Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What does "the love of God" mean in 1 John 5:3, God's love for us, our love for God, or both?

In 1 John 5:3, "the love of God" primarily means our love for God. The verse defines this love as an active, obedient response—keeping His commandments—rather than just a feeling, showcasing that love for God is demonstrated through obedience, not merely words.

Aspects of this phrase in context:

Active Obedience: The phrase "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments" defines love in terms of action, not just emotion.

Not Burdensome: The verse emphasises that when motivated by love, obeying God's commands is not a heavy, restrictive burden but a joyous, natural response.

Rooted in His Love: While 1 John 5:3 focuses on our response, it is framed by the broader context of 1 John 4:19, that our love for Him is a response to His prior love for us.

Evidence of Faith: This obedience acts as evidence of a genuine relationship with God and faith in Jesus.

In 1 John 5:3, the phrase "the love of God" refers specifically to our love for God. 

The verse itself clarifies this by defining love in terms of our actions: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." 

While the Bible frequently discusses God's love for us (as seen earlier in 1 John 4:9), this specific passage focuses on the human response—demonstrating our devotion to Him through obedience.

1 John 5:3 ESV: "3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

What does the Bible mean when it says "the love of God"? This does not refer to God's love for us but refers to our love for him. 

Because we love God, "we observe his commandments." How do we do this? We obey him. In the Bible, we learn how God wants us to live. For example, he tells us that it is wrong to get drunk, to steal or lie, to have sex with someone we are not married to, or to worship anyone or anything other than him.​—1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:18; 10:14; Ephesians 4:28; Colossians 3:9.

How does God feel when we obey him? We make his "heart rejoice." (Proverbs 11:20; 27:11) Think about that! We make the Creator of the universe happy when we obey him. But he never forces us to do so. Instead, he has given us free will. This means that we have the freedom to choose to do right or wrong. God wants our love for him to move us to make good decisions so that we can have the best life possible.​—Deuteronomy 30:15, 16, 19, 20.

It is not always easy for us to obey God. We live in a wicked world that the Devil rules. He tries to influence people to do what is bad. (1 John 5:19) We also have to fight against our own imperfect thoughts and feelings, since they can lead us to disobey God. (Romans 7:21-25) But our love for God gives us the strength to do what is right. He sees our efforts to obey him, and he helps us by pouring out his powerful, holy Spirit. (1 Samuel 15:22, 23; Acts 5:32) The Holy Spirit helps us to develop qualities that make it easier for us to obey him.​—Galatians 5:22, 23.

How can we demonstrate our love of God in response to all that he has done for us? The inspired answer is significant: Read 1 John 5:3.

Love of God motivates us to observe his commandments.

Doing that out of our hearts' abundance is evidence that we observe God's commandments with a pure motive.​—Matt. 12:34.

If we love God, it is a pleasure to do his will. We thus gain God's approval, and we benefit ourselves; his direction always works for our good.​—Isaiah 48:17.

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