The High-Water Mark

Let us consider an important aspect of God’s nature and character—love. There are at least three things that are told us in Scripture concerning the nature of God.

First, “God is spirit” (Jn 4:24), which means He has no visible substance.

Second, “God is light” (1Jn 1:5), which means no darkness can dwell in Him. In Scripture darkness stands for sin, death, and so on.

Third, “God is love” (1Jn 4:16), which means that the energy which flows out from His being is that of infinite, eternal beneficence.

When John wrote the words “God is love,” it was no slick statement, since it was the first time in history that the phrase had been used in that way. People had believed God was love and had speculated about His benevolence, but now the categorical statement was laid down for all to behold. These words, in my judgment, are the high-water mark of divine revelation; nothing more needs to be said, for nothing greater can be said.

I often create a mental picture for myself of the angels peering over the battlements of heaven as John wrote these words. And then, when they had been written down, I imagine them breaking into rapturous applause and saying to each other: “They’ve got it. They’ve got it! At last they see that God is love.” A sigh of deep satisfaction and great joy would have filled the portals of heaven in the knowledge that the greatest truth about God was now finally made crystal clear. The implied was now inscribed.

Further Study

Jr 31:1-4; Jn 3:16; Rm 5:8

What did the Lord appear and say?

How did He demonstrate this?