8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, How the scripture distinctly represents the love of God in giving Christ to die for us, as well as Christ’s love in dying for us: God commended his love; declared, expressed, and made manifest his love to us: Christ’s death is often represented in scripture, as an instance of the great love of the Father towards us; because his wisdom did contrive this way of our redemption; and he has graciously accepted of his Son’s sufferings in our stead. Verily, the giving of heaven itself, with all its joys and glory, is not so full and perfect a demonstration of the love of God as the giving of his Son to die for us; especially if we consider one endearing circumstance of this love of God which he commended towards us; namely, That it warmed the heart of God from all eternity, and was never interrupted in that vast duration.
Our salvation by Christ is the product of God’s eternal counsel, Ac 2:23 that is, the fruit of his everlasting love; before the world began, we were in the eyes, yea, in and upon the heart of God.
In a word, well might the apostle say, That God commended his love towards us, forasmuch as, in common esteem, he expressed greater love to us than to Christ himself: For God, in giving him to die for us, declared to us that our salvation was more-dear to him than the life of his own Son. God regretted that he made man, but never regretted that he gave his Son to redeem man.
Learn hence, That the death of Christ for sinners is an evident demonstration of the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ: God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.