God loves you? | SermonIndex

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mguldner Apr 19, 2011

I have been studying and praying about this and for myself this comes from a personal part of myself because I have been under attack with this doubt, yet reassured by the Word and clinging to nothing less than Jesus Christ and His Righteousness I press in.

I am reading Grace Abounding by John Bunyan and the more I read the more I love about John Bunyan, not because he is talking about how Godly he was but because he is speaking his true testimony, the good, the bad, and the ugly. He mentions in his book of a time when He saw Christ angry at him and his sin and from that moment he made the choice, If redemption weren't possible for him (which at the time he didn't understand or know) He would sin as greatly as he could with the logic "If I am going to be damned I might as well be damned for a lot of sin rather than a few."

This has plagued the hearts and minds of many including myself, in the fight against sin it seems to be to difficult and impossible to be redeemed. At times you don't even care if you are redeemed you just want peace and so many cling to the temporary pleasures of life, which is what John Bunyan decided to do at the time. We fall many times and sometimes this world seems to be our closes friend and Christ our worse enemy. Why though? Ah the why is simple, Wrong understanding of Christ Jesus.

You see Christ Jesus does hate sin, its a violation of this Holiness and this seems to be the focus of most, God is Just and so when you sin He gets angry. But dear brother or sister is it not also possible that God hates sin because it hurts his percious creations? When you sin it tears you and hurts you. Even sinner's true enemy is not God but the sin they cling to so dearly, the sin we cling to. If a sinner would see Christ through these eyes, that He is a loving Saviour that desires chains to be broken so we could be free to Live in Him, it would require us to abandon the silly logic of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Christ Loves us so much and I will say I write this for myslef but I post it here in hopes it helps others that are in the same boat, if you are grab an oar and we will press through this together in Christ Jesus.

God Bless,
Matthew

J

Josef83 Apr 19, 2011

Yeh, Bunyan was a very good calvinistic author.

S

savannah Apr 19, 2011

"What then? That which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened" (Rom. 11:7) Bunyan comments on this:

"These are solemn words: they sever between men and men—the election and the rest, the chosen and the left, the embraced and the refused. By ‘rest’ here must needs be understood those not elect, because set the one in opposition to the other, and if not elect, whom then but reprobate?"

Bunyan again on Romans 9:11,

"Reprobation is before the person cometh into the world, or hath done good or evil. This is evidenced by Romans 9:11. Here you find twain in their mother’s womb, and both receiving their destiny, not only before they had done good or evil, but before they were in a capacity to do it, they being yet unborn—their destiny, I say, the one unto, the other not unto the blessing of eternal life; the one elect, the other reprobate; the one chosen, the other refused".

Bunyan concludes,

"There is no man while in this world that doth certainly know that he is left out of the electing love of the great God; neither hath he any word in the whole Bible to persuade him so to conclude and believe, for the Scriptures hold forth salvation to the greatest of sinners. Wherefore, though the act of reprobation were far more harsh, and its doctrine also more sharp and severe, yet it cannot properly be said to hinder any. It is a foolish thing in-any to be troubled with those things which they have no ground to believe concerns themselves, especially when the latitude of their discouragement is touching their own persons only: "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God." Indeed every one of the words of God ought to put us upon examination, and into a serious inquiry, of our present state and condition, and how we now do stand for eternity; to wit, whether we are ready to meet the Lord, or how it is with us. Yet, when search is fully made, and the worst comes unto the worst, the party can find himself no more than the chief of sinners, not excluded from the grace of God tendered in the Gospel; not from an invitation, nay, a promise, to be embraced and blest if he comes to Jesus Christ. Wherefore he hath no ground to be discouraged by the doctrine of reprobation."

Worship God.

sermonindex Apr 19, 2011

Eph 3:19 "And to know the love of Christ,

which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be Filled with All the Fulness of God."

Matthew, you've hit the target here.

Everything that GOD has ever done - from creating all that we see was for His Love for man.

Satan = HATE.

GOD = LOVE.

GOD 'is' Love. There is NO Evil in Him.
Psa 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: He is my rock, and there is No [evil - H5766] in Him.

You are right. The law was for our own protection because He loves us as a Father His Children [creation].

Amen Brother - He 'is' Love and without seeing that - we need to question our whole Theology.

GOD Bless you!

S

savannah Apr 19, 2011

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love.

Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Rev 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

Rev 6:16,17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Psalms 139:21,22 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them my enemies.

Ecc 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Romans 8:38,39 for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things about to be, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of god, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Cor. 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Worship God.

T

therick2018 Apr 19, 2011

Everything that GOD has ever done - from creating all that we see was for His Love for man.

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that everything God has ever done is for His own glory, for His Son? God would still be love even if He had not created man.

Yes of course included in that is great unsearchable love for mankind in through Christ :), but first and entirely foremost God has always loved Himself!

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

sermonindex Apr 19, 2011

Hi Rick. I know that some theologians came up with that part about Him, but looking at The Word alone - "God 'is' Love." - I don't believe He asks us to do anything that He Himself doesn't do.
He made the first two commandments sum up all there is in His Word - not "for His Glory" but because He is Love.
When we combine our lives based upon His Love and His Holiness we can't help but bring Him Glory.
His Glory is the bi-product of His Holiness and Love combined. That's what His Glory is - whenever we see a man of GOD 'see' His Presence, they're overwhelmed by that combination.
He told us to Love others as we ourselves - so I'd say His self love wouldn't exceed that.
He's not egocentric - He's just perfect, that's all.

