The first thing God did to prove that he loves us was that he gave sacrificially. This is the truest form of love.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
God is love therefore we cannot prove that we are true children of God if we do not demonstrate love. Prayer, speaking in tongues and memorizing scripture is not proof of being a true child of God, what qualifies us to be identified with God is the spirit of love.
1 John 4:7-8 says “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.
3 levels of love:
The Eros love
This love is the self-serving kind of love; it only seeks to fulfill its own need. Many of us practice this daily, we “love because ” with an ulterior motive. If you love others simply because of what you will get in return, that is not true love.
The Brotherly Love
This love is conditional and always comes with obligations. This is the kind of love you find in most marriages, loving only for the mutual benefits. If you love others conditionally that is not real love.
The Agape love
This is sacrificial love, it is unconditional. God exemplified this when he gave his only son to die for our sins. We didn’t deserve it, we had nothing to offer and God was not expecting anything in return, He just loved us. This is the love we must all practice, loving each other unconditionally. Love that seeks the good of others and places their needs before yours; this is what Christ expects of us.
Pastor George Irabor