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Author Topic: Does God Love Me?  (Read 1522 times)
danetteann
Wide Eyed

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« on: July 06, 2008, 03:53:21 PM »
This may sound like a stupid question. Because how can you believe in God and not know that He loves you?

I've been through a "season" in my life here recently wondering if God truly does love me.. I was in Africa for three months to check out an orphanage there and the sights I saw were heart crushing.  I used to call myself a missionary but my life has been flipped upside down since my last trip. I was searching and searching my bible for scriptures that say God truly does love me, and all the children I saw in Nigeria that were starving... How can God see that and not do anything about it?

I came a crossed a scripture in Genesis 6:6 were God said that He was sorry he even made man.. And I wonder then why did He create us if He knew he was going to be sorry?

So I guess my question is, are there any scriptures that just say plan out that God just loves us because He does?

I know John 3 :16 says He loves the world, but I want to know that He loves me, just they way I am and that I don't have to earn His love.

This is the first time I have really been on this Forum but I know joshs_rebekah is on here, so was hoping maybe one of you all would be able to help.

Thanks so much,

 Danette Ann

 
« Last Edit: July 07, 2008, 07:27:21 PM by danetteann » Logged
Larry
Adept

Posts: 329
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2008, 06:54:35 PM »
The short answer is Romans 5:8.

But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ...

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How can God see that and not do anything about it?

See Rom 5:8

This is the link to a sermon by a man who was a missionary in Africa and I think he touches on some things that may help http://media.sermonaudio.com/mediapdf/10180222445.pdf


Upon further study, I have something else to add.

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Because how can you believe in God and not know that He loves you?

Psalm 5:5 tells us that God hates all workers of iniquity.

John 3:16 tells us that God so Loved the world...

Is that a contradiction? I don't think so. I can honestly say that I love dogs BUT there are some dogs that I hate.

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I've been through a "season" in my life here recently wondering if God truly does love me.. I was in Africa for three months to check out an orphanage there and the sights I saw were heart crushing.  I used to call myself a missionary but my life has been flipped upside down since my last trip. I've was searching and searching my bible for scriptures that say God truly does love me, and all the children I saw in Nigeria that were starving... How can God see that and not do anything about it?

Looking through the eye of the flesh, I can see your point. Looking through spiritual eyes I can see that God became flesh and died for sinners and has abolished death and brought to light immortality, through the Gospel. The afflictions we see in the world are the result of Adam and they are momentary.

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I came a crossed a scripture in Genesis 6:6 were God said that He was sorry he even made man.. And I wonder then why did He create us if He knew he was going to be sorry?

He also knew the end. Will not the judge of the universe do rightly?

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So I guess my question is, are there any scriptures that just say plan out that God just loves us because He does?


No. As far as I know, the only places in scripture that speak of the love of God, are connected with the cross. "For God so Loved...that he gave his son" God Commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners...." Hear in is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be a perpetuation..."

If you doubt the love of God take a good look at the cross. Ask Nicodemus about the  extreams God went through to show His Love, Nicodemus and Joseph had the job of removing Jesus from the cross. Think about that for a moment, those cold lifeless feet that had walked on watter... ,angels had been given charge of making sure he didn't stub his tow, Nicodemus had to pull those feet from the cross. Think about his hands, hands that once laboured with wood, hands that had mixed spit and clay and touched a blind eye and gave sight. Those same hands that pulled Peter from the sea, were now being pulled from nails. Think about his beard, no doubt his beard had tickled small children as he loved on them, now it had been pulled out by cruel hands, He could have said the word and legends of Angil's would have come to his defence, but he remained silent. Think about the thing Jesus dreaded about the cross, he was not worrying about what man would do to him as he agonised in the guardian, Jesus knew that he would become sin and the father would forsake him,on the cross. Why?  His love!

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Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2008, 11:32:49 AM by Larry » Logged
bloodwashed
Adept

Posts: 280
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2008, 11:01:43 AM »
Certainly. Christ said God loves man more than the rest of his creation.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(Mat 6:25-30)

Our goal is simply" seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. " Mat 6:33 

And God does care about the suffering of people around the world, especially the children,

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
(Mat 18:10)

but widespread suffering is a result of those societies' choices, in my opinion, in the earthly sense (ruled by brutal dictators) but mostly in the spiritual sense.

... for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Exo 20:5)

God says there are consequences of rejecting him. Doesn't it just make sense that a society whose witch doctors tell men that sex with a young virgin (read: rape an 8 year old) will cure them of AIDS will have a high incidence of AIDS? Doesn't it just make sense that God would punish the nation that listens those witch doctors?

