One of the most popular beliefs of the day is that God loves everybody, and the very fact that it is so popular with all classes ought to be enough to arouse the suspicions of those who are subject to the Word of Truth. God�s love toward all His creatures is the fundamental and favorite tenet of Universalists, Unitarians, Theosophists, Christian Scientists, Russellites, etc. No matter how a man may live � in open defiance of Heaven, with no concern whatever for his soul�s eternal interests, still less for God�s glory, dying, perhaps with an oath on his lips � notwithstanding, God loves him, we are told. So widely has this dogma been proclaimed, and so comforting is it to the heart which is at enmity with God, we have little hope of convincing many of their error. That God loves everybody, is, we may say, quite a modern belief. The writings of the church fathers, the Reformers or the Puritans will (we believe) be searched in vain for any such concept. Perhaps the late D. L. Moody � Captivated by Drummond�s �The Greatest Thing in the World� � did more than anyone else in the last century to popularize this concept.
It has been customary to say God loves the sinner though He hates his sin. But that is a meaningless distinction. What is there in a sinner by sin? Is it not true that his �whole head is sick� and his �whole heart faint,� and that �from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness� in him? (Isa. 1:5,6) Is it true that God loves the one who is despising and rejecting His blessed Son? God is Light as well as Love, and therefore His love must be a holy love. To tell the Christ-rejector that God loves him is to cauterize his conscience as well as to afford him a sense of security in his sins. The fact is, the love of God is a truth for the saints only, and to present it to the enemies of God is to take the children�s bread and cast it to the dogs. With the exception of John 3:16, not once in the four Gospels do we read of the Lord Jesus, the perfect Teacher, telling sinners that God loves them! In the book of Acts, which records the evangelistic labors and messages of the apostles, God�s love is never referred to at all! But when we come to the Epistles, which are addressed to the saints, we have a full presentation of this precious truth � God�s love for His own. Let us seek to rightly divide the word of God and then we shall not be found taking truths which are addressed to believers and misapplying them to unbelievers. That which sinners need to have brought before them is the ineffable holiness, the exacting righteousness, the inflexible justice and the terrible wrath of God. Risking the danger of being misunderstood let us say � and we wish we could say it to every evangelist and preacher in the country � there is far too much presenting of Christ to sinners today (by those sound in the faith), and far too little showing sinners their need of Christ, i.e., their absolutely ruined and lost condition, their imminent and awful danger of suffering the wrath to come, the fearful guilt resting upon them in the sight of God: to present Christ to those who have never been shown their need of Him, seems to us to be guilty of casting pearls before swine.
If it be true that God loves every member of the human family, then why did our Lord tell His disciples �He that hath My commandments, and keepeth hem, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him.� (John 14:21,23)? Why say �he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father�? if the Father loves everybody? The same limitation is found in Prov. 8:17: �I love them that love Me.� Again we read, �Thou hatest all workers of iniquity� (Psa 5:5)! �God is angry with the wicked every day.� (Psa. 7:11) �He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God� � not �shall abide,� but even now � �abideth on him.� (John 3:36) Can God �love� the one on whom His �wrath� abides? Again, is it not evident that the words, �The love of God which is in Christ Jesus� (Rom. 8:39) marks a limitation, both in the sphere and objects of His love? Again, is it not plain from the words �Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated� (Rom. 9:13) that god does not love everybody? Again, it is written, �For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.� (Heb. 12:6) Does not this verse teach that God�s love is restricted to the members of His own family? If He loves all men without exception, then the distinction and limitation here mentioned is quite meaningless. Finally, we would ask, Is it conceivable that god will love the damned in the Lake of Fire? Yet, if He loves them now He will do so then, seeing that His love knows no change � He is �without variableness or shadow of turning�!
Turning now to John 3:16, it should be evident from the passages just quoted that this verse will not bear the construction usually put upon it. �God so loved the world. . .� Many suppose that this means the entire human race. But �the entire human race� includes all mankind from Adam till the close of earth�s history: it reaches backward as well as forward! Consider, then, he history of mankind before Christ was born. Unnumbered millions lived and died before the savior came to the earth, lived here �having no hope and without God in the world,� and therefore passed out into an eternity of woe. If God �loved� them, where is the slightest proof thereof? Scripture declares �Who (God) in times past (from the tower of Babel till after Pentecost) suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.� (Acts 14:16) Scripture declares that �And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.� (Rom. 1:28). To Israel God said, �You only have I known of all the families of the earth.� (Amos 3:2). In view of these plain passages who will be so foolish as to insist that God in the past loved all mankind! The same applies with equal force to the future. Read through the book of Revelation, noting especially chapters 8 to 19, where we have described he judgments which will be poured out from Heaven on this earth. Read of the fearful woes, the frightful plagues, the vials of God�s wrath, which shall be emptied on the wicked. Finally, read the twentieth chapter of the Revelation, the great white throne judgment, and see if you can discover there the slightest trace of love.
