The usage of the words "all" and "world"
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But if we are to even love our enemies, why are we commanded to not love the world if world here means each and every individual?
Thatās easy to explain. The world in that verse means the worldās system and how it is opposed to all things God.
gotquestions.com has a good explanation of this...
Question: "What does it mean that we are not to love the world?"
Answer: First John 2:15-16 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the worldāthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeācomes not from the Father but from the world." Yet John 3:16 begins, "For God so loved the world. . . ." So, God loves the world, but we are not supposed to? Why the apparent contradiction?
In the Bible, the term world can refer to the earth and physical universe (Hebrews 1:2; John 13:1), but it most often refers to the humanistic system that is at odds with God (Matthew 18:7; John 15:19; 1 John 4:5). When the Bible says that God loves the world, it is referring to the human beings who live here (1 John 4:9). And as His children, we are to love other people (Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:7; 1 Peter 1:22). The parable of the Good Samaritan makes it clear we cannot pick and choose whom to love (Luke 10:30-37).
When we are told not to love the world, the Bible is referring to the world's corrupt value system. Satan is the god of this world, and he has his own value system contrary to God's (2 Corinthians 4:4). First John 2:16 details exactly what Satan's system promotes: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Every sin imaginable can be summed up in those three evils: envy, adultery, pride, lying, selfishness, and more spring from those three roots.
The world is what we leave when we come to Christ. Isaiah 55:7 says that coming to God involves a forsaking of our own ways and thoughts. John Bunyan, in his book The Pilgrimās Progress, pictures the believerās position as having āhis eyes lift up to heaven,ā holding āthe best of booksā in his hand, and standing with āthe world as cast behind himā (p. 34).
The world often applauds sin. Hollywood encourages us to envy sinners and to foolishly compare ourselves with the "beautiful people" (see Proverbs 23:17). Often the popularity of "stars" is due to their ability to stir in us dissatisfaction with our own lives. Advertisers prey on our natural tendency to love this world, and most marketing campaigns appeal in some way to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life.
Loving the world means being devoted to the worldās treasures, philosophies, and priorities. God tells His children to set their priorities according to His eternal value system. We are to āseek firstā Godās kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), and we cannot be devoted to both God and the world at the same time.
When we enter God's family through faith in Christ, God gives us the ability to exit the world's rat race (2 Corinthians 5:17). We become citizens of another kingdom (Philippians 1:27, 3:20). Our desires turn heavenward, and we begin to store up eternal treasure (Luke 12:33; Matthew 19:21; 1 Timothy 6:18-19). We realize that what is truly important is eternal, not temporal, and we stop loving the world.
To continue to love the world the way unbelievers do will cripple our spiritual growth and render us fruitless for God's kingdom (Matthew 3:8; Luke 6:43-45; John 15:1-8). In John 12:25, Jesus took this thought a step further when He said, "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." Not loving the world extends to our own lives as well. Jesus said if we love anything more than Him, we are not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:37-38).
In general, the term world in the Bible refers to the evil system controlled by Satan that leads us away from worship of God. John Calvin said, "The human heart is an idol factory." We can make idols out of anything. Any passionate desire of our hearts that is not put there by God for His glory can become an idol (1 Corinthians 10:31). Loving the world is idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:7, 14). So, while we are commanded to love the people of the world, we are to be wary of anything that competes with God for our highest affections.
https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-love-the-world.html
So, the word world has several usages in the Bible.
Thatās easy to explain. The world in that verse means the worldās system and how it is opposed to all things God.
gotquestions.com has a good explanation of this...
Question: "What does it mean that we are not to love the world?"
Answer: First John 2:15-16 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the worldāthe lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeācomes not from the Father but from the world." Yet John 3:16 begins, "For God so loved the world. . . ." So, God loves the world, but we are not supposed to? Why the apparent contradiction?
