1 John 4:16 gives a very profound revelation. It states emphatically that God is love. It doesn't just say that God has love; it tells us clearly that God Himself is love. What a beautiful revelation! The nature of God is a nature of love.

We all know that love is beyond emotions and soulful romance. Love is spiritual; it is of the heart. Just like we can't specifically and perfectly define what life actually is but can only do so based on those characteristics that life manifests itself in, so it is with love. We can only know love by its fruits. 1Cor. 13 is one passage of scripture that did great justice in telling us the properties of love. One of those properties stated is that love keeps no record of wrong or it forgives (Vs 5).

Therefore, we should expect God who is the perfect epitome of love to display all the characteristics of love including forgiveness. But sometimes, it appears as though God doesn't act in love. For instance, looking at the life of King Saul, the first king of Israel, we notice how pathetically his life ended because God rejected him. The man was so helpless and confused when he faced the Philistines in the final battle of his life. He kept consulting God and seeking His face, but God won't listen to him. At the end, he and his sons perished in battle.

Now, the question is why would a God, Who scriptures declares as love, choose not to forgive a helpless man calling on Him for help? Why didn't He just forgive Saul? Love is supposed to forgive, but why didn't God, Who is love personified, forgive?

But there's an answer to this. There's always an answer for everything God does, for He is holy, above and without sin, and remains love personified. God indeed is love, but that doesn't mean He doesn't respect His principles or suffers those who act against His will.

I discussed more on this in my very short and simple e-book titled "The Error of King Saul: When a God called Love Goes All Out to Destroy a Man." It's a book I believe will bless you. It's absolutely FREE. Check comment section for link.

Penwielder:
1 John 4:16 gives a very profound revelation. It states emphatically that God is love. It doesn't just say that God has love; it tells us clearly that God Himself is love. What a beautiful revelation! The nature of God is a nature of love.

We all know that love is beyond emotions and soulful romance. Love is spiritual; it is of the heart.

Love, love, love! You all forget that there is also hate and hate comes after love is burnt.

That is why we say "fall out of love", the opposite of "falling in love"

Thus anyone who falls out of God's Love like Saul, Solomon, David etc falls into "God's Hate".