What the Bible says
God’s love was not a reward for our goodness. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). John says, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). His love always comes first: “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
His love is everlasting and personal. “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). A mother may forget her child, “yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15–16). Paul could say of Christ that He “loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). God’s love reaches you by name.
Nothing can break it. Paul wrote, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). “He that spared not his own Son … how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
This love is meant to be known and enjoyed. Paul prayed that believers would “know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). And Jesus says simply, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (John 15:9).
14 verses, King James Version
1 John 4:8
God is love
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:19
We love Him because He first loved us
19We love him, because he first loved us.
Zephaniah 3:17
He will rejoice over thee with joy
17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Galatians 2:20
Christ loved me and gave Himself for me
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Romans 5:8
Loved before you changed
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:9–10
This is what love is
9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Romans 8:38–39
Nothing can separate you
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:17–19
Love beyond knowing
17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
1 John 3:1
Called children of God
1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
John 15:9
Loved as the Father loves the Son
9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Ephesians 2:4–5
Rich in mercy, great in love
4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Jeremiah 31:3
A love that never ends
3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Isaiah 49:15–16
He will not forget you
15Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 16Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
1 John 4:16
Living in His love
16And 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.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (public domain). Read aloud by Anthony.