I am not at all amazed that the Islamic middle east is desert and that his chose nation, Israel, is a green jewel. It just makes sense. Should God bless those who reject him?

BW
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MommyChurch
Adept

Posts: 115
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2009, 05:24:56 PM »
Ok, this maybe the wrong place to post this. But this post was one of the "helpful" posts in my life...

S.C lady, and others... you know some of the "issues"  I have had.

Well, I listened to Mike Pearl's "God Hates Sinners" and there are some things that are just "bugging" me.

I have talked with my husband about it...but anyway.

Maybe I am not "getting" the message right. But it seems as if he was saying that God doesn't love sinners, but hates them until they are saved.

I had always thought that God *is* love, and He *is* hateful..BOTH... towards the sinner. And that is one of the reasons Jesus had to die.

Because God in his *love* God wanted to save us, but his Hatefulness towards us sinners wanted to kill us as well. And his Justice wouldn't allow him to just "save" us. It had to be paid.

 So Jesus came into the World to die for our sins.

One of the ways I worship the Lord is when I think of GOD of the UNIVERSE coming human  flesh to live among us sinners as a holy righteous man, and DYING for me... it makes my heart swell with thankfulness and LOVE towards him, for loving me that much to save me, and not cast me into Hell, and for being willing to bear my sins upon him.

But the way Mike Pearl was talking, God didn't have anything to do with me. And he said that the John 3:16 verse was the "world" as in the elect. It sounded very "Calvinistic" yet, I know that Mr. Pearl is not Calvinistic.

So this does seem more of a "contract" rather than a "wild untaming love" for human kind. I am not talking about the gushy wushy type of love that most main stream Christians talk about. But, man, GOD willing to DYE and willing to experience my sin for me. That to me is just so awesome. And then in the "God Hates Sinners" CD, it's like God's love for me didn't actually compel him to do that for me. But "something else" (Though I don't know what that something else could be)

My husband said that maybe it was just to defeat the Devil.

But... how would you reconcile this? Anyone? 

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MommyChurch
Adept

Posts: 115
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2009, 09:36:25 PM »
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Hi MommyChurch,

Here's a teaching on the subject by Tremaine Ware.   

http://www.vimeo.com/3131192




I watched it and it answered some things....I understand that our definition of what "love" is, is different than Gods...but still. I am wondering if God doesn't "love" the sinner (in God's definition) why did he dye for the sinner. So God "could" love them?
« Last Edit: November 04, 2011, 03:14:15 AM by Amy Joy » Logged
Gabriel Anast
Administrator
Master

Posts: 1588
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2009, 11:56:32 AM »
This isn't a Bible study... but, I just wanted to say that I agree with your take:

Quote from: MommyChurch on March 15, 2009, 05:24:56 PM
I had always thought that God *is* love, and He *is* hateful..BOTH... towards the sinner. And that is one of the reasons Jesus had to die.

Because God in his *love* God wanted to save us, but his Hatefulness towards us sinners wanted to kill us as well. And his Justice wouldn't allow him to just "save" us. It had to be paid.

 So Jesus came into the World to die for our sins.

One of the ways I worship the Lord is when I think of GOD of the UNIVERSE coming human  flesh to live among us sinners as a holy righteous man, and DYING for me... it makes my heart swell with thankfulness and LOVE towards him, for loving me that much to save me, and not cast me into Hell, and for being willing to bear my sins upon him.

I did listen to both MP's sermon and Tremain's. I think that they are trying to counter the idea in the modern church that we must "love the sinner and hate the sin" which usually is the foundation for a policy of the church opening its doors to all types of people... believers and unbelievers, and believers in sin... etc.

...where the Bible specifically states that a believer in sin must be put out of the body (and taken back in if repentant), and that although we are to live in the world, the world is not to be allowed in the body of believers: Jam 1:27      Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

It seems to me that in some teachings, the teacher errs by overstating his case a little and using texts somewhat (or quite, in some cases) out of context to make a point that would counter a mainstream philosophy... Instead they might rather have just taught a plain teaching on the topic at hand. In this case, on the actual nature of the body / church.

Anyway, I believe that the idea you presented above of a) God having real love for all people, and b) sending Christ to die that God might cover the sin of all people, and c) choosing those that actively believed Him and the things that He had done and said... is an accurate reading of the Bible (as  I understand it).

--gabe
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MommyChurch
Adept

Posts: 115
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2009, 07:18:30 AM »
Thank you Gabe for that answer. That is what my husband believes as well.
My church that I attend believes that too.
So maybe that's why it was "bugging" me...because they were counter acting "main stream" Christianity...but I am not around "main stream" that much.
Thanks again!
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