1 John 4:19 reveals the cornerstone of Christian love: “We love because He first loved us” (NIV). This profound verse teaches that all human capacity to genuinely love originates from God’s initiative. God didn’t wait for us to become lovable—He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). This divine love transforms hearts, heals wounds, and empowers believers to love others sacrificially, just as Christ loved the Church.
In a world that often conditions love on performance, appearance, or reciprocity, 1 John 4:19 offers revolutionary truth. The Apostle John, known as the “apostle of love,” wrote these words to early Christians facing persecution and false teachings. Today, this verse remains a beacon of hope, reminding us that our ability to love flows directly from the wellspring of God’s unconditional, first-move love.
Whether you’re struggling to love a difficult person, questioning your worth, or seeking to understand the biblical foundation of Christian relationships, this verse holds transformative power. Let’s explore its depth together.
The Full Text of 1 John 4:19
New International Version (NIV): “We love because he first loved us.”
King James Version (KJV): “We love him, because he first loved us.”
English Standard Version (ESV): “We love because he first loved us.”
Greek Original Context: The Greek phrase “ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς” (hēmeis agapōmen, hoti autos prōtos ēgapēsen hēmas) emphasizes the word “prōtos” (first), highlighting God’s initiative. The verb “agapao” refers to self-sacrificial, covenant love—not fleeting emotion but committed action.
Some translations include “him” (we love him), while others simply state “we love.” Both are textually supported, but the broader meaning encompasses loving both God and others as a result of His primary love.
What Does “We Love Because He First Loved Us” Mean?
God’s Initiative in Love
The phrase “He first loved us” shatters the myth that salvation depends on human effort. Before you took your first breath, before you could choose right from wrong, God already loved you (Ephesians 1:4-5). This isn’t a love you earned—it’s a love you inherited as His creation.
Consider this: God didn’t wait for humanity to “clean up” before sending Jesus. Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The cross proves that God’s love isn’t reactive; it’s proactive. He loved us into existence, loved us through rebellion, and loved us unto redemption.
The Cross: The Ultimate Expression of First Love
At Calvary, God’s “first love” became visible. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, endured the cross not because we deserved it, but because He chose us first (John 15:16). The nails, the thorns, the mockery—all were absorbed by the Lover of our souls before we even knew we needed saving.
1 John 4:10 (just verses earlier) clarifies: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” The atonement wasn’t Plan B; it was the eternal plan of a God who loved first.
Our Response: Love Made Possible
Here’s the miracle: We can love because we have been loved. It’s not willpower or moral excellence that enables Christians to love sacrificially—it’s the Holy Spirit pouring God’s love into our hearts (Romans 5:5). Like a reservoir fed by an eternal spring, our love for God and others flows from the infinite source of His prior love.
This means:
- You can forgive because you’ve been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32).
- You can serve because you’ve been served (John 13:14-15).
- You can sacrifice because He sacrificed first (1 John 3:16).
Love isn’t manufactured through guilt or duty; it’s the natural overflow of receiving God’s grace.
The Context of 1 John 4:19 in Scripture
1 John Chapter 4: God Is Love
To fully grasp 1 John 4:19, we must read it within its chapter. 1 John 4 is a theological masterpiece on the nature of God’s love:
- Verse 8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
- Verse 16: “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”
- Verse 19: “We love because he first loved us.”
Notice the progression: God is love (His essence) → God demonstrates love (the incarnation and crucifixion) → We respond in love (because we’ve been transformed).
Related Verses
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” God’s love is the reason for the gospel. Jesus wasn’t sent to make us lovable; He was sent because we were already loved.
Ephesians 2:4-5 – “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” God’s first love reached down to spiritually dead people and brought resurrection.
Romans 8:38-39 – “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God’s first love is also His final love—it never ends.
How God’s Love Transforms Our Ability to Love
Healing from Past Wounds
Many struggle to love because they’ve been unloved, abandoned, or abused. 1 John 4:19 offers healing: You are not defined by how others treated you; you are defined by how God loves you. His first love isn’t based on your past—it precedes it.
Psychologists confirm that children who experience consistent, unconditional love develop healthier relationships. Spiritually, the same is true. When believers internalize God’s first love, they’re freed from performing for acceptance. Security in God’s love becomes the foundation for healthy human love.
Breaking the Cycle of Conditional Love
The world teaches: “I’ll love you if you meet my standards.” God declares: “I loved you before you could meet any standard” (Romans 5:6-8). This reversal is revolutionary.
