True love, Scripture tells us, comes from God—not from human feeling or sentiment. As 1 John 4:7 says, “Love is of God,” and real love is shown in Christ’s atonement for our sins. Seeking love apart from God leads only to a shallow, humanistic substitute. And God’s love isn’t soft or indifferent—it includes His wrath. Just as a loving parent corrects a child, God’s judgment is a sign of His care. “God is love,” but He is also “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). To know His love rightly, we must accept both His mercy and His holiness—never one without the other.