In the Bible, the term world can refer to the earth and physical universe (Hebrews 1:2; John 13:1), but it most often refers to the humanistic system that is at odds with God (Matthew 18:7; John 15:19; 1 John 4:5). When the Bible says that God loves the world, it is referring to the human beings who live here (1 John 4:9). And as His children, we are to love other people (Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:7; 1 Peter 1:22). The parable of the Good Samaritan makes it clear we cannot pick and choose whom to love (Luke 10:30-37).
When we are told not to love the world, the Bible is referring to the world's corrupt value system. Satan is the god of this world, and he has his own value system contrary to God's (2 Corinthians 4:4). First John 2:16 details exactly what Satan's system promotes: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Every sin imaginable can be summed up in those three evils: envy, adultery, pride, lying, selfishness, and more spring from those three roots.
The world is what we leave when we come to Christ. Isaiah 55:7 says that coming to God involves a forsaking of our own ways and thoughts. John Bunyan, in his book The Pilgrimās Progress, pictures the believerās position as having āhis eyes lift up to heaven,ā holding āthe best of booksā in his hand, and standing with āthe world as cast behind himā (p. 34).
The world often applauds sin. Hollywood encourages us to envy sinners and to foolishly compare ourselves with the "beautiful people" (see Proverbs 23:17). Often the popularity of "stars" is due to their ability to stir in us dissatisfaction with our own lives. Advertisers prey on our natural tendency to love this world, and most marketing campaigns appeal in some way to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life.
Loving the world means being devoted to the worldās treasures, philosophies, and priorities. God tells His children to set their priorities according to His eternal value system. We are to āseek firstā Godās kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), and we cannot be devoted to both God and the world at the same time.
When we enter God's family through faith in Christ, God gives us the ability to exit the world's rat race (2 Corinthians 5:17). We become citizens of another kingdom (Philippians 1:27, 3:20). Our desires turn heavenward, and we begin to store up eternal treasure (Luke 12:33; Matthew 19:21; 1 Timothy 6:18-19). We realize that what is truly important is eternal, not temporal, and we stop loving the world.
To continue to love the world the way unbelievers do will cripple our spiritual growth and render us fruitless for God's kingdom (Matthew 3:8; Luke 6:43-45; John 15:1-8). In John 12:25, Jesus took this thought a step further when He said, "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." Not loving the world extends to our own lives as well. Jesus said if we love anything more than Him, we are not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:37-38).
In general, the term world in the Bible refers to the evil system controlled by Satan that leads us away from worship of God. John Calvin said, "The human heart is an idol factory." We can make idols out of anything. Any passionate desire of our hearts that is not put there by God for His glory can become an idol (1 Corinthians 10:31). Loving the world is idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:7, 14). So, while we are commanded to love the people of the world, we are to be wary of anything that competes with God for our highest affections.
https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-love-the-world.html
So, the word world has several usages in the Bible.
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Iāve never left choices out. But ppl can not make choices that are contrary to their nature. The lost hate God my friend. In their fallen unregenerate state they hate Him, are hostile with Him, at enmity with(have an ill-will towards) God. Thatās the thrust of Paulās argument in Romans 8:5-9.
Even God can not violate His own nature and do that which is contrary to it. God can not lie, steal, cheat, murder, &c., because that would violate His nature. The lost, in their unregenerate state, can not seek Him, as that is contrary to their nature. Thatās why we say regeneration is first, and in this regeneration, the gifts of faith and repentance are given, are exercised by the recipient, and they are saved. Itās not God forcing(you guys love using that word) anyone to love Him, but Him giving him life, and they praise Him for it. And you act as if thatās a bad thing for Him to do.
