God's Church Is Like a Loving Mother

God's love is like a mother's love for her children, but God's love goes much deeper. God's true Church conducts herself as a caring mother toward her children.

The ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18). describe the characteristics that set apart God's Church as unlike any other. Part of its uniqueness comes from the unconditional love of God present in its members: "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have lovefor one another" (John 13:35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
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God's love is like a mother's love for her children, but God's love goes much deeper. God's true Church conducts herself as a caring mother toward her children.

Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. Israel was thought of as a mother and her citizens as her children. The BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. uses the term mother to illustrate the love of God for His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
See All...). "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you ..." (Isaiah 66:13As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
See All...). Describing the way he and other elders had served the Church, Paul wrote, "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
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Paul symbolically characterized the Church of God as a mother (Galatians 4:26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
See All...). In RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). 19:7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
See All... the Church is seen as the betrothed bride of Christ. Clearly God, through His merciful, loving instructions, has provided His children with a nurturing environment through the Church.

The Church of God has the caring characteristics of a loving mother. A mother has an innate desire to nurture and protect. However, those nurturing and protective abilities are limited by the fact that she is human, made of flesh. Members of the Church of God know and understand, however, that God is the source of the Church's spiritual love. The apostle John equates God with love: "For God is love" (1 John 4:8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
See All...). He defines what God's love is: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
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The Ten Commandments, recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, summarize how we are to love God and our fellowman. Jesus distilled them into two great commandments: "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39 [37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

See All...). These two great commandments embody the love of God. They are exercised in an outgoing and protective way. Members of the Church of God strive to practice this godly love.

The Church's members follow the example set by their Savior, Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:38-48 [38] Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
[39] But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
[40] And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
[41] And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
[42] Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
[43] Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
[44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
[45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
[46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
[47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
[48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

See All...). They are concerned with two great priorities: placing God first in their lives and loving their neighbor as they do their own lives (Matthew 22:36-40 [36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

See All...). Though not perfect, members of the Church of God live by and reflect the love of the Eternal God. They teach the love of God—His outgoing concern for others—embodied within the gospel of Christ.

We eagerly await the time when all human beings will experience the love of God in this way. Until that day, the day God's Kingdom comes to earth, we encourage and welcome you to share with us the love of God as expressed by and in His Church.