1 John Chapter 4, Verse 10
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10: εν τουτω εστιν η αγαπη ουχ οτι ημεις ηγαπησαμεν τον θεον αλλ οτι αυτος ηγαπησεν ημας και απεστειλεν τον υιον αυτου ιλασμον περι των αμαρτιων ημων
10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
10: In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he
hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.
Herein is love. In this great gift is the highest expression of love, as if it had done all that it can do.
Not that we loved God. Not that we were in such a state that we might suppose he would make such a sacrifice for us, but just the opposite. If we had loved and obeyed him, we might have had reason to believe that he would be willing to show his love to us in a corresponding manner. But we were alienated from him. We had even no desire for his friendship and favour. In this state he showed the greatness of his love for us by giving his Son to die for his enemies. "Rom 5:7, "Rom 5:8".
But that he loved us. Not that he approved our character, but that he desired our welfare. He loved us not with the love of complacency, but with the love of benevolence.
And sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. On the meaning of the word propitiation, see "Rom 3:25". Comp. "1Jn 2:2".