Even God can not violate His own nature and do that which is contrary to it. God can not lie, steal, cheat, murder, &c., because that would violate His nature. The lost, in their unregenerate state, can not seek Him, as that is contrary to their nature. Thatās why we say regeneration is first, and in this regeneration, the gifts of faith and repentance are given, are exercised by the recipient, and they are saved. Itās not God forcing(you guys love using that word) anyone to love Him, but Him giving him life, and they praise Him for it. And you act as if thatās a bad thing for Him to do.
right
two words
Irresistible Grace
everyone does not hate God. I was saved at 5. I did not hate God. in fact, I had never heard of Him
in Sunday School I learned about Jesus and salvation
went home, thought about it, prayed...and accepted Christ
I never hated God and I am no exception
sure some people hate God
honestly, the slant you folks put on scripture is just really out there
and thanks for the lesson on how God cannot violate His nature, yet Calvin seems to have done it for Him
I don't 'love' to use any words, but Irresistible Grace does not mean choice...and you know it. have you softened your stance on that?
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right
two words
Irresistible Grace
everyone does not hate God. I was saved at 5. I did not hate God. in fact, I had never heard of Him
in Sunday School I learned about Jesus and salvation
went home, thought about it, prayed...and accepted Christ
I never hated God and I am no exception
sure some people hate God
honestly, the slant you folks put on scripture is just really out there
and thanks for the lesson on how God cannot violate His nature, yet Calvin seems to have done it for Him
I don't 'love' to use any words, but Irresistible Grace does not mean choice...and you know it. have you softened your stance on that?
two words
Irresistible Grace
everyone does not hate God. I was saved at 5. I did not hate God. in fact, I had never heard of Him
in Sunday School I learned about Jesus and salvation
went home, thought about it, prayed...and accepted Christ
I never hated God and I am no exception
sure some people hate God
honestly, the slant you folks put on scripture is just really out there
and thanks for the lesson on how God cannot violate His nature, yet Calvin seems to have done it for Him
I don't 'love' to use any words, but Irresistible Grace does not mean choice...and you know it. have you softened your stance on that?
These memes were said to me by my believing sweet grandmother, in my head I was thinking "If only she knew that there is a group of people that would nitpick that simple thing to bits and pieces and ask "why do they choose?" "are you saying you can choose by yourself before regeneration?" and most likely she would be in absolute shock and not even understand what in the world are these people saying
I did not want to subject her to that confusion so I did not open that can of worms. She is in chronic pain due to her legs at the moment, but luckily its nothing serious she has had the same condition before and it should go away within a few months, but its painful.
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Can you give me some scripture to help me understand how you came to see that understanding? My understanding is that the sheep are the elect of God that he choose before the foundation of the world (Eph 1), but they do not become his sheep until he regenerates them. They can go astray from God's fellowship,(lost sheep), but do not lose their eternal inheritance, once they have been regenerated by yielding their bodies to the temptations of the world until they repent and God restores their fellowship. The scriptures seem to harmonize better to me with this understanding.
The elect were in Adam(as was all mankind, Adamās posterity) before the fall. He was their representative in the Garden. When he fell, they too fell, being in Adam. Romans 9 says that the vessels of mercy were taken from the same lump the vessels of wrath were in. Romans 5 covers this, too.
The sheep were always His sheep. Never was there a time they werenāt His sheep. Even from birth, the elect were His sheep. They had went astray in Adam. Thatās why they needed a Shepherd to bring them back into the fold. What the sheep lost in Adam, they gained it back in the Christ.
Also, Ezekiel 34 covers this as well.
The sheep were always His sheep. Never was there a time they werenāt His sheep. Even from birth, the elect were His sheep. They had went astray in Adam. Thatās why they needed a Shepherd to bring them back into the fold. What the sheep lost in Adam, they gained it back in the Christ.
Also, Ezekiel 34 covers this as well.
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I heard a meme today that said God respects people's choice if they choose to not follow the Son, they will pay the consequences in hell. I also heard another meme that said "You cant choose what you are tempted by, but you can choose not to act on it".
