God is perfectly good and full of love.
This is the message that God sent us to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
1 JOHN 1:5
There is no shadow in God, He is completely and 100% good. This is what the Bible calls Holiness. God is someone you would want to know and have a close relationship with, like a friend who never lets you down, is always there, and always wants the best for you.
God is love, and He loves you. He loves you because He created you to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. GOD IS LOVE. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Animal kingdom – you do according to what you are.
Think about cats and dogs. How do they behave? Cats act in ways that are very different from dogs. They do what they do because of what they are, right? Notice this verse says, “…GOD…IS…LOVE…”. In the same way, God loves you because God is love, that is God's nature. This is good news because it means that God is kind, good, caring and compassionate.
A loving parent
God’s love for you exists because you are truly unique, different from anyone else past or future. Think about how a parent might feel an overwhelming sense of love when they meet their newborn for the first time, or how they value each child’s individual personality. Similarly, God understands you even better than you understand yourself, and His love for you runs deep.
This verse also points out that we “rely” on the love of God. The more of God’s love that you have, the more you thrive and flourish. You are made for God’s love, but like God you are also made to love others. The less love you have the less you thrive. The more love you have and the more loving you are, the more you thrive.
Because God is love, it is impossible for God to not love you. You are loved by God!
Leadership and authority are essential components of any society. Different cultures and communities use their own approaches to form governments and determine who makes decisions. These leaders create the country's laws, which everyone is required to follow. Breaking the law can result in severe penalties, such as fines or imprisonment. Laws are essential for society to operate smoothly; without them, there is a danger that powerful individuals with bad intentions could exploit and harm others.
God’s kingdom is governed by authority and laws, with God as the King who establishes them. Unlike other kings, God’s nature is holy and righteous, ensuring that He rules with justice and fairness.
PSALM 47:7-8 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. 8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.
Referring to God as King, can feel intimidating or overwhelming. Yet, considering the evil, pain, and hardship present in the world, it is reassuring to know that someone good holds ultimate authority. Unlike ordinary kings, God is described as holy and just—a ruler who is both righteous and fair. The Bible even calls God the "King of kings," emphasizing His supreme control over all things.
One day, Jesus was asked by some of his followers to teach them how to pray. The first part of what he taught gives insight to this truth and went as follows:
This, then, is how you should pray: “Our FATHER in HEAVEN, HOLY is your name, Your KINGDOM come, your will be done, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
God’s Kingdom is Holy, meaning without any impurity. This Kingdom is needed on earth. God has a will for how things should work on earth. But given Jesus instructed to pray for His will to be done on earth shows that not all of His will and His ways are being carried out yet.
Teacher in the classroom.
Think back to a time when you were at school and the teacher left the classroom? What happened? Most likely the room quickly turned to chaos. If there is no one in charge, then might is right and the strongest determine the rules. The bullies come out to play.
What if there is a teacher and they are a tyrant, cruel and self-serving? Life becomes oppressive and unbearable. In contrast, have you ever had a teacher that is caring, competent, and kind, maybe even strict but fair? They do exist and those under their care usually have opportunity to thrive and flourish.
If there is no loving creator who is in charge, then there is no ultimate authority, meaning, purpose, objective truth or justice. There is no hope of restoration. The God of the Bible is loving, just, fair and kind. Under His rulership we thrive.
It is fair to ask: if God is in charge, then why is there so much wrong with the world? Step 2 helps us understand the answer to this question.
FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Here’s a link to an online Bible website where you can look up these Bible Verses for further study.
GOD IS LOVE
