Herein is love; This means, “This is what true love really looks like.” The verse is not describing love as a feeling, romance, or mere human affection. It is not a wavering love that changes with circumstances. Rather, it defines love by action and sacrifice. God is revealing the divine nature and true source of love.
Not that we loved God; This statement is crucial because it removes any idea that God loved us because we deserved it, because we first chose Him, or because we were good, faithful, or obedient. Scripture teaches that humanity did not seek God first. People were sinful, indifferent, and even hostile toward Him. Love did not originate with us or arise from human effort or goodness. God’s love is not a response to ours.
But that He loved us; This shifts the focus entirely to God’s initiative. Love begins with God. He chose to love us before we changed, repented, or believed. God is love. His love is unconditional—not based on our worthiness; initiating—He moved toward us first; and grace-filled—freely given, not earned. God loved us while we were still sinners, not after we became righteous. Yet many still believe they can earn God’s favor by doing or giving something. Scripture teaches that salvation is never earned but received by grace.
And sent His Son; Love is proven by giving. God did not merely declare His love—He demonstrated it. Sending His Son means that God gave what was most precious to Him, that the Lord Jesus Christ came willingly into a broken world, and that salvation was planned by the Father as an act of love, not an afterthought. This was not symbolic; it was a costly decision involving suffering, humiliation, and the death of His only begotten Son.
To be the propitiation for our sins; This is the heart of the verse. Propitiation means a sacrifice that fully satisfies God’s justice, turns away rightful judgment, and deals completely with sin. Sin is serious—it separates humanity from a holy God and brings real guilt. God did not ignore sin or excuse it. Instead, the Lord Jesus Christ took the penalty upon Himself. As a result, God’s justice was satisfied, our guilt was addressed, God’s wrath against sin was removed, and forgiveness and reconciliation with God are now possible. Importantly, God Himself provided the sacrifice. He did not require humanity to fix the problem; He took responsibility for our salvation.
In summary, this verse shows that love and justice meet at the cross. Love moved God to act, justice required sin to be judged, and Jesus fulfilled both by dying in our place. True love is not mere kindness; it is self-giving sacrifice for the good of others, even when undeserved. God’s love is not based on our love for Him. He loved us first and proved that love by sending His Son to bear the punishment for our sins. Through faith in His only begotten Son and His finished work, forgiveness is granted and our relationship with God is restored.