The Origin of Love

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him (1 John 4:7-9, ESV).

According to John, love originates from God. Without God, love would not exist in the world because "love is from God." Furthermore, John says that "God is love." While God is more than love--He is also holy, just, merciful, etc.--He is certainly not less than love. And the greatest news about God's love is the fact that His love has been made known to us through His only Son. In his Gospel, John put it this way:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, ESV)

In order for us to know the love of God, we must know Jesus: "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Luke 10:22, ESV).

So, do you know the love of God that has been manifest in Jesus?