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Amanuensis

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2021
1,457
460
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#61
The issue is if God loves the non believer/non elect in the same way He loves His elect/believers. Is this why we never see preaching in the Bible (to the unsaved) saying "God loves you"? If not, why not?
I read Acts 2 and when they ask "what shall we do" and he says "repent and be baptized and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise is to you and your children" don't you think they felt Loved? Like guilty sinners who crucified the Lord being offered Grace and forgiveness?

Demanding that Peter must say "God Loves You" instead of what he said does not mean that Peter did not communicate that God loved them. I am sure they would differ with your opinion on that.

If you could ask one of the 3000 they would probably tell you that Peter told them that God loved them so much he sent Jesus to die for them and rise again so that they could be saved from this crooked and perverse generation.

I am sure that if you interviewed these 3000 you would hear "God Loves Me" all day long.

:D
 

Amanuensis

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2021
1,457
460
83
#62
What about where God says we are chosen? Does God choose everyone?

(Rom 8:30) And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Did He call all/justify all/glorify all? It seems you can't say He predestined all without saying He called/justified and glorified all.

Then, there is ...

(Eph 1:4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
(Eph 1:5) he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

I just think we need to realign some of our Arminian presuppositions to align with Scripture.
Are you toying with the idea that you should not tell anyone that Jesus loves them until you know for sure if they are saved already? Because you know, if they are not one of the elect, then you don't want to tell them Jesus loves them?
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#63
So Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the world was not an act of unconditional love in your books. Got it.
If God is not willing that any perish and some do, then there was some condition attached IF as you say God’s love is unconditional but salvation is conditional… Your words.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#64
My point was that John, Peter, Paul all wrote about God loving us, and Jesus loving us in their letters. I could quote the verses but I don't think I am being listened to so I will just make my point.

If they wrote about it then they preached it. Writing those letters was an example of their preaching and teaching.

These men were used by God throughout Acts and I am sure that what they wrote in their letters is what they said when they were not writing letters. Their letters are recorded documentation of what they preached and "not an argument from silence"

I really have nothing else to say about it.
Those letters were written to the Churches IOW…believers.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#65
Are you toying with the idea that you should not tell anyone that Jesus loves them until you know for sure if they are saved already? Because you know, if they are not one of the elect, then you don't want to tell them Jesus loves them?
No.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#66
I read Acts 2 and when they ask "what shall we do" and he says "repent and be baptized and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise is to you and your children" don't you think they felt Loved? Like guilty sinners who crucified the Lord being offered Grace and forgiveness?

Demanding that Peter must say "God Loves You" instead of what he said does not mean that Peter did not communicate that God loved them. I am sure they would differ with your opinion on that.

If you could ask one of the 3000 they would probably tell you that Peter told them that God loved them so much he sent Jesus to die for them and rise again so that they could be saved from this crooked and perverse generation.

I am sure that if you interviewed these 3000 you would hear "God Loves Me" all day long.

:D
I’m not demanding anything, I just find it curious that the Apostles, when preaching to the unsaved, never say, “God loves you”, like so much of the syrupy preaching today.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,132
2,164
113
#67
The parable of the prodigal shows the father seeing him 'afar off' and running to meet him, and hindsight provides us with the father's intention to get out the best robe and put rings on his fingers probably even as he saw him coming. Anyhow, the father never told the son, "I love you," in that story. The prodigal just 'came to himself' recalling his understanding of the father's character. It wasn't until his return that he 'saw' just how much the father loved him hugging his neck and kissing him.

You can say, "jesus loves you" all you like but there'll always be those that'd say, "if he did, then he'd give me my inherence now and..."
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,887
848
113
#68
Where do we find in preaching the Gospel in the Book of Acts the apostles saying to a crowd, “Jesus loves you”?
Only one letter in the New Testament does not mention love and you found it.

John's first letter mentions, 'love', 26 times. That's a lot considering the size of John's first letter.

