Does God Love Everyone?
People often say "but God loves the world" and by this they think that God loves every single person in the world the same. So without further ado let us examine world in the following verses."Now all these things are from Christ who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself." Corinthians 5:18-19
According to this verse does God reconcile every single person in the world to Himself? or does he reconcile only those whom He loves out of the world? The above verse starts with "Now all these things" so therefore the previous verse should give us our context.
Verse Before
"If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature..." v17
The context here is clearly talking about those whom He saves from the world not everyone.
Verse After
".. not counting their trespasses against them" v20
Again direct to those He loves. Anyone whose sin is not counted against them is Justified.
A Love Without Adultery
The love of Jesus for those He saves is like the love that a husband has for his wife. It is specific, it is targeted only to her otherwise this love would be adulterous. When Christ reconciles you to Himself you now know the Love of Christ. A love just for you and this love controls us. (2 Corinthians 5:14)
A Jealous Love (Gods Name is Jealous Exodus 34:14)
Salvation is something that must be owned not earned. For Jesus our bridegroom, chose us out of the world and when this happens you are His. The love of Christ is only for His bride and He loves no other. He will stop at nothing for you and His love for you is jealous.
Jesus Prayer was for those whom he would set apart from the world.
"..these things I speak in the world so that they may have my joy made full in themselves" John 17:13
Conclusion
"We love Him for He first loved us". 1 John 4:19
Not
"Jesus loves everyone" - found nowhere in scripture
Further Reading
The Rich Young Ruler - LOVE
Ten Leprous Men - Example of the Father Reconciling the World to Himself
Limited Atonement - Tulipdia
John 3:16-21
Add Your Comment(37)
Does God Love Everyone?Posted by Correy Friday, January 20, 2006
After reading many creeds and belief statements
I decided to stick to my own
37 Comments:
Hello PuritanBelief...
I read your blog and have to disagree with you on this one.
In the beginning, God created Adam in His image and likeness with access to the Tree of Life. Because of selfishness (he actively chose to do what God told him not to do...i.e. sinned), he ate from the Tree of Knowledge and was kicked out of the Garden of Eden and banned from the Tree of Life and thus brought death into the world. (Genesis 2-3)
God, however, loved the world so much that He gave us a second chance. (John 3) He sent Jesus Christ, His Son who doesn't know sin, to die for our sins and restore the Tree of Life. (Revelation 22) How do we get to the Tree of Life? By following God's commandments. Who did Jesus love and come to save? All descendants of Adam. He gives us the opportunity/door to salvation. We have to choose that path.
Short answer, Jesus does love all men. He is the "New Adam" (1 Corinthians 15: 45-48) who fixes the Original Adam's (big) mistake..
Sorry for the long answer.
Interesting thought. I think, however, that you should take into consideration that John 3:16 describes God loving the entire kosmos. This same thought occurs in I John 4:9-10.
There is also Romans 5:12, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
If you do believe “John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” And believe that the word “World” means all man then you my friend would have to believe :-
Acts 19:27
"Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."
Does this mean that you and I worship this Goddess? My spirit doesn't worship this demon!
God's saving love is to His elect, and His elect only. Contrary to the teachings of Moody, God hates unrepentant sinners:
"The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. (Psalm 5:5)
"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalm 7:11)
The revolutionary teaching of John 3:16 isn't that God loves every individual, but rather that He loves "all the nations", not Israel alone. The book of John's theme is presenting Jesus as the Saviour... we need to keep that in mind when reading John 3.
You may be honest in your view theden, but your view is incorrect.
Later,
Riven-I think the Luke gave his readers enough credit to understand that he meant that the worship of Artemis was world-wide, not extending to every person.
I John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world."
Titus 2:11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
2 Peter 3:9But God is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to usward, but God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Gordan:
You are bringing up some great and relevant scriptures.
With John 3:16 I actually took the time to memorise most of this chapter simply because when you read the following verses it is unmistakable that world here means those whom the Lord loves and saves throughout the whole world certainly not those whom he hates in the world as Rand says.
Titus 2:11 again I have memorised the next 5 or 6 verses can you have a read.
2 Peter 3:9 I haven't memorised this one but whenever it comes up I always ask this question:
If God is a mighty Savior who saves to the uttermost and is completely Sovereign. (Answers or takes council from no man) When He says He is willing that none shall perish. May I ask you how many will therefore perish?
I know you to be a thinking man from your thoughts on other blogs and your own. May the Lord Jesus Himself show us the truth of these matters by His Spirit through His word.
I'm sure Gordon can speak for himself, but I dealt with 2 Peter 3:9 in my series on the Objestions to the Doctrines of Grace.
