The Profound Weight of “God Is Love”
We often hear the phrase: “God is love.” John wrote these words in his first epistle (1 John 4:8), and like many Christians, I’ve heard it so many times that it became familiar — almost routine. Of course, God loves us. He sent His Son. He sacrificed for us. That’s the story of love. I understood it — or at least I thought I did.
But it’s far deeper than I realized.
While reading Biblical Critical Theory by Christopher Watkin, I came across this statement that stopped me:
“John wrote ‘God is love,’ the most daring statement that has ever been made in human language. God is not one example of love, not even the greatest example of love, but love itself.” [^1]
For some reason, that phrase lodged itself in my mind. I couldn’t shake it. The more I thought about it, the more it reshaped how I viewed the entire Bible. But even then, it wasn’t enough — I wanted to go deeper. I wrestled with it for days, unable to sleep, turning it over in my thoughts.
Then it finally clicked.
At the very beginning of the Bible, it says:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1 (ESV)
We’ve all read that verse countless times. But in light of John’s declaration, it suddenly took on new meaning. If God is love, then we can rightly read it as:
“In the beginning, Love created the heavens and the earth.”
This changes everything.
When we read about God’s actions throughout Scripture — His creation, His covenants, His judgments, His mercy — we are reading about what Love has done. Love created all things. Love formed mankind from the dust (Genesis 2:7). Love established a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17). Love delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12–14). Love sent prophets. Love came down in the person of Christ (John 1:14). Love suffered and died on a cross (Romans 5:8). Love conquered death.
Every act of God is not merely done because He loves — it is done by Love itself. From the very first moment of existence, Love was the first and primary force. Before there was time, before matter existed, before sin entered — Love was.
This re-frames how we read all of Scripture:
- Creation is the work of Love.
- Judgment is the defense of Love’s holiness.
- Redemption is the rescue mission of Love.
- Eternity is the full presence of Love.
In closing, as Paul wrote:
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)
And ultimately:
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
— 1 John 4:8 (ESV)
The first thing that ever was — and ever will be — is Love.
Sources:
[^1] Watkin, Christopher. Biblical Critical Theory. Zondervan Academic, 2022.