1 John 4 10

1 John 4:10 kjv

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 nkjv

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 niv

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10 esv

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 nlt

This is real love ? not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4 verses

1 John 4 10 meaning

This verse profoundly defines divine love by presenting it as a proactive, sacrificial act initiated solely by God. It declares that genuine love is not founded upon humanity's initial love for God, which is often a response, but rather originates in God's prior and unconditional love for humanity. This love is supremely demonstrated by God sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to serve as the "propitiation" for our sins, meaning His death fully satisfied God's righteous wrath against sin, thereby enabling reconciliation.

1 John 4 10 Context

1 John chapter 4 focuses heavily on discerning true Christian confession from false ones, particularly in the context of the Holy Spirit's role and the manifestation of love. The preceding verses (1 Jn 4:7-8) establish that love comes from God and that God is love. This verse (1 Jn 4:10) then elaborates on how God's love is perfectly expressed, serving as the theological bedrock for the call to love one another in the subsequent verses. John addresses a community facing heretical teachers, possibly early Gnostics, who denied the true incarnation or the salvific power of Christ's death. The profound declaration of God's love manifested in sending His Son as a tangible, physical act of propitiation stands as a direct counter-argument to any spiritualizing or devaluing of Christ's sacrifice. It grounds divine love in action, not merely emotion or abstract concept.

1 John 4 10 Word analysis

• In this is love (ἐν τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη, en toutō estin hē agapē): Points forward, indicating that the subsequent explanation will define the true nature of divine love (agapē). Agapē signifies selfless, costly, and unwavering affection, not driven by emotion or merit but by an active will. It's the highest form of love, distinctive from human or emotional love.
• not that we loved God (ouch hoti hēmeis ēgapēsamen ton Theon): Emphasizes that human initiation is not the source or precondition for this salvific love. It refutes any notion of earning or instigating God's grace. Our love is usually a responsive, dependent love.
• but that He loved us (all' hoti autos ēgapēsen hēmas): Highlights God's sovereignty, initiative, and proactive grace. This divine love precedes any human action or worthiness. "He" refers specifically to God Himself, underscoring His direct involvement.
• and sent His Son (kai apesteilen ton huion autou): Declares the decisive action and the divine agent of God's love. "Sent" (apesteilen) signifies a deliberate mission and authority. The "Son" (huion) emphasizes the divine nature, unique relationship, and ultimate sacrifice of Christ. This act of sending involved incarnation, demonstrating God's real engagement with humanity.
• to be the propitiation (hilasmon peri tōn hamartiōn hēmōn): Hilasmos (ἱλασμός) is a crucial theological term. It refers to an atoning sacrifice that satisfies the demands of God's holiness and justice concerning human sin, thereby turning away His righteous wrath. It means God's anger at sin is averted through the specific sacrifice of Christ. It's not about making God loving, but enabling His love to reach sinners without compromising His justice. This goes beyond mere forgiveness, involving the objective removal of the barrier of sin and guilt.
• for our sins (peri tōn hamartiōn hēmōn): Clarifies the object and purpose of Christ's propitiation. It explicitly addresses the guilt and consequences of human transgression, underscoring that our wrongdoing necessitates such a radical divine solution. This encompasses all sin, both corporate and individual.

• "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us": This phrase succinctly distinguishes divine love from human attempts. Human love for God, while a command and desire, is always secondary and responsive to His primary love. It dismantles pride, demonstrating salvation is entirely God's work.
• "He loved us and sent His Son": This sequence connects God's internal attribute of love with an external, historical, and decisive act. It shows love as action, not just emotion. The sending of the Son is the supreme, tangible evidence of this love, demonstrating its costly nature.
• "to be the propitiation for our sins": This is the theological core. It defines how God's love addresses sin while upholding His righteousness. The phrase emphasizes Christ's active role as the substitute who takes upon Himself the just penalty of sin, making peace possible between a holy God and sinful humanity.

1 John 4 10 Bonus section

The strong emphasis on God sending His Son as a physical, historical event and His death being a propitiation directly challenged early Gnostic beliefs prevalent in John's time. Gnostics often separated the divine Christ from the human Jesus and minimized the importance of Christ's physical death, seeing salvation through secret knowledge (gnosis) rather than a historical sacrifice. John firmly grounds God's saving love in the tangible reality of the Incarnation and Atonement. The "propitiation" highlights God's justice as much as His love; it is not simply ignoring sin, but a righteous dealing with it through Christ. This sets the theological framework for understanding Christian assurance and the imperative for believers to love one another in response.

1 John 4 10 Commentary

This verse encapsulates the very heart of the Gospel, declaring that the nature of true love originates not in humanity, but wholly in God. His love is unique in its initiative, given freely to a humanity incapable of initiating true relationship due to sin. This profound, active love is visibly expressed in the historical event of God sending His divine Son to Earth. The purpose of this unparalleled act was Christ's atoning death on the cross, described as "propitiation." This means His sacrifice fully appeased God's holy justice and righteous wrath against sin, covering and cleansing humanity from its guilt and rebellion. Consequently, the greatest demonstration of love is not our imperfect efforts, but God's perfect, self-giving, wrath-satisfying act through Christ, which becomes the foundation for all Christian life and our love for one another.