God is Love - But What Does That Mean? God is love, yes—but love must be defined by God, not by modern emotional sentiment. In the context of 1 John 4, the apostle is speaking specifically to the church about those who know God and abide in Him. “Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8, LEB). This is not a universal affirmation of all people, but a doctrinal statement about those who are in Christ.