1 John 4:19

We love because he first loved us.

(v19, NIV)

This is what John has been talking about. God is the originator and author of love. He loves us and shows us what love is by his example. When he loves us first, we complete love by loving others as a result of his love for us. We love because he first loved us.

We can't go about saying that we loved God first. It just doesn't happen. We by nature choose evil instead of what is good. It is only by his love for us that we are able to love. Sure, we can love money and love ourselves and love all sorts of things. However, that is not the same as the love resulting from God's love for us.