He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 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. (1 John 4:8-9).
When we talk about the love of God, it’s actually the demonstration of the righteousness of God. The love of God is the righteousness of God at work. Why does God love? It’s because of His righteousness. Our opening text says, “God is love.” He is love because it is righteous to love.
If there’s no object of love, love can’t be expressed. Moreover, you can only express love to a being that can receive and reciprocate love. So, the righteousness of God causes the nature of love to emanate from Him and be expressed from Him. Love that is inactive is not love.
Wherever the righteousness of God is in manifestation, the love of God is experienced. Therefore, when you see a brother or a sister who’s not walking in love, it’s because they don’t understand the righteousness of God. And because they don’t understand it, they’re not living in it. Their problem begins with their very relationship with God, not even with the person or the people they have trouble with.
The more you know the Lord, the more you understand His righteousness, and the more His love is reflected back to you and from you. Remember what He did: In Christ Jesus, He made you the righteousness of God; you’re the expression of His righteousness. If that’s true, how can you not walk in love?
God is love; in other words, that’s who He is; that’s His nature. The same is true of righteousness; God is righteous; that’s His nature. So when we teach people about walking in love, that’s really for the babes in Christ. You haven’t matured in Christ until you’re really walking in love, and you will not walk in love until you understand and live in the righteousness of God.
