Why does God love us?
- Thread starter MaryM
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Hello MaryM, God loves us, not because there is something about us that is in any way worthy of His love, but simply because He 'chose' to do love us.
His love for us is like no other love that we will ever experience, and the Bible tells us that it is, "from everlasting" .. e.g. Jeremiah 31:3, just like He is. That means that there was never a time in eternity past when God did not already love you (which also means that He loved you LONG before you could have done anything to "earn" His love, not that it is possible to do so, of course).
Such knowledge is simply too wonderful for us, yes?
I used to believe that wrapping my mind around certain attributes of His, like His omnipresence, would be what principally occupied my thoughts for the rest of eternity, but I am more convinced than ever that it is the depth of His love for us that will take the longest to fully comprehend (if such a thing is even possible in the time that eternity allows for, that is
).
God bless you!!
~Deutronomy
His love for us is like no other love that we will ever experience, and the Bible tells us that it is, "from everlasting" .. e.g. Jeremiah 31:3, just like He is. That means that there was never a time in eternity past when God did not already love you (which also means that He loved you LONG before you could have done anything to "earn" His love, not that it is possible to do so, of course).
Such knowledge is simply too wonderful for us, yes?
I used to believe that wrapping my mind around certain attributes of His, like His omnipresence, would be what principally occupied my thoughts for the rest of eternity, but I am more convinced than ever that it is the depth of His love for us that will take the longest to fully comprehend (if such a thing is even possible in the time that eternity allows for, that is
).God bless you!!
~Deutronomy
-
2
- Show all
.
God may love you per John 3:16-17 but that doesn't necessarily mean He
likes you, viz: not all love in the Bible is affectionate.
For example: the good Samaritan probably wasn't especially fond of the man
fallen prey to road agents, but he helped the poor guy anyway because it
was the humane thing to do.
"A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he
saw him, he had compassion on him." (Luke 10:33)
I grew up taught only the fire and brimstone aspect of God never dreaming
He might have a compassionate side.
* Compassion can be roughly defined as a sympathetic awareness of
another's distress in combination with a desire to alleviate it. (cf. Gal 6:2)
_
God may love you per John 3:16-17 but that doesn't necessarily mean He
likes you, viz: not all love in the Bible is affectionate.
For example: the good Samaritan probably wasn't especially fond of the man
fallen prey to road agents, but he helped the poor guy anyway because it
was the humane thing to do.
"A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he
saw him, he had compassion on him." (Luke 10:33)
I grew up taught only the fire and brimstone aspect of God never dreaming
He might have a compassionate side.
* Compassion can be roughly defined as a sympathetic awareness of
another's distress in combination with a desire to alleviate it. (cf. Gal 6:2)
_
Why does God love us?
He sees beyond what we are to what we can be in Christ.
Your ability to surrender all to His precious dear Son. Those who reject the Son have nothing to anticipate except eternal hellfire.
John 3:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Let us not forget that the Truth is a double-edged sword.
He sees beyond what we are to what we can be in Christ.
Your ability to surrender all to His precious dear Son. Those who reject the Son have nothing to anticipate except eternal hellfire.
John 3:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Let us not forget that the Truth is a double-edged sword.
Yes, we know you refuse to accept what the words really mean.
You sow discord with your faulty understanding. God hates those who sow discord .
You sow discord with your faulty understanding. God hates those who sow discord .
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Limited Atonement is such a scumbag doctrine.
It appeals to the religious, the racists, and those with prejudice.
It's like the KKK version of the gospel.
Let's walk this out.
If God chooses to save some and not others, so what? How would that change the divine imperative for the sons of God to be led by the Spirit of God?
Don't want to go to Nineveh to bless the people who harmed you? So what? You should hope that God sends a fish to deliver you vs. choosing another to go.
You, as an apostle, prefer to be around people of your own race? So what? You should hope that God sends another to oppose you to your face and not simply dismiss you.
But now, Limited Atonement inserts man's reasoning into the mix.
"The people have a history of rejecting God? There is no way God will send me to them."
This person has NO CHANCE to be led by the Spirit in this matter.
"This guy is a Democrat. Everything he says is a lie."
Zero chance God will use you in his life.
If one is led by the Spirit they might even be led to people who will reject the gospel completely. (gasp!)
"What?! God will never waste my time!"
Ha, buddy, if you were really bought for a price you should know that it's not your time to begin with. Obviously God has something to teach you. If you will not be led by the Spirit in faith then you can learn nothing.
Limited Atonement: Such a stupid, stupid doctrine. Ironically, those who use it to quickly cut others off from God's grace are, themselves, cut off from God's Spirit. The way of the sons of God is to be led by the Spirit of God, not by reason. Reason how to cut your lawn and how to make a cake NOT how God distributes His grace.
If you're caught in this doctrine pray that God sends you a big fish or one to oppose you to your face so that you will repent. If you keep going this way you'll turn bitter and be of no use for God.
It appeals to the religious, the racists, and those with prejudice.
It's like the KKK version of the gospel.
Let's walk this out.
If God chooses to save some and not others, so what? How would that change the divine imperative for the sons of God to be led by the Spirit of God?
Don't want to go to Nineveh to bless the people who harmed you? So what? You should hope that God sends a fish to deliver you vs. choosing another to go.
