The love of God is defined as keeping His commandments, a succinct and poignant description that ties directly to knowing Him. Without love, one cannot truly know God, and thus cannot have eternal life, for God is love. This love is the essence and core of Christianity, the greatest of all virtues, surpassing even faith and hope, though they are united with it. Love is complete and permanent, never failing or ending, enduring and bearing all things. It is a never-ending obligation, a debt owed to others daily, and the bond that ties other fine qualities together, enabling their proper use. God is love, meaning He is a loving God, driven by love as His underlying motivation in all He does. When He created, it was an act of love, motivated by a desire to share His life and quality of existence with others. His provision for creation, maintenance of both spiritual and physical aspects, and care for the just and unjust alike are evidence of His love. God's redemption of mankind, granting free moral agency, and offering the hope of eternal life further manifest this love, showing His desire to share what He is with others. The love of God always involves a cost, often requiring sacrifice, whether minor or great, even to the point of giving up what is most precious for another's well-being, including those not liked. This costliness is essential, as seen in acts that benefit others, mirroring God's own actions. The standard for measuring acts of love is the life of Jesus Christ, who spent Himself for mankind in every deed, becoming poor though He was rich, humbling Himself, and subjecting Himself to death. Love is an action, not merely a feeling, and becomes love only when the act is performed. Obedience to God's commandments proves and shows the love of God, directing actions clearly even when feelings might mislead. Feelings, often shaped by carnal experiences, must be overcome by reasoned effort and faith to follow God's law, transforming into right feelings through the Spirit of God as acts of love are practiced. Thus, the love of God is perfected in those who keep His Word, combining right action with right feeling, growing and maturing through use within the fellowship of His people.

God is the true source of love, and His love is defined as an outgoing concern for mankind, reflecting a willful direction to do what is best for humanity, even when it is not what they desire. This love, characterized by benevolence, kindness, sympathy, and generosity, is evident in His individual dealings with us and in His grand, philanthropic plan to elevate mankind into His Kingdom. Love originates from God, and as we exhibit it, we take on the nature of our Father, growing in His Spirit. Those who reflect this love show they are born of Him, while those who do not, regardless of their knowledge, fail to truly know Him. God's love is demonstrated through the world He has provided, where rain falls on the just and unjust alike, and through His patience toward us. The ultimate proof of His love is the sacrifice of His Son, sent into the world while we were still opposed to Him, to reconcile us to God and offer us a path to live by following His example. We perceive His love in this act, as He laid down His life for us, and we are called to lay down our lives for others in the same manner. By loving one another as God loves us, His love is perfected in us, and we grow in applying it toward others, moving toward perfection. This love is not our own but God's love within us, and we are to love our fellow man as the Father and the Son love. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we grow in it, we can stand boldly before Him, reflecting His nature. We love Him because He first loved us, and this love must be active, shown through obedience to His commandments and in our relationships with others. True love for God produces a desire to live His way, and obedience to His Word trains us to become like Him. If this love exists in our hearts, it will be reflected in our way of living, confirming that we belong to Him.