You can read it here (if you like):
http://aformofsoundwords.blogspot.com/2005/05/god-wants-everyone-to-be-savedright.html
Later,
Puritan, you are very gracious. I think our diverse interpretations of these texts stem from presuppositions from which we examine the texts. Those who believe in unconditional election will interpret these verses to refer to the elect. Those like myself who remain to be convinced of u.e. will probably interpret them to say that God's love extends to everyone. I believe that God is sovereign, and in His sovereignty, He created man as a free moral agent. God is not willing that any should perish. Those who perish will be those who did not choose to repent.
P.S. Thanks again for your graciousness. Many theologians tend to be very dogmatic and abrupt. God bless!
God loves the world (John 3:16). That is, God cares even for people who disregard Him. Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Greek word translated love in Romans 5:8 is agape, which appears abundantly (82 times) in the Greek New Testament. Agape is a selfless love that motivates one to sacrifice on the behalf of others, so it has come to be known by many as “Christian” love. This purest form of love is the agape under consideration when Paul wrote: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). This agape love is unconditional, not reserved for only the elect but given to all mankind without requirement, without earning it, or in the case of the sinner without even wanting it.
God despises sin, but loves sinners. He does not approve or overlook sin; rather, He wants each sinner to repent of his wrongdoing and change his life (Acts 17:30). Peter wrote: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God delays the Second Coming of Christ, not because He is undependable or incapable of fulfilling the promise of judgment (1 Peter 4:17; 2 Peter 3:7-9; 1 John 4:17; Jude 6,15; Revelation 14:7), but because His love motivates Him to give sinners more opportunities to repent until the ‘fullnes of the Gentiles’. Instead of admiring or imitating the wrong actions of sinners, we should abhor sin (Romans 12:9), and share God’s concern for lost souls—a concern that should motivate us to share the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16; John 14:6).
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). In stating that the commandment was new, Jesus obviously intended to draw a distinction between His commandment and everything else that would have been familiar to His disciples concerning the topic they were discussing. Though the command to love one’s neighbor was not new (Leviticus 19:18), Christ’s command was new in that it demanded that we love, not as we love ourselves, but as God loves us, unconditionally and for no better reason than to be more like Christ. This would be the sign to non-Christians that the first-century disciples really were followers of Christ, and it serves the same purpose today.
Jesus was not a ‘do what I say, not what I do’ kind of guy. He came to show us the Father, and show us how to live righteously. Matthew 5:43-45 says “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” When we put this verse with the new commandment from John 13 we have that we are to love one another, even our enemies, just as Jesus loves us. In displaying a Christ-like love we are to give it freely to all, enemies included, not just for our sons and daughters. It then follows that if we are to do this as Jesus loves us, then he too not only loves his sons and daughters but his enemies just the same. Christians are never asked to do something that Jesus himself did not demonstrate.
This being said, the love of God does not need to include His saving Grace or mean that someone in one of the elect, just because God loved them.
Modern day Magi:
You seem to read scripture as it were written towards all men when clearly the gospel is only for those that are his own.
Matthew 13:11:
"Jesus answered them, To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted"
If God hates the Sin but loves the Sinner, why does he cast the Sinner into hell and not the sin?Or better still why doesn’t he saved these “loved ones” who he incidentally has prepared for destruction (Romans 9:22)?
If God loves all then how can his agape love sound like:-
Matthew 23:33
"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
Ezekiel 22:22
As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out My wrath on you.
Romans 9:13
Just as it is written, " JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father
Look around you in the sea of the spiritually dead and those that are so bound in sin that they can never ask for the mercy of God because the spirit they have is at enmity with God in such a way that the Bible says they are haters of God & lovers of self. My eyes were opened for me, my wicked heart was taken, and my faith in God was allotted to me for no other reason than he loved me. If all had this love then all would be saved.
Riven
"You seem to read scripture as it were written towards all men when clearly the gospel is only for those that are his own."
The Gospel is for all men. "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
(Mark 16:15-16) It is salvation that is reserved only for the elect, not the gospel or God's love.
God casts the sinner into hell because He is just. They have not had their sins forgiven and as such cannot abide with Him in glory, this however does not mean that they are outside the love of Jesus. There is no evidence in scripture that 'The rich young ruler' was saved but Jesus did love him.
Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death [the penalty for our sinfulness is eternity without God and eternity in Hell] but the gift of God is eternal life..." salvation is a gift, not earned or deserved in any way.
I believe that God hating Esau is a special case and this hatred does not extend to any and all who are outside His flock.
Our sinful nature does cause us to hate God and his righteousness, that does not however cause Him to hate us. If it did then no one would be saved because before our eyes were opened, and our ears made to hear then we too hated God.
I just cant understand that God is hateful, the bible says God is Love. he is just, shows his wrath, is jelous, vengeful etc. but not from hate, His is a righteous anger.
