Jesus is Love ❤️

 Jesus is Love ❤️

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

The essence of Christian theology rests upon the revelation that God is love—a truth not merely descriptive of divine action, but constitutive of God’s very nature. The Apostle John profoundly articulates this in 1 John 4:8, declaring, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” This statement unveils the ontological reality that love is not simply one of God’s attributes but His fundamental essence. To know God, therefore, is to know love in its purest, most self-giving form.

This divine love finds its perfect expression and embodiment in the person of Jesus Christ. In John 15:9, Jesus declares, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” Here, Christ positions Himself as both the recipient and transmitter of divine love. The love that flows eternally between the Father and the Son becomes the pattern and invitation extended to humanity. Believers are called to abide—to dwell, remain, and root themselves—in this divine continuum of love, reflecting the relational intimacy shared within the Godhead.

Furthermore, Romans 5:8 deepens the theological understanding of divine love by connecting it to the redemptive work of Christ: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This Pauline insight reveals love not as a sentimental emotion but as a redemptive act grounded in divine initiative. God’s love is demonstrated not when humanity was righteous, but precisely when it was undeserving—underscoring the unconditional and sacrificial character of divine love.

In synthesis, Jesus is not merely a messenger of love; He is love incarnate. His life, teachings, and sacrificial death epitomize the very heart of God revealed in human history. To encounter Jesus is to encounter divine love itself—love that redeems, transforms, and restores humanity to communion with the Creator.

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References

• The Holy Bible, 1 John 4:8; John 15:9; Romans 5:8.

• Augustine, De Trinitate, Book VIII.

• Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I, q.20: On the Love of God.

• Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics II/1: The Doctrine of God.

Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute