1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. I. FROM THE EXCELLENCY OF THE FOUNTAIN AND ORIGINAL, FROM WHICH IT SPRINGS that is the love of God to us. 1. The instance: "Herein is love." A speech it is of great emphasis, spoken by the apostle with great strength of affection; and it carrieth with it a three-fold intimation. (1) It is a specification of that affection, or rather attribute, in God, which most of all shone in this great work of Christ's Incarnation. It was His love that employed His wisdom, His power, His righteousness; set them on working for our good and benefit. (2) It shows the real proof and manifestation of His love. It was love testified in the reality of love. It intimates not only an act of love, but an effect of love, a fruit of love. It was not a well wishing love only, but a love that breaks forth into action and evidence. (3) It carries with it the most clear and full demonstration of love to us. Other fruits of love He hath vouchsafed us, and we enjoy them daily; but none so evident proofs of His love as the sending of His Son to us. 2. The illustration of the greatness and excellency of this love. "Not that we loved Him, but that He loved us."(1) We may resolve these words into a preventing sense. We began not with Him in this league of love, but He began with us. That is one excellency of His love; it was a forward, antecedent, preventing love. (2) We may resolve it into a negative sense. We loved not Him, and yet He loved us. That is another excellency of His love; it was a free, undeserved love, no way due to us. (3) We may resolve it into a comparative sense. Had we loved Him, or do we love Him? Yet that is nothing in comparison of His love to us. "Herein is love, not that we loved Him": no great matter in that. Our love to Him — it is not worth the naming. II. THE EXCELLENCY OF THE BENEFIT WHICH FLOWS FROM THE FOUNTAIN — that is the sending of Christ to accomplish our salvation. And here are three great and gracious fruits of love. 1. That He would send to us. (1) This act of sending to us argues much love. It had been much for Him to admit of our sending addresses to Him. Consider upon what terms we stood with God, and we will confess it. (a) The inferior should send and seek to the superior. (b) The party offending to the party offended. (c) The weaker should send to the stronger. (d) They that need reconciliation should seek to him that needs it not. (2) God sent Him to us wittingly and willingly. Our Saviour came not of Himself only, but the Father sent Him. It was a full mission and commission. He sent Him; yea, more than so, He sent Him and authorised Him (John 6:27). (3) He sent Him — (a) Not as a Messenger only but as a Gift also; that is the best kind of sending. He so sent Him as that He gave Him to us. (b) He was a gift not only promised but actually bestowed and exhibited to us. We enjoy Him, whom the prophets promised, the patriarchs expected. 2. Here is an higher expression of His love in that He sent His Son to us. (1) Take notice of the dignity of Him that was sent (Philippians 2:6, 7). (2) For so great a God to send any, though never so mean, to such wretches as we were, had been a favour more than we could expect; but to send His only Son, His beloved Son, is a testimony of love beyond all comprehension. 3. The purpose and end of sending Him — that is, "to be the propitiation for our sins."(1) It was for sins. (a) It had been much for just and good men and for their benefit. (b) To mediate for those that have offended another is a kindness and office of love that may be found amongst men; but God is the Person wronged, our sins are all against Him, His law was broken, His will disobeyed, His name dishonoured. Yet see His love — He sends to propitiate and expiate our sins against Himself. (c) To send to rebels in arms and to offer them pardon, hath been found amongst men; but for rebels subdued and under the power of their sovereign, nay, shut up — we lay all at His mercy — and then He sends unto us His propitiation. (2) It was for the propitiating of our sins. That was the great work for which He came (Isaiah 27:9). That was His errand on which He came. This He published and made known to the world. (a) To propitiate is to appease God's wrath and displeasure, justly taken against us, and to reduce us into grace and favour again. He loved us in our deformity, that He might put upon us a spiritual beauty. He loved us when we displeased Him, that He might work in us that which pleaseth Him. (b) He did it by the means of making a full satisfaction to the justice of God for us. He hath done away our sins, not by a free dispensation, but by a full and just compensation. (c) What is the matter of our propitiation — the price of our ransom? That is the highest improvement of love. He is our propitiation: not only our propitiator, but our propitiation. He is not only our Saviour, but He is become our salvation — as David speaks. He is not only our Redeemer, but our ransom (1 Timothy 2:6; Isaiah 53:10; Romans 3:25; Leviticus 17:11). He was not only the Priest, but the Sacrifice also. He not only acted for us, but suffered for us (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:13). III. WHAT EFFECT SHOULD THIS LOVE OF GOD WORK IN US? 1. It should teach us to fasten our admiration on this great love of God, to work ourselves to an holy wonderment, that God should bestow such love upon us. 2. This great love of God to us calls for another effect: that is an holy retribution of love to Him again. Provoke thyself, inflame thine heart with the love of Him who hath so loved thee. 3. This love of God requires in us an holy imitation. In particular, imitate this love of God in all the characters of love expressed in my text. (1) The reality of thy love. Show thy love by the fruits of love, as St. John speaks (1 John 3:18). (2) We must imitate this love of God in the preventions of love, in showing of love, going one before another. (3) We must imitate this love of God in the condescensions of His love to our inferiors, to our enemies. (4) We must imitate this love of God in that great and main effect of His love to our souls in freeing them from sin (Leviticus 19:17). Love to the soul of thy brother, it is the best love; and to keep him from sin, or to free him of sin, it is the best love to his soul. (Bp. Brownrigg.) Parallel Verses KJV: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. |
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