These memes were said to me by my believing sweet grandmother, in my head I was thinking "If only she knew that there is a group of people that would nitpick that simple thing to bits and pieces and ask "why do they choose?" "are you saying you can choose by yourself before regeneration?" and most likely she would be in absolute shock and not even understand what in the world are these people saying
I did not want to subject her to that confusion so I did not open that can of worms. She is in chronic pain due to her legs at the moment, but luckily its nothing serious she has had the same condition before and it should go away within a few months, but its painful.
These memes were said to me by my believing sweet grandmother, in my head I was thinking "If only she knew that there is a group of people that would nitpick that simple thing to bits and pieces and ask "why do they choose?" "are you saying you can choose by yourself before regeneration?" and most likely she would be in absolute shock and not even understand what in the world are these people saying
I did not want to subject her to that confusion so I did not open that can of worms. She is in chronic pain due to her legs at the moment, but luckily its nothing serious she has had the same condition before and it should go away within a few months, but its painful.
Choice is what we have and what God tells us to do. When He said that or put that before the Israelites all those centuries back, He said
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; Deut.30:19
awfully sorry to hear about the pain your grandmother is in and hope it goes away very soon
she sounds like a wise lady
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But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.[Hebrews 2:9]
Here is another verse that ppl like to use to support universalism atonement. But again, singling out a verse is not a proper way of exegesis or hermeneutics. The following verses explain who He might taste death for everyone is referring to.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, āI WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.ā 13 And again, āI WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.ā And again, āBEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.ā[Hebrews 2]
We see the usage of phrases such as "many sons to glory", "their salvation", "He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father", "call them brethren". So, there are clear statements here that the "everyone" He might taste death for are those who I showed, such as "many sons to glory". This is referring to glorification. And in Romans 8:28-30, we see that those whom He foreknew, He predestined, those He predestined He called, those He called, He justified, and those He justified, He also glorified. So, the "everyone" in verse 9 are the elect, not all men indiscriminately.
Here is another verse that ppl like to use to support universalism atonement. But again, singling out a verse is not a proper way of exegesis or hermeneutics. The following verses explain who He might taste death for everyone is referring to.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, āI WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.ā 13 And again, āI WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.ā And again, āBEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.ā[Hebrews 2]
We see the usage of phrases such as "many sons to glory", "their salvation", "He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father", "call them brethren". So, there are clear statements here that the "everyone" He might taste death for are those who I showed, such as "many sons to glory". This is referring to glorification. And in Romans 8:28-30, we see that those whom He foreknew, He predestined, those He predestined He called, those He called, He justified, and those He justified, He also glorified. So, the "everyone" in verse 9 are the elect, not all men indiscriminately.
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11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,[Titus 2]
Notice how Paul wrote that. He said bringing salvation to all men. Now, this reeks of universalism if not exegeted properly. Who are the 'all men' that God is bringing salvation to? It can not mean 'everybody whoever lived' as that would be universalism. Neither could it be 'all men after the cross', as many are dying lost in today's world. Nor can it mean 'all men during the days of Paul's ministry', seeing that many never heard the gospel during this time. So, who are these 'bringing salvation to all men' referring to? I am glad you asked that very question. If you read the following verses we can see who they are...
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.[Titus 2]
Look at all those personal pronouns. It is these ppl who 'God is bringing salvation to all men', as there is a declarative statement there made by Paul. He did not say God was 'trying' to bring salvation to all men, as the free will schema avers. God has never 'tried' to do anything in His life. He has never 'tried' to save someone at all. He actually saves. He did not send His Son to earth to be mocked, ridiculed, beaten to a pulp, laughed at, scoffed at, spit upon, nailed to a cross, just so that He could 'try' to save ppl. What a waste of suffering if this were the case.
The ones God "is bringing salvation to all men' He is also instructing them to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously and godly in this present age, and are looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory or our great God and Savior Christ Jesus(the non-elect will never look for this). He also redeemed them from every lawless deed, and purified them for Himself as His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Notice how Paul wrote that. He said bringing salvation to all men. Now, this reeks of universalism if not exegeted properly. Who are the 'all men' that God is bringing salvation to? It can not mean 'everybody whoever lived' as that would be universalism. Neither could it be 'all men after the cross', as many are dying lost in today's world.
