In a world full of brokenness, confusion, and unanswered questions, one truth remains unshaken: God is love. This declaration is not a passing sentiment or poetic phrase—it is the very nature of the One who created us. Scripture reveals this truth plainly, consistently, and powerfully from Genesis to Revelation. Yet, some theological perspectives have raised the question: Does God only love those who are already His?
Let us answer that not with human reasoning, but with the full counsel of God’s Word.
“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
— 1 John 4:8
The statement “God is love” does not mean that God merely shows love, but that love is the essence of His being. He cannot be anything other than who He is. His justice, His mercy, His holiness—all flow out of His perfect love. This love is not conditional upon our worthiness or position. It is who He has always been, even when we were still far off.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
God’s love is not triggered by our faith—it is revealed in His initiative. He sent His Son to die while we were still sinners. That means God’s love was extended to us even when we were lost, rebellious, and unbelieving. It is because of that love that we even had the opportunity to repent and believe.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
The word “world” speaks of humanity as a whole—fallen, undeserving, and estranged. And yet, God so loved this world that He gave what was most precious to Him. This was not selective love for a few, but a sacrificial love offered to all. The passage does not say God loved “the righteous,” or “the believing,” but the world.
“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it…”
— Luke 19:41
Jesus, the visible image of the invisible God, wept over those who rejected Him. He lamented their unwillingness to receive the peace He came to bring. Does God grieve over those He does not love? No. His tears were the overflow of divine compassion, even for the lost.
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
— Matthew 5:44–45
Jesus commands us to love our enemies because our Father in heaven does. He pours out kindness on both the righteous and the unrighteous. He is not distant or detached from the hurting, the stubborn, or the rebellious—He is actively showing them patience, kindness, and love, even as they resist Him.
“The Lord is not slow about His promise… but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
— 2 Peter 3:9
If God did not love those outside of Christ, there would be no reason for Him to be patient. But His patience flows from His loving desire that all would come to repentance. He tarries, not out of indifference, but out of longing.
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine… and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?”
— Luke 15:4
The parable of the lost sheep paints a vivid picture of a Shepherd who seeks—not because the sheep earned it, but because they are His and He loves them. God does not wait for the lost to find Him. He seeks, rescues, and rejoices over the one who is found.
It is because God loved us in our sin that we now walk in grace. It is because He extended mercy to us when we were blind that we now see. And it is because His love is faithful and true that we can proclaim His name to every tribe, tongue, and nation—offering the same love to all, without partiality.
“We love, because He first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19
The love of God is not only something we receive—it is something we are called to reflect. The more we understand that God loved us while we were enemies, the more we are compelled to love others in the same way. This is not a suggestion. It is the way of the Kingdom.
When Jesus said to love our enemies, He wasn’t offering a lofty idea for a peaceful society. He was describing the culture of Heaven. To love our enemies is to act like our Father. It is to see people not as threats or failures, but as souls for whom Christ died.
On the cross, in agony, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He loved not only His disciples, but those who mocked Him, beat Him, and drove nails through His hands. He did not wait for their repentance—He extended love while they were still enemies.
Stephen, the first martyr, followed the same example. As he was being stoned, he cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). Paul later wrote, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14). This was not mere moral advice. It was the manifestation of a heart transformed by God’s love.
The early Church understood this well. From the time of Pentecost to the rise of imperial Christianity, they lived under persecution. Yet they were known—even by their enemies—as a people marked by love. Tertullian recorded that outsiders marveled, saying, “See how they love one another!” They prayed for their captors, forgave their executioners, and blessed their persecutors. Their love, even for enemies, testified to the power of the Gospel and turned the world upside down.
The Church today must recover this radical, Spirit-filled love. Not a love that approves of sin, but a love that lays down its life in truth, compassion, and mercy—even for those who hate us. To love as He loves is not weakness. It is warfare against the spirit of darkness. It is how the Kingdom advances—not by sword, but by sacrifice.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
— 1 John 4:11
Let us be known—not for our arguments, strategies, or strength—but for our love. Not a love defined by the world, but by the cross. A love that prays for enemies, endures persecution, and reflects the character of our Father. The kind of love that can only be born of the Spirit.
This is the love that overcomes the world.
5–7 minutes
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