“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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:10-12)
The slogan “love is love” has become prevalent in secular cultural vocabulary. It is intended to substantiate the legitimacy of anything that anyone desires to define as love. Proponents of the sexual revolution and the LGBTQ movement often wield the phrase against those, usually Christians, who hold conservative convictions, attempting to invalidate opposition with a seemingly incontrovertible sentiment.
The problem with this phrase is that it presents itself as a definition without actually defining anything. To say “love is love” is to say nothing of any substance. In addition, it assumes an unbiblical premise that what is natural is therefore good. It claims that if I am naturally attracted to someone, regardless of any other factors, such natural affection is necessarily justified.
John pierces such confusion and error with shocking clarity. In order for love to be significant, one must be able to understand and define what love actually is—and John does just that.
He begins these verses by saying, “In this is love . . .” What follows is his divinely inspired description of the nature of true love. It is not rooted in some subjective experience but in the objective nature of God himself. The greatest expression of love in the history of the world was when God sent his son, who laid down his life for us (John 15:13). The greatest love is that which gives the most, and God’s love was so great that he gave his only begotten son. Not only that, but the Son’s love was so great that he willingly came and died for those who were his enemies.
Matthew Henry notes,
He loved us when we had no love for him, when we lay in our guilt, misery, and blood, when we were undeserving, ill-deserving, polluted, and unclean, and wanted to be washed from our sins in sacred blood.
This manifestation of God’s boundless love was not just for spectacle or an abstract demonstration of his care. Christ laid down his life to accomplish a specific purpose: to be the propitiation for our sins.
This is indeed the ultimate sacrifice. This is the love by which all other loves are measured. This is, as John Bunyan expressed, “Love divine, all loves excelling.” When sin separated us from God, he, at the indescribable cost of his own Son, redeemed his people.
Even the slightest glimpse into the depths of this love compels us to do as John says and “love one another.” There is no other response that is appropriate when we see the manner in which God demonstrated his love. When God’s love for us produces in us love for one another, his love is perfected in us, meaning that it has been brought to completion and produced its intended end. The love that has flowed into our hearts is meant to then flow outward to others.
We can immediately see the connection to the Great Commission. Two chapters earlier, John said, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (2:2). God’s love is not restricted to one nation, but he loves and has chosen his elect from the whole world.
Therefore, since we have been witnesses to the greatest of all loves, our task is now to display that love among the nations. Love begins with God, and true love will always reflect his holy character. As those whom God has chosen to love, we are enlisted into his service as ambassadors. Our emblem is that of the kingdom of heaven, our king is the Lamb who was slain, and our message is the forgiveness of sins through the propitiation of Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You have shown us your love through the person and work of your Son. Please continue to impress upon us the depth of that love and cultivate in us an unwavering desire to see the nations come to you in faith.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for missionaries reaching the unreached in Toronto.
- Wednesday: Pray for missionaries using fitness to share the gospel in Thailand.
- Thursday: Pray for the ministry of Hope Radio in Togo.
- Friday: Pray for the missionary candidates who will attend Missionary Orientation next month.
- Saturday: Pray for the Sports Event Evangelism teams as they reach people for Christ.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Italy.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving through counseling.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
ESL Teachers
Location: Thailand
Do you have a gift for the English language, feel compelled to share the good news of Jesus Christ, and enjoy developing authentic relationships? If so, our ABWE team in northeast Thailand has a place for you. We desperately need new missionaries to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) and make gospel-centered friendships as part of our church planting initiatives.