Your verse says that all things were made by and for Christ.
Christ is the Husband who desired and loves His Bride.
What He's done to purchase her brings Him Glory and He did it out of Love. The Glory is a by-product of His Love and Holiness - not Self-Motivated - as He said we should die to self - He died for love, not for Glory. He cannot quench His Glory - even without creation but GOD so Loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever is believing in Him will not perish, but have ever-lasting Life.

When we begin to explore the Absolute 'Co-Equality' of the 3 in 1 - we may see more into Who He really is and His ultimate purpose for creation.
It's truly a worthwhile endeavor to pursue.

Blessings to you, Brother Rick.

T

therick2018 Apr 20, 2011

I want be humble about this; i struggle with sounding harsh or arrogant many times. If God's happiness and love depends upon man than He must have been quite miserable in all the ages of eternity with none of the race of Adam to love . Perhaps we see it the same truths in just a different way or something. The theologians you are referring to, I believe they got those truths from the Bible. Many verses could be listed to show this. It is not a sin for God to perfectly love Himself, if He didn't He would be an idolater. He is entirely, infinitely worthy of it. There is a verse in Psalms which says that it is an act of condesencion for God to look upon any of His creatures. And God does show His love for us so that we might worship Him. I am just very fearful of humanistic tendancies. God does all things so that Christ might have the preeminance and I rejoice in that. One sermon on SI which really helped me to see this was Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.

Psa 113:5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
Psa 113:6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

In Christ

sermonindex Apr 20, 2011

Brother, don't hesitate to speak your mind with me and I'll do the same with you.

I think something was lost in my post and may very well have been my poor delivery.

Brother, I brought up those who have actually been in His Presence - such as John in Revelation 1 or Ezekiel.
Reading of John's experience - the same disciple "who Jesus loved" and sat at the last supper with Jesus with his head on Jesus' chest and stood at the bottom of the cross with Mary and was given charge of Mary by Jesus and saw the risen Christ for the days after the resurrection - but then look at John in Revelation 1. If that's not GLORY - what else could this be? - Rev 1:17 "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. ...."

That 'is' the reaction of a true encounter with The Living GOD.

Humanistic? - no, that would be blasphemy to me. Human love can in no way be compared to GOD's.

GOD is (though this numbering system gives no glory but it's all we have for values right yet) - but GOD is 100% HOLY and 100% Divine LOVE.

That is what I tried to explain IS His "GLORY". Could you stand before that or HIM as John or Ezekiel did?

Do you think He needs Glory?

Unless we Love Him with ALL of our heart, mind, soul, and Strength - we can bring Him no Glory.

Love must be First and Foremost.

Type "Love" into your Bible search and if you'd like - just search the N.T..

You'll find that we are loved as He was while He was on earth.

Then do a very intensive study on the Deity of Christ - as I suggested - to see the Absolute Co-Equality of the Three in ONE. It may flatten you onto the ground in and of itself.

And if you need to see more of why Jesus/GOD came to earth in the flesh as Immanuel - GOD with us - read this slowly and ask Him to speak to you through it ...

Rev 21:1-7 And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth: for the first Heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the Holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from GOD out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of GOD is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and GOD Himself shall be with them, and be their GOD. And GOD shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his GOD, and he shall be My son.

S

savannah Apr 20, 2011

Soli Deo Gloria,Soli Deo Gloria,Soli Deo Gloria!!!

therick2018,

You said,

"Many verses could be listed to show this."

You're 100% on Truth with your two posts on this thread. The Word of God is abundantly clear on this matter. Let none dissuade you from this. Such thinking makes up the difference between humanistic man-centered theology and Theocentric (Soli Deo Gloria) theology. The demonstration of the glory of God above all else and the worship of the glory of God at the exclusion of all else is the purpose of all existence from eternity past to eternity future.

Humanism,communism,evolutionism,and in some respects,even humanitarianism,springs and has sprung from a man-centered theology.

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN GOD ANYTHING, SO AS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT IN RETURN? Rom. 11:35 Who hath first benefited me, that I should repay him? whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. Job 41:11 Because of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.To Him be the glory forever!Amen.Rom.11:36

Isaiah 43:7 Every one who is called by My name,even for My
glory I have created him, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Isa. 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows the coal in the fire, and who brings out a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

Matt. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

sermonindex Apr 20, 2011

Mat 5:44, 45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven

Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Mar 12:30, 31 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Luk 6:27-29 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

Luk 6:31-33 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

Luk 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Luk 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Joh 5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

~Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

~Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

~Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

~Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Joh 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of Him.

1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you

1Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Jas 2:8,9 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

1Pe 1:22 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

~1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

1Jn 2:9-11 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

~1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

1Jn 3:16-19 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

~1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

~1Jn 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.

~1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

~1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

~1Jn 4:16 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.

1Jn 4:20 ,21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

2Jn 1:5,6 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.