What God Wants

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God (see also 1 Corinthians 13). 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son (Jesus) into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him (see also John 1:18; John 3:16). 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God (see also Exodus 33:18-23). But if we love each other, God lives in (among) us, and His love is brought to full expression in us. 13 And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us (see also Romans 5:5; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 1:22). 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess (acknowledges) that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. 19 We love each other because He loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their brothers and sisters (people). 1 John 4:7-21.

What does God want from us? Jesus Christ answered that question simply. God desires our total and wholehearted love, dedication, and obedience to Him. Next, God desires love for our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). Love given and shown for God and our neighbor fully satisfies all the laws and commands of God (Romans 13:8-10). Both the Old Testament and the New Testament stress the importance of wholehearted love for God and our neighbor.

In reality, being loved is the most powerful inspiration in the world! Love is the greatest and most significant reality we can experience. The Good News is that Jesus Christ revealed to us how to love God’s way. Jesus Christ loved sacrificially for others by dying on the Cross at Calvary for our sins and obediently loved God in every way. God wants us to love like Jesus Christ’s unselfish love, even for those who hate us.

Love is the essence of God’s message to the world, which goes beyond the limits of race and nation. Loving God and our neighbor are the foundation for all biblical ethics in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In fact, Jesus Christ summed up the entire Holy Bible in love. God wants us to love not only people who look and act like us but also people much different from us, including our enemies. People never get tired of this kind of sincere love.

Love is more than simply passionate feelings. Love is NOT trivial bickering, jealousy, and selfish desires. God’s love means helping others, by giving, listening to others, committing time to others' welfare, encouraging one another, and by getting hurt without fighting back.

If we have a right relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, we will have no problems with His commandment to love. If we love God, we will love our neighbor and we will not want to do anything to harm him or her. God Himself has taught us to love one another through the life and teaching of Jesus, the Cross at Calvary, and the Holy Spirit. Love should characterize all people, especially people professing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If we are full of God's love, God’s love will overflow to others. Your love for God and other people will show that you are genuinely a disciple of Jesus Christ.