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.
10 Herein is love He amplifies God’s love by another reason, that he gave us his own Son at the time when we were enemies, as Paul teaches us, in Romans 5:8; but he employs other words, that God, induced by no love of men, freely loved them. He meant by these words to teach us that God’s love towards us has been gratuitous.
Verse 10. 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 God. Not that we were in such a state that we might suppose he would make such a sacrifice for us, but just the opposite.
Herein is love--love in the abstract: love, in its highest ideal, is herein. The love was all on God's side, none on ours. not that we loved God--though so altogether worthy of love. he loved us--though so altogether unworthy of love.