The Nature of God

As we approach summer, there will be many weddings taking place. Oftentimes during the wedding ceremony, you'll hear sections of 1 Cor. chapter 13 quoted; chapter 13 often being referred to as the 'love' chapter.

"Let's take a look at what the Bible reveals as the nature of God. There are many texts and verses in the Bible that could be drawn upon, but none to my knowledge so candidly conveys His nature as the Apostle John does in his epistle.

In 1 John 4:8, he states, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." NIV And again, in 1 John 4:16, we read, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." KJV

Lastly, I'll use the text found in 1 Cor. 13:4-8, NKJV, penned by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (vs. 4) "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; is not puffed up; (vs. 5) does not behave rudely; does not seek its own; is not provoked; thinks no evil; (vs .6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (vs. 7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (vs. 8a) Love never fails."

Often I've taken these verses out of 1 Cor. with the viewpoint that this is how God wants me to act, and I believe it is, but one day it really settled on my spirit that this too is also a descriptive of God's nature. I've found it very comforting to realize that this is how God feels toward me. We must understand and realize that who God is and how He acts are one in the same. God's name and His actions go together; God's name and His nature go together.
[Excerpt from 'The Union' from pages 35-36]

Now let's look at 1 Cor. 13:4-8 this way; Love (God) suffers long and is kind; love (God) does not envy; love (God) does not parade itself; (God) is not puffed up; (vs. 5) (God) does not behave rudely; (God) does not seek it's own; (God) is not provoked; (God) thinks no evil; (vs. 6) (God) does not rejoice in iniquity, but (God) rejoices in the truth; (vs. 7) (God) bears all things, (God) believes all things, (God) hopes all things, (God) endures all things. (vs. 8a) Love (God) never fails. And this is the way God looks at you. God bless.