- Marriages thrive when spouses love “as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25)—unconditionally.
- Parenting flourishes when children know they’re loved for who they are, not just what they do.
- Friendships deepen when acceptance isn’t tied to social status or usefulness.
God’s first love breaks the performance trap.
Loving the Unlovable
Jesus commanded, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Humanly impossible—unless you’ve been loved first. When you remember that Christ died for you “while you were still His enemy” (Romans 5:10), loving difficult people becomes an act of worship.
Practical Example: Stephen, the first Christian martyr, prayed for his killers: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). He could love his murderers because he had received the love of the crucified Savior.
Practical Applications of 1 John 4:19 in Daily Life
In Marriage and Family
Application: Start each day thanking God for loving you first. Let that gratitude fuel how you serve your spouse and children. Instead of keeping score (“I did the dishes; now it’s your turn”), think: “Christ served me first; now I joyfully serve my family.”
Action Step: This week, perform one act of service for your spouse or child without expecting thanks—because that’s how God loved you.
In Church Community
Application: Church isn’t a club for the perfect; it’s a hospital for sinners loved by God. Extend grace to the struggling believer because you, too, are only standing by God’s first love (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Action Step: Reach out to someone in your congregation who seems isolated. Your initiative mirrors God’s first move toward you.
Toward Enemies and Difficult People
Application: When someone wrongs you, remember: God loved you when you were His enemy. Forgiveness isn’t excusing sin; it’s releasing the debt because your debt was paid first.
Action Step: Pray daily for one person who has hurt you. Ask God to help you see them as He does—someone desperately in need of the same first love you received.
In Self-Love and Identity
Application: Reject self-hatred. If God deemed you worthy of His Son’s life before you did anything, your worth is established. Self-love rooted in God’s love isn’t arrogance; it’s agreement with His assessment of you.
Action Step: Memorize 1 John 4:19 and recite it whenever shame or insecurity arise. Your identity is “first loved by God.”
Common Questions About 1 John 4:19
Why does God’s love come first?
Because we were incapable of initiating a relationship with God due to sin (Romans 3:23). Just as a drowning person can’t save themselves, spiritually dead people can’t generate saving love for God. God had to move first, or we’d remain lost.
Theologically, this is called “prevenient grace”—God’s grace that precedes and enables our response. Without His first love, we’d have no capacity to love Him back.
Can we truly love without knowing God?
Humans can exhibit common grace love—kindness, empathy, familial affection—even without faith (Matthew 5:45). However, agape love—the self-sacrificing, unconditional love described in 1 Corinthians 13—requires the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
Non-believers can perform loving acts, but the deepest, most enduring love flows from being transformed by God’s love. As Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
How do I experience God’s first love?
- Repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Accept that Jesus died for your sins and rose again.
- Meditate on Scripture that declares God’s love: John 3:16, Romans 8:38-39, Ephesians 2:4-5.
- Pray for revelation (Ephesians 1:17-19). Ask the Holy Spirit to make God’s love real to your heart, not just your mind.
- Fellowship with believers who reflect God’s love (1 John 4:12).
- Rest in God’s promises. His love isn’t dependent on your feelings—it’s anchored in the cross.
Prayer: Receiving and Reflecting God’s Love
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for loving me first—before I knew You, before I sought You, even when I rebelled against You. Help me to truly grasp the width, length, height, and depth of Your love in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Fill my heart with Your Holy Spirit so that I may love others as You have loved me. When I face difficult people, remind me that I, too, was once Your enemy, yet You pursued me. When I feel unworthy, anchor my identity in Your first love, not my performance.
Teach me to love sacrificially—in my marriage, family, church, and community. Let my life be a testimony that we love because You first loved us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclusion: Living in the Reality of Being First Loved
1 John 4:19 is not merely a poetic verse for greeting cards; it’s the engine of Christian life. Every act of kindness, every moment of forgiveness, every sacrifice you make for another—all are echoes of God’s first, relentless, pursuing love for you.
You don’t have to earn love; you need to receive it. And once you truly internalize that the Creator of the universe loved you enough to die for you before you did anything to deserve it, everything changes. Bitterness melts. Fear dissipates. Love becomes possible.
Today, will you believe that you are first loved? Will you let that truth reshape how you see yourself, your relationships, and your purpose?
The journey of faith begins with this stunning reality: God didn’t wait for you to get it together. He loved you first. Now, go and love others the same way.