Maybe you missed my understanding of Gods love in this post near the top of page 2.
Unconditional love is not the teaching of the OT or NT. Jesus expressed this idea in John 17. He prayed for His disciples and those that would come to know him in the future. What this shows is God has different degrees of love. He is seen here expressing a love to those that know him along with those that would. I suggest you look at the several Greek words that translate to the single word love. Do you love your dog or your car in the same degree you love God? I highly doubt it. In the same manner we see Jesus loving his own in a different degree than the rest of the world. Just as we have seen it played out in this thread about believing the whole bible or selected passages.
I am not called to love those that disagree with God in the same manner I love God. If we were everyone would be acceptant of everything. I can not accept everything from anyone In the same manner I accept the sovereignty of God and His judgments. Its a completely foolish notion.
To The the Disciples. Notice his exclusion of the rest of the world. I do not pray for the world
[sup]6[/sup] “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. [sup]7[/sup] Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. [sup]8[/sup] For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received
them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
[sup]9[/sup]
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. [sup]10[/sup] And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. [sup]11[/sup] Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,[sup][
b][/sup] that they may be one as We
are. [sup]12[/sup] While I was with them in the world,[sup][
c][/sup] I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept;[sup][
d][/sup] and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. [sup]13[/sup] But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. [sup]14[/sup] I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [sup]15[/sup] I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. [sup]16[/sup] They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [sup]17[/sup] Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. [sup]18[/sup] As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. [sup]19[/sup] And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
To the future disciples
[sup]20[/sup] “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[sup][
e][/sup] believe in Me through their word; [sup]21[/sup] that they all may be one, as You, Father,
are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. [sup]22[/sup] And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: [sup]23[/sup] I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
[sup]24[/sup] “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. [sup]25[/sup] O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. [sup]26[/sup] And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare
it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
It looks to me like Gods love places those that know him in higher re-guard or degree than the rest of the world. I my opinion its the same with me loving God, I love God to a much higher degree than worldly goods, like my home, car, fancy watch ect. Do you still believe God loves the serpent in the same manner as the children he redeemed? If you do you don't have a clue about love.
Where did I say the bible wasn't inspired by God? obviously... The whole bible is about God...
I do accept the bible... I just don't accept what some people label the bible as... because that name belongs to Jesus... in the beginning a book wasn't spinning around in space.. in the beginning a book wasn't God... a book wasn't manifested in the flesh and dwelt among us... all things weren't made through a book... and in revelation the One sitting on a horse who's robe was dipped in blood wasn't a book... He was Jesus... The Word of God is Jesus...
Now you can accuse me of not accepting the bible because I won't give it the name of the Word of God... but the reason I'm not giving it the name of the Word of God is because I accept what the bible says... and it says that name belongs to Jesus and I agree with that testimony.
This is starting to feel circular and negative...
post #41
And yes you called it the word of God.
So I wasn't discounting Ecclesiastes... I just wasn't believing what people told me to believe about it... I no longer believed it was the word of God... but I did believe it was what it was... a writing by a man who was struggling just like me... a man pooring out his heart and being honest about how he felt... and it felt so comforting to know I wasn't alone in my struggles... and in that the Word of God in me gave me comfort...
Its not starting to feel like one your are one. First you say you no longer believe its the word of God. Then you forget you said it. Yes your going in circles.