2. Throughout the Scriptures, we are told that God is love. “Because the L ORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the L ORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut 7:8). “The L ORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the L ORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the L ORD loveth the righteous” (Ps 146:8). “The L ORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jer 31:3). “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16).

3. Throughout the Scriptures, we are told that God is love. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Eph 2:4-5). “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 Jn 3:1). “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (1 Jn 4:9). “We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).

5. Marcion. Two different gods. His basic problem is that he could not conceive of a God who was multifaceted. God is so loving that He would never condemn anyone. Absurdity is shown by carrying this idea out to its logical conclusion. The Bible teaches that some are going to be lost. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41). “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess 1:6-8).

7. God’s character is love. “God is love” (1 Jn 4:16). God’s love made him do something. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). God’s love also means that God hates. It is impossible for God to be loving unless He can also be hateful. God absolutely hates sin. “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the L ORD thy God hateth” (Deut 16:22). “These six things doth the L ORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov 6:16-19).

9. God’s love says that I am worth a great deal. God’s love ought to compel me to love God. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matt 22:37-38). Adolphe Monod: “He has loved us—that is the whole of doctrine; let us love him—that is the sum total of the ethics of the Gospel.” God’s love compels me to love my fellow man. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 Jn 4:7). “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 Jn 4:20).

10. Loving one another is the benchmark of Christianity. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn 13:35).