1 John 4:7
Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:8
The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
 

Amanuensis

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2021
1,457
460
83
#69
I’m not demanding anything, I just find it curious that the Apostles, when preaching to the unsaved, never say, “God loves you”, like so much of the syrupy preaching today.
I hear you. The gospel never was just "Jesus Loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" That is not how Peter and Paul preached to people. They explained the reason for Jesus, and the cross and resurrection, judgment to come and how to escape it through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

I don't tell people Jesus loves you and walk away. That is no way to plant a seed. I tell them that Jesus died on the Cross to pay for the sins that they have committed so that they can repent and be saved from the judgment that is coming and three days later he rose from the dead and Jesus is Alive Right Now. Today.

Jesus is Alive!
 
Jun 12, 2021
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91
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#70
So would you say God doesn't save those whom He loves? (since He loves everyone unconditionally)
God only loves his elect. Jesus only paid the eternal penalty for God's elect sins which is the lake of fire.
It would a crazy injustice if God paid for the eternal penalty for nonelect sins and nonelects still go to the lake of fire.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-eternal-punishment-hours/
Lazarus and the rich man Luke 16:19-31
Extreme Dehydration, rich man begs for a drop of water.
Luke 16:24
King James Version (KJV)
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
A place of outer darkness Matthew 8:12
A place of no rest Revelation 14:11
A place of blackness and darkness forever Jude 13
A place where people are tormented with fire and brimstone Revelation 14:10
Extreme pain since you are in everlasting fire and constant guilt.
YouTube:
“David Platt – Jesus Absorbed the Wrath of God”

If Jesus didn’t die on the cross and carried all of our sins=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-eternal-punishment-hours/, God would still be just and holy, in sending us all to lake of fire because we are all guilty of our sins. Remember TV, movies, video games and computer games are all sins, except Christian stuff that don’t have sins like sermons. Just read the 10 commandments for a list.
But God was willing to have some mercy (to God’s elects), which we don’t deserve because we are all guilty of our sins. At least God was willing to have at least some mercy (to God’s elects), better than no mercy at all.

Isaiah 1:9
King James Version (KJV)
9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant (God’s elects), we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Romans 9:29
King James Version (KJV)
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed (God’s elects), we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.


Jesus came to save us elects out of sin.

Bottom link for true gospel.

https://spreadthegospel59.wordpress...s-powerful-how-do-we-receive-the-holy-spirit/
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,887
848
113
#71
I’m not demanding anything, I just find it curious that the Apostles, when preaching to the unsaved, never say, “God loves you”, like so much of the syrupy preaching today.
If you never mentioned love to the unsaved, then you would not be talking about Jesus Christ. Everything Jesus did and said, was driven by God's unconditional love for us.

Love is the dominant attribute that has displayed to humanity through human history. If God executed real justice or judgment, then we wouldn't be here, would we?

God's love for us is an unconditional love, you can even define love as 'grace' if you wish.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,887
848
113
#72
I hear you. The gospel never was just "Jesus Loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" That is not how Peter and Paul preached to people. They explained the reason for Jesus, and the cross and resurrection, judgment to come and how to escape it through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

I don't tell people Jesus loves you and walk away. That is no way to plant a seed. I tell them that Jesus died on the Cross to pay for the sins that they have committed so that they can repent and be saved from the judgment that is coming and three days later he rose from the dead and Jesus is Alive Right Now. Today.

Jesus is Alive!
But the new converts were drilled in the love of others. Have a look how many times 'love' is mentioned in the New testament. I think it occurs 39 times in John's gospel alone.

God is love!
 

Amanuensis

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2021
1,457
460
83
#73
But the new converts were drilled in the love of others. Have a look how many times 'love' is mentioned in the New testament. I think it occurs 39 times in John's gospel alone.

God is love!
I agree with you. I think Peter, John, Paul, who wrote about the Love of God and the Love of Jesus TOWARD Sinners. Also preached the same to people as they evangelized the unsaved.

And I think John 3:16 was understood and preached by them all.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,887
848
113
#74
I agree with you. I think Peter, John, Paul, who wrote about the Love of God and the Love of Jesus TOWARD Sinners. Also preached the same to people as they evangelized the unsaved.

And I think John 3:16 was understood and preached by them all.
Your not wrong.

The gospels are forms of evangelism and the gospels are what the unsaved read, to learn about Jesus.

Love itself, is the premium attribute of God and Jesus Christ, was love in it's most powerful form.

