Our Infinetly Loving God Pt 2 Series

Knowing God Series #14

“Our Infinitely Loving God” Pt 2

Review

I. The nature of God

II. The Attributes of God

A. God is infinitely GREAT in His ability / capacity

B. God is infinitely and perfectly PURE in His morality and judgments

C. God is infinitely GOOD in His relationships

1. God’s infinite love

THE CONCEPT OF GOD’S LOVE

I had a suspicion that I would not be able to communicate what I wanted to communicate concerning God’s love. It doesn’t take much to discover the huge place love occupies in the scriptures. God is love. It is who He is and directs all of His relationships. It is the basis of His eternal interaction within the Trinity. The members of the Trinity are separate yet one. They communicate with each other. They have distinct personalities flowing out of one essence. Love permeates their relationship. They have never related any other way throughout eternity. The Father pursues and practices meaningful and fulfilling connection with the Son and the Spirit, the Son the Father and the Spirit, the Spirit the Father and the Son; perfect and satisfying community.

He created us to relate in community with the same passion for meaningful connection. At the beginning, Adam and God meaningfully communicated and related in the garden. Sin changed all that. Jesus, the second Adam, came to restore the kind of relationship God had with His creatures in the beginning.

Listen to the longing of Jesus concerning US!

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21

God promises ultimate restoration of unity and community.

What harmony has Christ with Satan, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "and do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:15-18

Each of the members of the Trinity pursues and practices meaningful connection (loves) with us with the same intensity as they do with each other. It is absolutely mind blowing!

Love is the basis of all God’s interaction. He loves in complete balance and harmony with all of His other attributes. All His other attributes balance and complement His love.

What is it?

Love is better described and illustrated than defined. The people at the time of the New Testament employed three different words which we usually translate “love”.

The three common words translated “love” all involved the idea of some kind of mutual benefit.

Eros – Feeling love focused on mutual pleasure.

Storge – Family love focused on mutual family connection. (parent child, siblings)

Philos – Friendship love focused on mutual companionship, brotherhood, interests, and warm fondness

We could use the word “love” to express any one of these concepts.

“I love you dear.” You make me feel good.

“I love you sis.” I am glad you are part of my family.

“I love you friend.” I enjoy hanging out with you brother.

David had such a relationship with Jonathan (who was considerably older).

I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful than the love of women. 2 Samuel 1:26

This was not erotic love but a deep friendship connection.

God pursues relationship and practices benevolence with His flawed and helpless creatures apart from their merit or loveliness. His passion comes by reason of His own choice to pursue and practice meaningful connection.

The Holy Spirit dusted off an unused Greek term to refer to this kind of unconditional love.

Agape – Foundational love based on the will and character of the one loving.

It is a passion to pursue and maintain a meaningful relationship based on the character of the one loving apart from the character and conduct of the one being loved.

Agape love begins with a DESIRE to meaningfully connect with people that stimulates a DECSION to pursue connection and results in DEEDS that demonstrate care, promote and maintain connection.

God has a passion to meaningfully connect with His creatures.

God pursues such a connection with His creatures.

God demonstrates that passion and pursuit with unconditional acts of love.