There is a great Bible verse that defines what God is: God is love.

1 John 4:8 says:

“He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.”

 

There is no argument that every human being knows what love is. When we say “love,” it can mean deep affection, romantic attraction, loyal concern, or even devotion to someone or something. However, this verse clearly talks about love toward fellow believers — fellow sinners who have received mercy and grace from the Creator, the very source of love.

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The reason why I believe that God is the very definition of love — especially in this verse — is because this Triune God of the universe, sovereign, perfect, most holy, and most righteous, gave His only begotten Son — Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man — as the perfect sacrifice for the salvation of unholy, unrighteous sinners like me (John 3:16). Jesus lived a perfect life, bled and died on the cross as payment for our sins, and rose again after three days, defeating sin and death.

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However, there is a problem. When we say “God is love,” we must also recognize that He must hate. As Paul Washer says, “Because God is love, He must hate.” What does this mean? Is it contradictory to His character, which is love? Clearly not! It means that if God truly loves what is good, holy, and righteous, then He must also hate what is evil, sinful, and destructive.

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That is why there is Hell, my friend. As Revelation 21:8 says:

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”

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There is no escape for those who continue to trust in their good works, because all of them are like filthy rags in God’s eyes. As Isaiah 64:6 says:

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

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My friend, there is no other name that can save sinners like you and me, except Jesus Christ alone.

Acts 4:12 says:

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

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Repent now and put your faith in Christ alone.