Then again a God small enough for my understanding, is not big enough for my need
Modern Day Magi
Although Riven can speak for himself may I point out that you have defined in great detail the core doctrine of the catholic church namely universalism. (definition of catholic)
John 17:9 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;"
Modern Day Magi-
Yes anyone can read the bible & the gospel is preached in the world, however the Bible is written to his own:-
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God
or my previous bible Quote:-
Matthew 13:11:
"Jesus answered them, To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted"
The world can not believe or understand this revelation unless the lord saves them and opens their ears; therefore the Bible is not for them.
In fact the New Testament letters were written to differentiate between the elect of god and the Gnostics that came into the Church but were not of the same spirit.
Esau is a special example that was merely documented for us to read, however like Esau, God sends many to hell and does not grant them repentance. Acts 11:18
In regard to the Rich Young Ruler there is no evidence that he was not saved, however for the mere sake that he was seeking what Jesus had rather than trying to crucify him, I would tend to follow the lines that once again this is written as an illustration that salvation is unobtainable through human works or choice.
Puritan Belief –
Your comment on universalism is true in fact if people choose salvation, yet it was never given by the lord, then we have verses such as :-
Matthew 23:15
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves.
Once again I find it difficult to see the love there.
The lord is opposed to universal covenant love:-
Ezekiel 16:32
A wife that committeth adultery! that taketh strangers instead of her husband!
And to those he has no convenient with :-
Matthew 7:23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
let me clarify what i am contending is that God's love extends to all maniind. why else would he have been "grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain" (genesis 6:6) when he had to punnish and destroy them for there wickedness? if He hated them then would God not have found pleasure in their desturction or at least been indifferent?
No. God loves His enemies, just as Jesus told us to love our enemies.
Apart from this love is God's saving grace and mercy which is reserved only for the elect, His children. Being loved by God does not equate to salvation, recieving the gift of His grace does. If He only saves those He loves, doesnt that go against the Calvinist belief that there is NO criteria for God's grace? If we are truly Unconditionally elected, we should be elected from the whole spectrum of mankind, if God loves some and not others then that is a criteria.
The love he has for the saints is different however, as a parent loves their children differently than an enemy (jesus told us to do that and he leads by example always), or a brother, or a wife, or a friend. different loves, still love.
Modern Day Magi-
I seem to recall that you said:-
This agape love is unconditional, not reserved for only the elect but given to all mankind without requirement, without earning it, or in the case of the sinner without even wanting it.
If this agape love can love the elect and yet loose the sinner, then it is a fallible impotent love.
If not for love then why did God save the elect and show them amazing grace.
If you have created many children whom you love unconditionally then why not elect them all?
Or at least speak nicely to them unlike those previous scriptures, before sending these loved people into eternal damnation.
I agree that the Lord does not delight in the destruction of sinners and was grieved, but if he loved them, would not forgiving them of their sin and granting their eternal life a much better action and choice for a loved one?
I am no less wicked than these people destroyed, however I am loved.
We have verses such as :-
Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
This shows the enmity of two different spirits and if you disagree with that, then I would not be surprised if I next hear that the Lord even loves the Devil, or loves the Devil more than Esau seeing as this is apparently a one off case of hate which is directed towards a kind, forgiving & gracious guy?
we may have to move on with differing views riven. God is compleatly just and as such condems those who are not washed clean by His grace and sacrifice at the cross. Sin cannot co-exist with God he even turned away from Christ wen he bore our sins at the cross. However i simply cannot agree that God hates all who are not His children. Our mission as Christians are to show Jesus to the world, be the salt of the earth, love one another, love our enemies, turn the other cheek... to be like Christ, like Jesus as we are changed from glory to glory. I cannot be like Jesus and hate the unsaved, He doesnt, so i cant.
I suppose that you do in fact hate non christians, as we are to hate what God hates, and he only loves the elect.
May God bless you Riven.
i have enjoyed this banter but i fear it must come to an end. I just cant see God as a God of hate.
Modern Day Magi,
Yes thats right! you can't believe it! Isn't the lord wonderful how he works.
i have more than enjoyed talking with you and any challenge on the scriptures will sharpen both of us like a two edged sword.
Hmm...I can't find anywhere in the Bible where God commands us to hate.
We are not to hate anyone. Please read Romans 9 and tell me if God loved Esau? The Spirit is quite clear on this. "For Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." God loves His people and hates the workers of iniquity.
Also, does God love those currently in hell? It certainly would seem not.
Please read the Lords prayer in john 18.Scripture says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike, brothers. sisters please.Many are called few are chosen, my sheep know my voice and follow me.Adam and eve lived in the garden who lived out? NOAH WAS ON THE BOAT and (his) family, who was out?!The Father has his Family just as we have a family but some will not except him even with our pleading, he knows who is his, who is sealed in the family and even then the elect could fall.
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