You, as an apostle, prefer to be around people of your own race? So what? You should hope that God sends another to oppose you to your face and not simply dismiss you.
But now, Limited Atonement inserts man's reasoning into the mix.
"The people have a history of rejecting God? There is no way God will send me to them."
This person has NO CHANCE to be led by the Spirit in this matter.
"This guy is a Democrat. Everything he says is a lie."
Zero chance God will use you in his life.
If one is led by the Spirit they might even be led to people who will reject the gospel completely. (gasp!)
"What?! God will never waste my time!"
Ha, buddy, if you were really bought for a price you should know that it's not your time to begin with. Obviously God has something to teach you. If you will not be led by the Spirit in faith then you can learn nothing.
Limited Atonement: Such a stupid, stupid doctrine. Ironically, those who use it to quickly cut others off from God's grace are, themselves, cut off from God's Spirit. The way of the sons of God is to be led by the Spirit of God, not by reason. Reason how to cut your lawn and how to make a cake NOT how God distributes His grace.
If you're caught in this doctrine pray that God sends you a big fish or one to oppose you to your face so that you will repent. If you keep going this way you'll turn bitter and be of no use for God.
-
1
- Show all
If it turns out that Limited Atonement is the Truth of God's Eternal Plan... Let's see then... Hmmm:
You just called God - a scumbag, a Religionist, a racist, prejudiced and stupid. I hope for your sake you don't have it wrong.
By the way, you used "racist" in the incorrect way, as most of our society does. Race speaks to us as being humans. As humans, we are of the same race. Unless of course, you are not human. What you should have been referring to, is "ethnic" differences. Of which there are hundreds. In the case of God's Word, however, there are just - Jews and non-Jews or Jews and Gentiles. Only two in the eyes of God. (Gee - that sounds a lot like a limited group V. the rest).
You just called God - a scumbag, a Religionist, a racist, prejudiced and stupid. I hope for your sake you don't have it wrong.
By the way, you used "racist" in the incorrect way, as most of our society does. Race speaks to us as being humans. As humans, we are of the same race. Unless of course, you are not human. What you should have been referring to, is "ethnic" differences. Of which there are hundreds. In the case of God's Word, however, there are just - Jews and non-Jews or Jews and Gentiles. Only two in the eyes of God. (Gee - that sounds a lot like a limited group V. the rest).
.
Biblical hate is somewhat ambiguous; for example:
● Luke 14:26 . . If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother,
he cannot be my disciple.
The Greek word for hate in that verse basically means to detest, but Jews
are not allowed to detest their parents.
● Ex 20:12 . . Honor your father and your mother.
However; that Greek word can also mean simply to love someone less than
another, like this:
" If any man come to me, and not love me more than his father and mother,
he cannot be my disciple." (cf. Deut 6:5)
Could it be that Jesus' intent in Luke 14:26 pertains to loyalty and devotion
rather than fondness and/or affection?
_
Biblical hate is somewhat ambiguous; for example:
● Luke 14:26 . . If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother,
he cannot be my disciple.
The Greek word for hate in that verse basically means to detest, but Jews
are not allowed to detest their parents.
● Ex 20:12 . . Honor your father and your mother.
However; that Greek word can also mean simply to love someone less than
another, like this:
" If any man come to me, and not love me more than his father and mother,
he cannot be my disciple." (cf. Deut 6:5)
Could it be that Jesus' intent in Luke 14:26 pertains to loyalty and devotion
rather than fondness and/or affection?
_
I know just how you feel I have often thought of all this many times myself it is like you wrote what I have been thinking lately.
It really is a mystery I mean we are told in scripture why he loves us so much who and what we are to him it can be easy to take this for granted for though we can say he loves us and give the biblical explaination of it but if you actually think about it the kind of unrelenting love he has for us how unreasonably generous he is with us as his children how he adorns us with crowns and even set us up to actually reign with Christ like we are grafted into his family and he loved us unreasonably before we were eeven saved
Like the absolute multitude of blessings and all the good things he promises us and gives us all simply because he loves us because we are his.
It really is a mystery and the part where you asked about the value of your soul that he would go that far well I don't know if this helps or not and feel free to dismiss but what if it is because he already knew you before hand? This is just something for me personally so it may apply to you but the more I got to know him his nature his traits his atributes what makes him laugh what makes him sad angry everything I could learn of him but I started getting this sense that he felt somehow vaguely familiar somehow like something as a long forgotten memory or a dream you can only vaguely recall.
It really is a mystery I mean we are told in scripture why he loves us so much who and what we are to him it can be easy to take this for granted for though we can say he loves us and give the biblical explaination of it but if you actually think about it the kind of unrelenting love he has for us how unreasonably generous he is with us as his children how he adorns us with crowns and even set us up to actually reign with Christ like we are grafted into his family and he loved us unreasonably before we were eeven saved
Like the absolute multitude of blessings and all the good things he promises us and gives us all simply because he loves us because we are his.
It really is a mystery and the part where you asked about the value of your soul that he would go that far well I don't know if this helps or not and feel free to dismiss but what if it is because he already knew you before hand? This is just something for me personally so it may apply to you but the more I got to know him his nature his traits his atributes what makes him laugh what makes him sad angry everything I could learn of him but I started getting this sense that he felt somehow vaguely familiar somehow like something as a long forgotten memory or a dream you can only vaguely recall.
-
1
- Show all