God: Our Role Model for Love

Scriptures specifically about love:

    Matthew 5:44-45 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

    Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

    John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

    Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

    Philippians 2:5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus

    Colossians 3:13  . . . as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

    1 John 4:10-11 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

    1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

If we search a little further we will find many more examples. Even in Scriptures about God showing no partiality, the Lord is often put forward as our role model for being loving and fair toward others:

    Deuteronomy 10:17-19 For the Lord your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons, nor takes reward. He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the foreigner . . .

    Colossians 3:25-4:1 But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

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