“THIS IS LOVE: not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED (agapaō) US and sent His only Son as an 1ATONING SACRIFICE for our sins. Dear friends, since God SO LOVED US, we also 2OUGHT to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. No one has ever seen God; but IF we love one another, God LIVES IN US and HIS LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE IN US.” (1 John 4:10-12) 1hilasmos: an appeasing, propitiating. Propitiation means “to make favorable“, and it refers to avoiding God’s wrath against us as sinners. Amanda, propitiation is the act that appeased the TOTAL and FULL wrath of God’s judgment for the sins of human beings.2opheileō: being under obligation, giving that that which is due.
We discover this about God’s LOVE for us Amanda, it is an UNCONDITIONAL love. That love has nothing to do with our worthiness to be loved, it exists not because of who we are but because of who God is, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8). Because of Christ’s willingness to take our place and die for us, we escape God’s wrath and instead experience God’s love with this condition, we are obligated to love one another. “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, HE IS A LIAR; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER also.” (1 John 4:20-21)
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