If God loves the world so much, then he must
love everyone in the world, regardless of the person's race,
nationality, religion and creed. This is why I believe that God looks at
all of us in the same way. The way he looks at a believer is
essentially the same as the way he looks at a non-believer. He looks at
both with the same love. Nevertheless unbelief in God has certain
consequences just as belief in God has consequences. The one who
believes has chosen to belong to God. The one who does not believe has
chosen to be apart from God. So those who will go to heaven and hell
ultimately do so by the act of their own freewill.
The knowledge of sin is crucial for it leads to repentance. It must lead to repentance and not despair. To know one has sinned against God is not enough. It is also important to know that God is merciful and compassionate and willing to forgive. God is so because he is love, and his love is what drove him to make atonement for the world's sins. Therefore it is the love of God that a man must know to be saved from his sins. This is why I choose to see God's love above his judgement and wrath. Though the latter should not be denied or glossed over, the former is what ultimately drives God. Without knowing God's love there is no sure path for the soul to return to its God.
I do not state that God is love and that God is not righteousness and judgement. He is love, righteousness and judgement. Still there is nothing more for Man to pay beyond what Jesus Christ has already paid for human sins. To Christ's perfect atonement nothing can be added by Man. What God seeks is the restoration of Man to himself. It is only through the application of God's love in the knowledge of his boundless mercy and compassion that the goal can be best achieved. There is no return to God without repentance and awareness of sins. Still there is absolutely no safe return to God without a knowledge of his love for that alone secures Man in his perilous journey back to God.
It is imperative that teachings regarding the God of Israel, His Son and His Spirit emerge from the written word of God, which is the Bible. The Bible is not easy to understand. It was written by many men over a period of many centuries. So it does not appear to present a unified message, though it does point to Christ as the resolution of the ultimate conflict, the troubled relationship between God and Man. I believe that my thoughts concerning God have emerged from my relationship with God and my association with his written word. If my thoughts appear alien to what the Bible says I hope that they are not alienated from it in spirit. In spirit I believe that I speak what is agreeable to Christ.
I who have read the Bible do not doubt its presentation of God as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are one. The Son came to show the Father, for he who has seen the Son has seen the Father. The Spirit has come to the world to testify to the Son and lives in all believers in Christ so that they may daily renew their minds and hearts towards God.
My entire presentation of God's love emerges from the Bible and there are references to it, both overt and covert. Whether I speak for God or for myself is something that no one but God can possibly know.
The knowledge of sin is crucial for it leads to repentance. It must lead to repentance and not despair. To know one has sinned against God is not enough. It is also important to know that God is merciful and compassionate and willing to forgive. God is so because he is love, and his love is what drove him to make atonement for the world's sins. Therefore it is the love of God that a man must know to be saved from his sins. This is why I choose to see God's love above his judgement and wrath. Though the latter should not be denied or glossed over, the former is what ultimately drives God. Without knowing God's love there is no sure path for the soul to return to its God.
I do not state that God is love and that God is not righteousness and judgement. He is love, righteousness and judgement. Still there is nothing more for Man to pay beyond what Jesus Christ has already paid for human sins. To Christ's perfect atonement nothing can be added by Man. What God seeks is the restoration of Man to himself. It is only through the application of God's love in the knowledge of his boundless mercy and compassion that the goal can be best achieved. There is no return to God without repentance and awareness of sins. Still there is absolutely no safe return to God without a knowledge of his love for that alone secures Man in his perilous journey back to God.
It is imperative that teachings regarding the God of Israel, His Son and His Spirit emerge from the written word of God, which is the Bible. The Bible is not easy to understand. It was written by many men over a period of many centuries. So it does not appear to present a unified message, though it does point to Christ as the resolution of the ultimate conflict, the troubled relationship between God and Man. I believe that my thoughts concerning God have emerged from my relationship with God and my association with his written word. If my thoughts appear alien to what the Bible says I hope that they are not alienated from it in spirit. In spirit I believe that I speak what is agreeable to Christ.
I who have read the Bible do not doubt its presentation of God as Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are one. The Son came to show the Father, for he who has seen the Son has seen the Father. The Spirit has come to the world to testify to the Son and lives in all believers in Christ so that they may daily renew their minds and hearts towards God.
My entire presentation of God's love emerges from the Bible and there are references to it, both overt and covert. Whether I speak for God or for myself is something that no one but God can possibly know.
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