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In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Verse Takeaways
1
Love's True Origin
Commentators unanimously stress that the definition of true love is found not in our affection for God, but in His for us. This love is "gratuitous" and "antecedent," meaning God initiated it freely, not as a response to our goodness. Scholars like Barnes and Spurgeon note that God loved us while we were His enemies, unloving and unlovable, making His love the ultimate source, not a reaction.
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Book Overview
1 John
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12
18th Century
Presbyterian
Herein is love. In this great gift is the highest expression of love, as if it had done all that it can do.
Not that we loved G…
Not that (ουχ οτ)
--but that (αλλ' οτ). Sharp contrast as in Joh 7:22; 2 Corinthians 7:9; Php …
19th Century
Anglican
THE PERFECT LOVE THE SUREST TEST (1 John 4:7–21).
Fraternal love the necessary product of the true knowledge of God…
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Baptist
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,…
The author now distinguishes agape love from any love claimed by the false teachers. It is not that “we loved God” (3:17; 4:20), as his opponents c…
16th Century
Protestant
Herein is love. He amplifies God’s love with another reason: that He gave us His own Son at the time when we were enemies, as Paul teaches…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Herein is love The love of God, free love, love that cannot be matched: herein it is manifested, as before; this is …
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. The one who does not love the image of God in His people has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God's n…
