The Love of God: 1 John 4:9-11

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

When we consider the love of God, it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of its depth and grandeur. It’s a love that’s both beyond our comprehension and yet, through Jesus, accessible to us in ways that radically transform our lives. The very fact that God sent His only begotten Son into the world is a testament to His unmerited love. This was not a love that waited for us to come to Him, to prove ourselves, or to be deserving of it. Instead, God took the first step, initiating a relationship with us through Jesus. In this way, God’s love was made manifest—clear for all to see.

We often struggle with the idea of being loved unconditionally. Our human relationships are often based on reciprocity—on giving and receiving love in return. But God’s love is different. It is not transactional. It does not depend on our actions, our worth, or our performance. He loved us first, while we were still sinners. That is the overwhelming, counter-cultural message of the Gospel: God loves us, and nothing can change that.

And the love that God demonstrated is not just emotional or sentimental. It is purposeful and sacrificial. This is the ultimate expression of love: Jesus laid down His life for us. He endured the cross, despising the shame, so that we might be forgiven and restored to relationship with God. This is love that goes beyond mere words—it is love in action, love that sacrifices everything for the good of another.

But what does that love look like in practice? It’s not always easy, especially when we encounter people who are difficult to love or when we are hurt by others. But the same love that God showed us on the cross is the love we are called to show. It’s sacrificial. It’s patient. It’s forgiving. It’s the kind of love that chooses to love even when it costs us something. As believers, we are called to be agents of God’s love in a broken world. This means loving our neighbors, our families, and even our enemies with the same grace and mercy that God has shown us. When we love like God loves, we reflect His character to the world around us, and we become a living testimony of the Gospel.

The love of God is not just something we admire from a distance. It is something that has the power to transform our hearts, our relationships, and our entire way of living. As we reflect on 1 John 4:9-11, may we be reminded of the incredible love God has lavished on us. And as we grasp the depth of that love, may we be compelled to love others in the same way—sacrificially, unconditionally, and radically.