How does 1 John 4:10 connect with John 3:16 on God's love? Shared Core Message • 1 John 4:10 and John 3:16 speak with one voice: God’s love is revealed in sending His Son. • Both verses center on two unchanging truths: – God Himself initiates love. – The Son is the decisive gift that secures salvation. God’s Initiative in Love • 1 John 4:10: “Not that we loved God, but that He loved us…” • John 3:16: “For God so loved the world…” • Love starts with God, not humanity; Romans 5:8 echoes, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s Gift: His Son Given, His Son Sent • 1 John 4:10: God “sent His Son.” • John 3:16: God “gave His one and only Son.” • “Sent” highlights mission; “gave” underscores sacrifice. Together they show intentional, costly love. Purpose of the Gift: Propitiation and Eternal Life • 1 John 4:10: Jesus is “the propitiation for our sins” — He satisfies God’s righteous wrath. • John 3:16: Believers “shall not perish but have eternal life.” • Propitiation removes condemnation; eternal life fills the void with unending fellowship (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). Scope of Love: World-Wide yet Personal • John 3:16 widens the lens: “the world.” • 1 John 4:10 brings it home: “our sins.” • God’s love is vast enough for all and specific enough for each repentant sinner. Call to Receive and Reflect This Love • Saving faith embraces the Son God gave and sent (John 1:12; 1 John 4:15). • Those who receive become channels of the same love (1 John 4:11; Ephesians 5:2). The two verses interlock: John 3:16 states the sweeping offer; 1 John 4:10 explains the sacrificial mechanism. Together they unveil love’s source, cost, purpose, and reach—inviting every heart to believe and live. |
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