6:9-10; Deu 7:11-16, 10:21-11:1; 1Chr 22:11-13; Psa 5:12, 23:5, 35:7, 18-19, 37:1-11, 18, 84:11; Jam 1:17)

5.2.2. He purchases us (for purpose) (Mat 6:10; Psa 57:2, 138:8; Isa 43:6-7 w/2Th 3:14 w/2Co 8:23 = The church is the “glory of Christ/God”. It is also the kingdom of God. Consider how this connects back to Mat 6:10 – “your kingdom come”; 1Co 6:20).

5.2.3. He provides for us (Mat 6:11, 25-33; Pro 10:3; Psa 37:25)

5.2.4. He pardons us in relation to our sin (Mat 6:12; Isa 55:7; Mic 7:18-20; Psa 103:1-3, 130:4; Dan 9:9; Col 1:13-14; 1Jo 1:9)

*SEE Isa 55:6-13 (pardon, purpose and prosper all a part of the promise made by God to His wayward children if they will repent and return to Him).

5.2.5. He protects/preserves us – especially in re: to the corruption of evil (Mat 6:13, 10:29-30; Deu 33:29; Psa 14:5-7, 18:1-19, 28:7-9, 34:15-22, 37:27-29, 39, 97:10, 122:1-8; 2Sa 22:3; Pro 2:7-8)

5.2.6. He promises us paradise (if we remain faithful to Him) (Mat 6:13 footnote; 2Ti 2:11-13; Jam 1:12; Rev 2:7).

Q: None of these things are true for the wicked. How does God feel/react to the wicked?

(Psa 1:1-6, 5:4-5, 7:11-16, 9:5, 11:5, 37:13, 50:16-23, 73:1-28, 119:155, 129:4; Pro 3:33, 10:24-30 22:14; Isa 3:11; Joh 3:36)

3. What (then) are (and are not) the signs that we do possess genuine love for God and His Word?

3.1. What Are:

3.1.1. You are faithful to (quickly) obey God’s Word (Joh 14:15).

3.1.2. You spend time reading, hearing or studying His Word (Psa 119:48)

3.1.3. You get angry/frustrated w/those who disobey God and His Word (2Ch 19:2; Psa 26:5, 97:10, 119:53).

3.1.4.  You prefer to be where God’s presence (i.e. the church) and people dwell (i.e. the church) over any other place on earth (Psa 16:3, 26:8, 122:1-6).

3.1.5. You love God’s people in deed (not just words) (Mat 25:31-40; 1Jo 3:18 w/4:20-21 – this includes forgiving one another, being long-suffering and promoting unity versus division– Eph 4:1-3; Col 3:12-14).

3.1.6. You persevere (in faithfulness and w/o getting angry at God) during trials (i.e. you pass the test of love – 1Th 2:4).

3.1.7. You are broken when you sin (Jam 4:8-9 = through such brokenness you demonstrate that you want to be near to God – i.e. that you love Him; 2Co 6:14-18 is the context for 7:1-11 = bc they in the past, DID love God, they were broken over their sin).

3.1.8.  You possess a backbone and are bold for God and His Word (1Ti 1:5; this means also you are not ashamed of Christ or His gospel – Rom 1:16).

3.2. What Are Not:  Simply feelings/affection for God (affection w/o loyalty only makes you a prostitute); b/c you say you love God (talk is cheap).

1. Why is loving God so important?

1.1. It is the prerequisite to going to heaven (i.e. heaven will NOT be filled with people who hated God! Deu 7:9-10; Psa 101:7; Rom 8:28).

1.2. It is one of the keys to faithful obedience and abundant blessings: fear of God and love for God. (Mat 10:28; 2Co 5:14; Eph 6:6; Phi 1:9-11; Exo 20:6; Deu 30:16 = Notice obedience happens bc of love; Deu 11:13; Psa 69:16, 91:1-14, 116:1, 122:6, 145:20; Neh 1:5).

1.3. It is considered the greatest commandment (and therefore the greatest key!) (Mat 22:36-38 = Notice the degree to which we are to love God).

1.4. It is critical to understanding trials (i.e. God brings trials to test our love for Him; Deu 13:1-3; 1Th 2:4).

1.5. It is also the secret to boldness or possessing a backbone in ministry (1Ti 1:3-5).

2. What happens if all we possess is fear of God or this is the dominant motivator?

2.1. We become paranoid (1Jo 4:16-18).

2.2. We question whether God loves us (Eph 3:14-19 = loving God is how we become convinced He loves us, 1Jo 4:19).

2.3. We are not as faithful or slower to faithfulness (Luk 19:11-27 = v14, “But his citizens hated him” is in contrast to the ten servants of v13. IOW: they do not hate him but love him. However, one of the servants fears him more than he loves him. The result is the same as though who hated him.).

3. What (then) are (and are not) the signs that we do possess genuine love for God and His Word?

3.1. What Are:

3.1.1. You are faithful to obey God’s Word (Joh 14:15).

3.1.2. You spend time reading, hearing or studying His Word (Psa 119:48)

3.1.3. You get angry/frustrated w/those who disobey God and His Word (2Ch 19:2; Psa 26:5, 97:10, 119:53).

3.1.4. You prefer to be where God’s presence (i.e. the church) and people dwell (i.e. the church) over any other place on earth (Psa 26:8, 122:1-6).

3.1.5. You love God’s people in deed (not just words) (Mat 25:31-40; 1Jo 3:18 w/4:20-21 – this includes forgiving one another, being long suffering and promoting unity versus division– Eph 4:1-3; Col 3:12-14).

3.1.6. You persevere (in faithfulness and w/o getting angry at God) during trials (i.e. you pass the test of love – 1Th 2:4).

3.1.7. You are broken when you sin (Jam 4:8-9 = through such brokenness you demonstrate that you want to be near to God – i.e. that you love Him; 2Co 6:14-18 is the context for 7:1-11 = bc they in the past, DID love God, they were broken over their sin).

3.1.8. You possess a backbone and are bold for God and His Word (1Ti 1:5; this means also you are not ashamed of Christ or His gospel – Rom 1:16).

3.2. What Are Not: Simply feelings/affection for God (affection w/o loyalty only makes you a prostitute); b/c you say you love God (talk is cheap).