Anyone who omits love from the gospel account, does not know God.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,887
848
113
#75
God only loves his elect. Jesus only paid the eternal penalty for God's elect sins which is the lake of fire.
It would a crazy injustice if God paid for the eternal penalty for nonelect sins and nonelects still go to the lake of fire.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-eternal-punishment-hours/
Lazarus and the rich man Luke 16:19-31
Extreme Dehydration, rich man begs for a drop of water.
Luke 16:24
King James Version (KJV)
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
A place of outer darkness Matthew 8:12
A place of no rest Revelation 14:11
A place of blackness and darkness forever Jude 13
A place where people are tormented with fire and brimstone Revelation 14:10
Extreme pain since you are in everlasting fire and constant guilt.
YouTube:
“David Platt – Jesus Absorbed the Wrath of God”

If Jesus didn’t die on the cross and carried all of our sins=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-eternal-punishment-hours/, God would still be just and holy, in sending us all to lake of fire because we are all guilty of our sins. Remember TV, movies, video games and computer games are all sins, except Christian stuff that don’t have sins like sermons. Just read the 10 commandments for a list.
But God was willing to have some mercy (to God’s elects), which we don’t deserve because we are all guilty of our sins. At least God was willing to have at least some mercy (to God’s elects), better than no mercy at all.

Isaiah 1:9
King James Version (KJV)
9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant (God’s elects), we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Romans 9:29
King James Version (KJV)
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed (God’s elects), we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.


Jesus came to save us elects out of sin.

Bottom link for true gospel.

https://spreadthegospel59.wordpress...s-powerful-how-do-we-receive-the-holy-spirit/
To answer the two questions below, see Romans 11.

If the Jews were chosen by God before anyone else was elected. Then why did the Jews get grafted out?

Why does Paul warn us Gentiles also, that we can be grafted out likewise, if we do not continue in God's grace?
 

Live4Him3

Jesus is Lord
May 19, 2022
1,383
640
113
#77
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
First of all, I'd get rid of that Bible translation if I were you. Jesus is NOT God's "only Son" (both angels and Christians are called "sons of God" in scripture), but rather God's "only BEGOTTEN Son", and there's a world of difference between the two.

Secondly, in posting this verse, you're only proving that God's love is conditional in that we need to believe in Christ or else we'll perish. Those who are without Christ are children of wrath by nature, and that wrath is God's wrath.
 

Live4Him3

Jesus is Lord
May 19, 2022
1,383
640
113
#78

From Ephesians 2:4-7
Since you believe God's love is conditional, do you believe you did something to merit His favor?

I had someone just yesterday telling me the same thing. Scripture says there are none righteous.
My mind is literally boggled as I'm reading some of your posts here.

On the one hand, you keep on saying that you're not talking about salvation when you refer to God's alleged "unconditional love", and then you continue to post verses about salvation.

News flash!

The verse that you cited, IN CONTEXT, is extremely conditional.

Again, prior to meeting such CONDITIONS as faith in Christ and repentance, we were CHILDREN OF WRATH BY NATURE.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#80
What about where God says we are chosen? Does God choose everyone?

(Rom 8:30) And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Did He call all/justify all/glorify all? It seems you can't say He predestined all without saying He called/justified and glorified all.

Then, there is ...

(Eph 1:4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
(Eph 1:5) he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

I just think we need to realign some of our Arminian presuppositions to align with Scripture.
Many are called few are chosen. God has called all men to repentance .
But there is only one way to approach God and that is through JESUS. Him and him alone.
God came to man. Man did not go to GOD.
A free gift was offered to all, does that mean to all that God approves of? Certainly not for all were sinners.
Is one sin greater than another? Certainly not. For if one law be broken then all are broken.
We cannot approach God on our own terms, in our own ways. God has made the way of acceptance.
God sees us in the present as well as in the future. There is a work that JESUS is doing in all of us that only he can bring to totality. If we choose. Jesus said...consider the cost. The world will hate you for they hated me. In this world there will be many tribulations.
Jesus showed the way but he did not pave the path. All in all we are to over come this world as he did.
Sadly many will choose a different path. Which will seem right but leads to destruction.

I look at predestined to be a term or word used to remind us that the plan of salvation was thought out before the foundations of creation were formed. Keeping in mind that God knows and sees the end from the beginning.
So yes God had predestined all, but as JESUS said .....there are few that find it.




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