“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
Why Focus on God’s Love?
If you’re new to the CHEW on This™ journey, you might wonder:
Why do we focus so much on God’s love? Why not just emphasize obedience, knowledge, or other attributes of God?
The answer is simple but profound: God’s love is the foundation, fuel, and goal of all true Christian growth. Everything else—obedience, wisdom, service, holiness—flows from first knowing, receiving, and living in His love.
1. God’s Love Is the Foundation of Our Faith
- The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is not just something God does—it’s who He is.
- Before you ever loved God, He loved you (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10). The Christian life starts and ends with His initiating, unconditional love.
2. God’s Love Is Transforming Power
- God’s love doesn’t just forgive; it changes us from the inside out.
“The transforming power of God’s love knows no equal. No individual is beyond the reach of God’s love, nor will He deny love to anyone”. - As we “chew” on God’s love, it heals wounds, breaks shame, and empowers us to become more like Jesus (Ephesians 3:16-19; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
- God’s love is what enables us to truly love others, even when it’s hard (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-12).
3. God’s Love Is the Mark of True Discipleship
- Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—and the second is to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).
- He also said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
- Focusing on God’s love isn’t sentimentalism—it’s the core of what it means to follow Jesus.
4. God’s Love Empowers Obedience and Overcoming
- We don’t obey God to earn His love; we obey because we are already loved.
- God’s love gives us strength to resist temptation, overcome fear, and persevere through trials (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
- Real transformation and lasting obedience are only possible as we are “rooted and established in love” (Ephesians 3:17).
5. God’s Love Brings Freedom, Confidence, and Joy
- God’s love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).
- It frees us from guilt, shame, and striving, and gives us confidence to pray, worship, and serve (Romans 5:5; Psalm 26:3; Psalm 90:14).
- When we know we are loved, we can trust God more deeply and walk in joy, even in hard times.
Isn’t Focusing on Love Too Narrow?
Not at all. The Bible teaches that every other virtue flows from love (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13).
- Holiness, truth, and service are not separate from love—they are expressions of it.
- As we focus on God’s love, we become more like Him in every way.
How Does CHEW on This™ Help?
The CHEW on This™ framework is built on the conviction that real change starts with receiving and reflecting on God’s love, then letting it shape every part of our lives.
- We “chew” on God’s love not just to feel better, but to become better—more like Jesus, more free, more whole, and more able to love others.
Transparency Note: This series is crafted in collaboration with advanced AI tools and thoughtfully finalized by the 1st Principle Group staff to ensure biblical faithfulness and practical relevance for our readers.