Nor can it mean 'all men during the days of Paul's ministry', seeing that many never heard the gospel during this time. So, who are these 'bringing salvation to all men' referring to? I am glad you asked that very question. If you read the following verses we can see who they are...12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.[Titus 2]
Look at all those personal pronouns. It is these ppl who 'God is bringing salvation to all men', as there is a declarative statement there made by Paul. He did not say God was 'trying' to bring salvation to all men, as the free will schema avers. God has never 'tried' to do anything in His life. He has never 'tried' to save someone at all. He actually saves. He did not send His Son to earth to be mocked, ridiculed, beaten to a pulp, laughed at, scoffed at, spit upon, nailed to a cross, just so that He could 'try' to save ppl. What a waste of suffering if this were the case.
The ones God "is bringing salvation to all men' He is also instructing them to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously and godly in this present age, and are looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory or our great God and Savior Christ Jesus(the non-elect will never look for this). He also redeemed them from every lawless deed, and purified them for Himself as His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
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The elect were in Adam(as was all mankind, Adamās posterity) before the fall. He was their representative in the Garden. When he fell, they too fell, being in Adam. Romans 9 says that the vessels of mercy were taken from the same lump the vessels of wrath were in. Romans 5 covers this, too.
The sheep were always His sheep. Never was there a time they werenāt His sheep. Even from birth, the elect were His sheep. They had went astray in Adam. Thatās why they needed a Shepherd to bring them back into the fold. What the sheep lost in Adam, they gained it back in the Christ.
Also, Ezekiel 34 covers this as well.
The sheep were always His sheep. Never was there a time they werenāt His sheep. Even from birth, the elect were His sheep. They had went astray in Adam. Thatās why they needed a Shepherd to bring them back into the fold. What the sheep lost in Adam, they gained it back in the Christ.
Also, Ezekiel 34 covers this as well.
The life in Deut 30:19 does not have reference to eternal life, but to a good and abundant life as you live here on earth by following God's commandments (instructions) as to how he wants you to live your lives here on earth. This invitation from God to choose is directed to his sheep, the elect, and not to all mankind. The natural man, before he has been regenerated, will not choose to obey a spiritual God that he cannot discern (understand) and thinks it to be foolishness (1 Cor 2:14).
Where did you get all mankind are elect in my previous post? I said that every man was in Adam. When he was in communion with God, all mankind was in communion with God, as he was their federal head. When he fell, all mankind fell as well. All mankind became alienated from God due to Adamās sin. It was out of these the elect were taken from. They were the sheep that have gone astray. The elect were taken out from amongst all Adamās posterity. The non-elect are left to their own devices.
21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.[Romans 9]
Here are the two vessels, wrath and mercy. The vessels of mercy were from the same lump the vessels of wrath are in. The vessels of mercy are the sheep having gone astray that the Shepherd will seek and find, carry them back into the sheep pen[Matthew 18:12-14].
Here are the two vessels, wrath and mercy. The vessels of mercy were from the same lump the vessels of wrath are in. The vessels of mercy are the sheep having gone astray that the Shepherd will seek and find, carry them back into the sheep pen[Matthew 18:12-14].
Please donāt take this as me being mean, but we donāt deal in rumor, but facts. Are their any verifiable facts the nords worshiped Artemis? Iām really curious as I am not very familiar with them. But you being in Finland no doubt know more about them than I do.
Also, world has various meanings. It can mean the planet earth, the world system, the lost, all mankind. Each time world is used, it the context establishes which āworldā is used.
Also, world has various meanings. It can mean the planet earth, the world system, the lost, all mankind. Each time world is used, it the context establishes which āworldā is used.