Does God hate sin...yes because sin is a barrier between man and God. That does not mean that God does not love everybody. I hate the sins my family members commit but I still love them.
Ephesians 2:4�But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)�
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:�
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.�
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God:�
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.�
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
1 John 4:7�Beloved, let us love one another:for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.�
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.�
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.�
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.�
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1 John 4:15�Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.�
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
It has been customary to say God loves the sinner though He hates his sin. But that is a meaningless distinction. What is there in a sinner by sin? Is it not true that his �whole head is sick� and his �whole heart faint,� and that �from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness� in him? (Isa. 1:5,6) Is it true that God loves the one who is despising and rejecting His blessed Son? God is Light as well as Love, and therefore His love must be a holy love. To tell the Christ-rejector that God loves him is to cauterize his conscience as well as to afford him a sense of security in his sins. The fact is, the love of God is a truth for the saints only, and to present it to the enemies of God is to take the children�s bread and cast it to the dogs. With the exception of John 3:16, not once in the four Gospels do we read of the Lord Jesus, the perfect Teacher, telling sinners that God loves them! In the book of Acts, which records the evangelistic labors and messages of the apostles, God�s love is never referred to at all! But when we come to the Epistles, which are addressed to the saints, we have a full presentation of this precious truth � God�s love for His own. Let us seek to rightly divide the word of God and then we shall not be found taking truths which are addressed to believers and misapplying them to unbelievers. That which sinners need to have brought before them is the ineffable holiness, the exacting righteousness, the inflexible justice and the terrible wrath of God. Risking the danger of being misunderstood let us say � and we wish we could say it to every evangelist and preacher in the country � there is far too much presenting of Christ to sinners today (by those sound in the faith), and far too little showing sinners their need of Christ, i.e., their absolutely ruined and lost condition, their imminent and awful danger of suffering the wrath to come, the fearful guilt resting upon them in the sight of God: to present Christ to those who have never been shown their need of Him, seems to us to be guilty of casting pearls before swine.
And to clear up the context in Ephesians you may want to read chapter one.
1 Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the Saints, which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath blessed us, with all spiritual blessing in heavenly things in Christ,
4 As he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love:
Paul writes to the saints, vs 4 the one GOD CHOSE. not all, God does not like all, he created some to love as a precious treasure to give to his son, and others for destruction after he completed his will. That is love, that God redeemed his people for himself.
The God of the bible is much different than the fluffy lovey god of this age.
"Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord"
Just a couple questions though. If we were already "God's", why must we be reconciled? And yes, we must be born again, but how are we born again? I'd say by the Word of God. By the hearing of the Word. By belief in the Word. By Belief in Jesus.
Romans 5
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
1 Peter 1:18
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, :stop:by the word of God:stop:, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Romans 10
8The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17:stop:So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God:stop:. 18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
"Just a couple questions though. If we were already "God's", why must we be reconciled? And yes, we must be born again, but how are we born again? I'd say by the Word of God. By the hearing of the Word. By belief in the Word. By Belief in Jesus."
If we were already "God's", why must we be reconciled? Because God said so, what God says in his holy infallible word is what i believe. God made us (his children) to glorify him and to enjoy him forever.
how are we born again? by the holy spirit, thorough the hearing of God's holy word. NO ONE will come unless the holy spirit draws him. God's word says it i believe it, because God has changed my heart to love him. I love him because he first loved me. It has nothing to do with me, lest i would have something to boast of. It is all of God. God created us, Jesus died for us, the holy spirit teaches us truth.
We love him only because he first loved us. This is what the Bible teaches us. God's love came prior to our love.
1 John 4: 19 We love him, because he first loved us.
Now the same is also true in reverse. It is necessarily and logical true that if one hates God, it is because God first hated them.
A reprobate hates God, because he first hated them. You all can work that out.
God's love is so all powerful and so all consuming that if he wills to love anyone, they are powerless to resist that love. This is how his Elect are drawn to him. They are overtaken by the power of His love for them.
The same is true for the non-elect. God's hatred and wrath is so all powerful and so all consuming that they are powerless to change it, powerless to overcome it. This is why they hate him more and more as they reach their fullness of understanding. And they will yet HATE him even more when the fulness of all things is revealed to them. They will hate him throughout all eternity while they suffer in eternal torment at His his hand.
Make no mistake, they will never escape His presence, ever. But it will be the presence of His anger and his hatred for them. Our God is a consuming fire.....it is His very presence that they will burn in forever.
2 Peter 3:9�The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us- ward, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.
John 3:15�That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:�
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
1 John 2:2�And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 10:9�That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
�10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.�
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
All saved people are chosen, selected, meant, to serve God...God intends For ALL (the inclusive all) to be saved, although He knows not All will be saved.
We are not 'automatically' saved...it is NOT work to ask for His saving grace.
It is boastful/arrogant to think that you are better than someone else because God chose you and not someone else.
