What does 1 John 3:1 mean when it says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has lavished onto us”?

The apostle John endeavored to convey to believers the singular and unparalleled nature of God’s love for His children. The love of the heavenly Father is truly like no other love: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him” (1 John 3:1). The New King James Version states, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God!”

The word translated as “behold” (NKJV) or “see” (NIV, ESV, NLT) in 1 John 3:1 means more than just observing casually. In the original Greek, John’s chosen verb refers “to knowing experientially, to understanding.” Only a born-again child of God can genuinely appreciate the Father’s one-of-a-kind love. We must experience it firsthand, receiving God’s love through believing in Jesus Christ and accepting His redeeming sacrifice on the cross (see 1 Corinthians 2:15–16).

Behold what manner of love expresses the idea of amazement in the original language. “What manner” (potapēn in Greek) literally means “what sort,” but carries the idea of “what country.” God’s love is so foreign and otherworldly that it causes its recipients to marvel. God has not just given us His love; He has lavished it upon us in Jesus Christ (see Romans 8:35–39). The term lavish implies presenting something in generous or extravagant quantities.

The first thing John mentions about God’s love for believers is that it is the love of a Father. To be called children of God means we have the immeasurable privilege of becoming members of God’s spiritual family (John 1:12–13). We are adopted as authentic sons and daughters by our dearly loved “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:4–7). In Jesus, God has lavished on us full rights to our heavenly inheritance as His beloved children (Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6). We are destined for glory—to rule and reign with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12).

Another quality of the love lavished on us by the Father is that it is extraordinarily sacrificial: “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10, NLT). Jesus said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NLT). God loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us. Jesus had to leave His Father’s side in the perfection of heaven, lay aside His divine privileges, humble Himself to human status, come to earth, live among fallen humanity, become a suffering servant, and die a criminal’s death on a cross so that we might be saved and live with Him forever (John 3:17; Philippians 2:1–11).

The apostle Paul expressed the extravagance of God’s love like this: “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. . . . For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:4–8, NLT).

God’s love is a divine gift originating from our heavenly Father. His love actively pursues us despite our shortcomings, failures, unworthiness, and unloveliness. Even when we live in rebellion with hearts far from God, the Father generously pours out His grace, mercy, and unfathomable love, lavishing on us the gift of salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6–10). May we never lose our sense of wonder at being called a child of God! May we ever behold what manner of love the Father has lavished on us!