Love serves as the central motivation in a life aligned with God, driving actions that reflect His nature. Without the love of God, eternal life remains out of reach, for knowing God is to live with Him, to walk with Him, and to be in constant communion with Him. This love is not fleeting; it is permanent, enduring all things, bearing all things, and never failing, as it forms a unity with faith and hope, yet stands as the greatest among them. Love must be the dominating influence in a person's life, pursued continually, for it is never fully attained in one moment but grows through persistent seeking after God. God's love motivates Him to share His life and quality of existence with others, compelling Him to create, provide, and care for His creation. When God created, it was an act of love, driven by the desire to share rather than to remain in isolation. His provision for both the just and unjust, His maintenance of creation, and His redemption of mankind all stem from this love, which also grants free moral agency and the hope of eternal life as evidence of His caring nature. Unlike the destructive self-centeredness of satan, God's actions are always for the good of those He acts toward, aiming to gather all things to Himself to share what He is. Love, as exemplified by God and His Son, involves a cost, often requiring sacrifice for the benefit of others, even those not naturally loved. This costliness is essential, seen in acts that mirror God's own, where His children manifest His nature through deeds that benefit others, even at personal expense. Jesus Christ's entire life serves as the standard for such acts of love, demonstrating a willingness to pay the price, humbling Himself for mankind's sake in every action He took. Within the fellowship of God's people, love is the primary outlet God intends, strengthening the body to bear a powerful witness to the world. This love, inseparable from loving God, binds the community together, ensuring that rivalry and carnality do not fracture the group, thus enabling the fulfillment of God's commission. Love is an action, proven by obedience to God's commandments, which define its direction and parameters, ensuring that acts are not swayed by misleading feelings but are guided by truth and a reasoned will to follow God's way, even when the cost feels great. The love of God begins with action, not mere feeling, transforming into true love only when the act is performed, whether it be a simple prayer or a more costly deed to alleviate another's suffering. As this love is practiced, it grows and is perfected, becoming a skill honed for the benefit of others, blessing both the giver and receiver. Originating in God, manifested in His Son, and perfected in His people, this love completes a cycle, flowing from God to His people, out to others, and back to Him, maturing as it is used and ensuring a continued relationship with Him through abiding in love for one another.