CCC 604

By giving up his own Son for our sins, God manifests that his plan for us is one of benevolent love, prior to any merit on our part: "In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins."⁴⁰⁸ I John 4:10; 4:19. God "shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."⁴⁰⁹ Rom 5:8.