I think it is unclear what we Christians mean by the word “love.” Why? Our culture uses “love” to refer a variety of feelings, most often a romantic feeling. For ex., Sarah, who has no feelings for Bob, loves Sam, but then fell out of love with him because she is more attracted to Bill. The above sentence has nothing to teach us about God’s love other than God’s love is different.
When we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son,” God’s feelings have less to do with it than God’s willpower. Sure, God is attracted to humankind. God “likes” us, has feelings for us. God desires the best for us and through Jesus wants to enter into a relationship with each and every human being. In this relationship we receive God’s guidance and support so we might live full, joyful lives.
But because we choose to do things our ways rather than God’s way, i.e., sin; the sort of love based primarily on feelings is not enough. God “chooses” to love us, meaning, constantly seek our wellbeing. It is a matter of willpower, and it is costly. If God dealt with us based upon feelings alone, God would fall out of love and leave us.
Likewise, the sort of love that we as Christians are to have for others, even those who regard us as their enemies, is based on willpower more so than feelings. In my opinion, one of the best statements of Christian love is Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” -DJ
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