Love, for God

Scripture teaches believers to love God and shows how such love should be expressed in worship and practical service.

Believers' response to God's love

1 John 4:19 See also Deuteronomy 7:7–8; Psalm 116:1; John 15:16; Ephesians 2:4–5; 1 John 4:10

We love because He first loved us.

Love for God is commanded

Matthew 22:37–38 parallel Mark 12:29–30 See also Deuteronomy 6:5, Deuteronomy 10:12, Deuteronomy 11:1; Joshua 22:5, Joshua 23:11; Psalm 31:23

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Loving God involves loving Jesus Christ

John 8:42 See also John 5:42, John 15:23

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

Expressing love for God

Delight in worship and in God's house

Psalm 27:4 See also Psalm 26:8, Psalm 43:4, Psalm 65:4, Psalm 84:2, Psalm 122:1, Psalm 122:6; Acts 2:46–47

One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.

Love for God's word

Psalm 119:97 See also Psalm 1:2, Psalm 19:7–8, Psalm 19:10, Psalm 119:16, Psalm 119:35, Psalm 119:72, Psalm 119:163; Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 3:3

Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.

Self-sacrifice

Luke 14:33 See also John 21:15–17; Romans 12:1; Philippians 3:8

In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.

Giving

1 Chronicles 29:3 See also Exodus 25:2, Exodus 35:5; 1 Chronicles 29:6, 1 Chronicles 29:9; 2 Corinthians 8:4–5, 2 Corinthians 8:8, 2 Corinthians 9:7

Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give for it my personal treasures of gold and silver, over and above all that I have provided for this holy temple:

Obeying God

1 John 5:3 See also Psalm 40:8; John 14:15, John 14:23, John 15:14; 2 John 1:6

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,

Loving others

1 John 4:21 See also John 13:35, John 15:12; 1 John 4:11

And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

The blessings of loving God

John 14:15–16 See also John 14:23, John 16:27; 1 Peter 1:8

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever —

Examples of love for God and Jesus Christ

Psalm 18:1 See also Psalm 73:25; Matthew 26:7 parallel Mark 14:3; John 12:3; Luke 2:37, Luke 7:47, Luke 24:53; John 11:16, John 21:16; Acts 21:13; Hebrews 6:10

For the choirmaster. Of David the servant of the LORD, who sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love You, O LORD, my strength.