What does it mean when the Scripture says, "God is love" and how should that knowledge affect those of us who love Him, especially in regard to how we love others?

 1 John 4:7-21, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."  These verses speak of God's loving 'nature'.  Love is not merely an attribute of God, it is part of His very essence or substance.  God is not merely 'loving' - at His core, He is love.  He loves us, not because of who or what we are or because we please Him.  He loves us simply because He is love. I like how this concept is stated in Kingdom Dynamics in the NSFLB..."Christ's love for us is not dependent on a quality in us that makes us lovable.  He loves us because He is love regardless of our strengths or weaknesses.  That thought may be humbling to some who want to be chosen, called, and cherished because of their human credentials of talent, personality or achievement.  Christ's love is not motivated by any of these human qualities, but it is grace-motivated."  

 We see this in the following verses.   Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

 Jeremiah 31:3, "The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

 Deuteronomy 7:6-8, "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. 7 "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 "but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt."

 In Webster's Dictionary, "nature", in regard to persons, is defined as:  "the essential character of a person; quality or qualities that make a person what they are; inborn character; innate disposition; inherent tendencies of a person and any or all of the instincts, desires, appetites, and drives of a person."  Similarly, in the Greek, the word "nature" means the sum of innate properties and powers by which one person differs from others/ distinctive native peculiarities, and natural characteristics.

 Holiness is the whole of who and what God is.  Love is part of that holiness, a part of His nature.  All that God does, is done in, by, and through His love because, that is who He is - it is His nature. 

 The Greek words used to describe God as love are 'agape' (noun) and 'agapao' (verb).  These words for 'love' mean: an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of the other person, not matter what he does. [Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."].  Agape and agapao is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return. [John 3:16,"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."; and Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.], and further, agape does not consider the worth of its object.  It is a love of choice, not chance, and refers to the will rather than the emotion.  Agape describes the unconditional love God has for the world.

 We read a description of God's agape love in the follow verses. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Amplified Bible, "Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked nor overly sensitive and easily angered; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth when right and truth prevail. Love bears all things regardless of what comes, believes all things looking for the best in each one, hopes all things remaining steadfast during difficult times, endures all things without weakening. Love never fails it never fades nor ends. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away."

 The God kind of love can be found in no other.  However, we need to look at 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Ktisis, the Greek word for creation, in this verse is used of a man regenerated through Christ.  The Greek for "new" means:  a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon or unheard of.  "Old things" refers to what has been from the beginning, or original.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become a 'new creation'.  We have been regenerated through Christ and, as such, we received a new nature.  As a believer, we have been justified by faith, as see in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."  Then we read in Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  What an amazing verse!  The agape love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

 Reread 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.  The same love has been poured out into our hearts, so that we would be able to fulfill the commandment given us, as we read Jesus' words in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love (agapao) one another; as I have loved (agapao) you, that you also love (agapao) one another."  We were given a new standard in this verse - that we would , through the love of God, that was poured into our hearts, display the servant like, selfless love of God to one another.

 I would suggest that you make a copy of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 , and carry it with you as a reminder of how we are expected to love others.  Realize that, as we love others in this way, we show our love for God. 

 I will end today, by sharing 1 John 4 verses 19 and 21, "We love Him because He first loved us. ... 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."

 Sometimes, when we find ourselves surrounded by those who are difficult for us to love, remember....His unconditional love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and when we determine to obey His word, we can choose to love them with His love that is in us.