I was told that God is Love. Fair enough. I was told God loves fully and completely. I agree. God does not love me less today because I sinned in some area of my life. Agreed again. It also seemed to be said that God loves everyone equally and without distinction. This last assertion must be challenged.
Being pointed to 1 John 4:8, I am told again that "God is love". Therefore God must (notice “must”) act according to His nature to love everyone. I agree that God loves because it is His character to love. To argue from this text that He does so equally and without distinction is again a major Pulpit Crime. For where in the text is John arguing this? Simple exegesis is not only linking God’s love for “us” but that this love is directly tied to obeying His commandments. It is the law of God that is being fulfilled, hence God loves us and we are enabled by a new birth to obey Him.
Simply the fact that the Creator has created creatures, God bound Himself to us. His law holds us together. The creation is sustained and every modern Pharaoh or Hitler takes every breath due to his kindness and mercy and patience.
What troubles me is the fact that a major Tradition is read right into the text without anyone seeming to notice. This places Tradition on par with Scripture. Therefore, those who do not acknowledge their Traditions, because they do not believe they have any, actually equate their Traditions with the Word of God itself.
This is the thinking of a natural man. We take away from God to love His creatures as He freely chooses. I am told God must love everyone the same. This is simply not Biblical.
I asked my children at the dinner table after this morning’s sermon about God’s love. They agreed that God loves everyone equally. I then asked what do you think about Romans 9, “Jacob I loved, Esau I hated.” They were shocked. God hates someone? Yet that is exactly Paul’s point. We think backwards. The question should not be whether or not God hates someone, but whether God loves anyone redemptively.
I love my wife. I also love her sister. To love them both in the same way would be to violate God’s law. It is clear that there are distinctions in love. It is also clear there are distinctions in the love God freely exercises among men.
I write about this because this kind of theology will not be able to stand under Biblical scrutiny. Therefore a poor apologetic must be adopted to defend such a view. RC apologists and others have seen this weakness all too clearly.
God has chosen to freely display His attributes of wrath and mercy. He has chosen to contrast evil against the backdrop of His holiness. He has freely chosen IN Christ to make a new people to be contrasted with the ungodly. In the Day of Judgment, we will see the full expression of all of his attributes.
5 comments:
What good news!
For God so hates almost all the world, that he created billions just so he could damn them. He hates our dead children, and hates them so much that he planned from the beginning of time for them to suffer eternal hellfire and punishment. He hates them all and takes glory in their eternal damnation? Let all who mourn be glad! For God so hates the mentally retarted that he planned for them to live hopeless lives without redemtion so their parents can take comfort in knowing that their eternal torment brings God glory!
What are you talking about?
Are you saying you reject Original Sin? If Christ had never come at all would all be saved anyway? Would some be saved anyway? Are you saying it is not fair that all men don't get God's Love equally and without distinction? Are you saying it is not fair if a man never hears the Gospel and gets a chance to believe?
You react just like my children did. God hates someone? Why do you react like that? Because you probably don't believe you're a sinner as described in Scripture.
The truth is, it is amazing Grace that God would love anyone redemptively. We are not worthy of salvation in any way shape or form. We will not come to Christ no matter how many chances He gives us. That is just how wicked man is.
In the end, God Alone saves and saves perfectly.
No matter how you try to slant it, you claim that "god" takes joy in the second death--the eternal damnation--of most of humanity: that this is is eternal plan: to glorify himself by creating billions of beings for Hell--and that this is god's glory. There's a doctrine of demons: by your own words, you rejoice in the damnation of others!
Whatever your "teaching" is based on, one thing is clear. You give glory to what grieves God's heart, and you delight in what Satan desires: lost souls.
Anonymous,
First, you deal with nothing of what I have said. So am I to conclude I am correct?
Second, does not your understanding have to answer the same question? Are you saying that God loves all of these people that go to hell, but He has absolutely no ability to stop it?
So you have a Father who loves people so much that He sends His Son to secure their salvation. The Son comes and secures it (I assume you agree?) The Spirit comes to make application of that finished work.
Now almighty man thwarts the will of and love of God?
Third, Does Romans 9 not exist?
Fourth, how do you read passages such as this one?
Psa 78:49 He sent upon them His burning anger, Fury and indignation and trouble, A band of destroying angels.
Psa 78:50 He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave over their life to the plague,
Psa 78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.
Was that nice of God? Was it loving? There are so many texts that speak about the wrath of God it is hard to miss.
I have never said God gets "joy" in sending people to their second death. You are simply upset and emotional and are being absurd.
To ignore Romans 9 is simply irresponsible. God is glorified in the destruction of His enemies. You however see sinners going to hell as a bad thing because you really don't think people deserve to go there. Why is God bad for displaying His justice and wrath against sin?
If you are not willing to deal with Pharaoh's hardened heart by God, if you are not willing to engage the text at all, what is your ultimate authority?
alas, such gross caricaturizations (? spelling), ignorance of the scriptures, and rude responses are your plight brother Fisher...teach on. I am...
...Grateful for Grace,
The D.O.G. preacher
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