By Dr. Robert C Crowder
Reading:
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
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. 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. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Reflection:
Love is most clearly defined not by words but by deeds. The world speaks endlessly about love: in songs, movies, poetry, and philosophy, but its definitions are vague, shifting, and self-centered. Biblical love, by contrast, is concrete, specific, and sacrificial. Moses declared a truth that every believer must understand: God’s love is not based on human merit. “The LORD did not set his love upon you… because ye were more in number… but because the LORD loved you.” God loves because He loves. His love originates in His character, not our worthiness. Centuries later, John echoed this same principle with stunning clarity: “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.” This is the definitive statement on divine love. From Moses to John, the message is consistent: love originates with God, not with us. Love is not primarily a feeling. It is an action. And the action that defines love is giving. We were slaves in Egypt; He redeemed us. We were enemies of God; He sent His Son. We did not seek Him; He pursued us. This is the love that gives; not because we deserved it, but because He determined it.
The phrase “in this was manifested” means made visible, revealed, demonstrated. God’s love is not abstract or theoretical. It was put on display in history, in space and time, through the sending of His Son. Before the incarnation, God’s love was declared in His Word, demonstrated in His patience with Israel, and displayed in His covenant faithfulness. But the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the supreme, undeniable manifestations of divine love. When we want to know what God’s love looks like, we look to the cross. When we wonder if God truly cares, we point to Bethlehem and Calvary. God has shown us His love in the clearest way possible; by giving His Son.
The text emphasizes that God sent “his only begotten Son.” This is not one son among many. This is the unique, one-of-a-kind Son who shares the very essence of deity with the Father. The Greek word monogenēs means “one and only” or “unique.” Isaac was Abraham’s only begotten son in the sense that he was the son of promise, the beloved, the heir.However, Jesus is God’s only begotten Son in a far deeper sense. To give His Son was to give the greatest treasure heaven possessed. And God gave Him freely, willingly, and lovingly.
The purpose of this giving is stated clearly: “that we might live through him.” Humanity was dead in trespasses and sins,[1] spiritually lifeless, unable to save ourselves, without hope. But God sent His Son so that we might live. This is not just an improvement in life or a better life; it is life that comes from death. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”[2] He is the resurrection and the life; those who believe in Him will live, even though they die.[3] Eternal life is not just unending existence; it is the very life of God imparted to the believer through union with Christ. We live through Him; by His power, through His death and resurrection, in fellowship with Him.
John then defines love with precision: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” Love originates with God, not with us. We did not initiate the relationship. We did not seek Him first. We were enemies, rebels, dead in sin, hostile to God. Romans 5:8 echoes this truth: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The timing is crucial; while we were still sinners, while we were still His enemies, while we were unlovely and unworthy, God loved us. This is the scandal and the glory of the gospel. Human love is typically conditional, reciprocal, and based on the worthiness of the object. Divine love is unconditional, initiating, and rooted entirely in God’s character, not our merit.
The verse concludes with the specific demonstration of God’s love: “and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” People often misunderstand or neglect the word “propitiation” (hilasmos in Greek), one of the most important theological terms in Scripture. Propitiation means the satisfaction of God’s wrath against sin. It is not appeasement, trying to calm an angry deity with offerings. It is satisfaction; the full payment of the penalty that divine justice demands. God’s holiness cannot tolerate sin. His justice cannot ignore it. His righteousness cannot be compromised. God must punish sin. The wrath of God; His settled, righteous opposition to all evil, must be poured out.
But here is the wonder: God Himself provided the propitiation. He did not demand that we find a way to satisfy His wrath. He sent His Son to be the satisfaction. Jesus bore the full weight of divine judgment on the cross. He absorbed the wrath we deserved. He stood in our place and endured the punishment we had earned. And because His sacrifice was infinite in value (offered by the God-man, who is fully God and fully man), it fully satisfied divine justice for all who believe. Propitiation means that God’s wrath against our sin has been turned away; not by ignoring the sin, but by punishing it fully in the person of our substitute.
This is love at its most profound. It is not God overlooking our sin because He’s a nice grandfather figure who doesn’t really care about holiness. It is God dealing with our sin at infinite cost to Himself so that His holiness is upheld, His justice is satisfied, and His mercy can flow freely to guilty sinners. The cross is where love and wrath meet, where mercy and justice kiss, where grace triumphs without compromising truth.
John then moves from theology to ethics: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” The logic is inescapable. If God, who owed us nothing, gave us everything; if He loved us when we were unlovely, if He sacrificed His Son for His enemies, then we who have received such love are obligated to extend that love to others. The word “ought” is not a suggestion; it is a moral imperative. We are debtors to grace, and the debt we owe is paid forward in love to our brothers and sisters in Christ and to a lost world that needs the gospel.
This love is not based on feelings. It is a command, a choice, a commitment to seek the good of others regardless of cost or convenience. It means forgiving those who wrong us, serving those who cannot repay us, giving sacrificially to those in need, speaking truth in kindness, and laying down our lives in the daily, unglamorous ways that reflect the character of Christ. We love not because others deserve it, but because we have been loved when we didn’t deserve it. We give not because we are wealthy, but because we have been given the unspeakable gift of God’s Son.
The world measures love by sentiment and romance. God measures love by sacrifice and giving. The greatest love story ever told is not found in fiction or fantasy. It is found in history, at a cross on a hill outside Jerusalem, where the Son of God gave Himself so that rebels could become children, enemies could become friends, and the dead could be made alive.
Prayer:
- Thank the Father for the gift of His Son; the greatest, costliest gift that brought you life.
- Ask Him to teach you to give as He has given and love as He has loved, helping you see that love is not mere sentiment but sacrificial action.
Consider:
Choose one simple but meaningful act of generosity this week that blesses someone in Christ’s name. This could be financial (giving to someone in need), practical (helping with a task or project), or relational (investing time with someone who is lonely or hurting). Do it quietly, without announcement, and without expecting anything in return. Let it be a reflection of the God who gave His Son freely and fully for you.
[1] Ephesians 2:1
[2] John 10:10
[3] John 11:25
Robert C. Crowder Ministries 
Leave a comment