Not By Works

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EleventhHour said:
It seems to me you are speaking about people's doubts in God's love correct?
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Yes.

They doubt God loves them.
If so there must be a reason.

Unbelievers do not give two hoots, yet belivers can and do.

I am saddened by the many people that I have walked with that when i quote the verse that God loves them as much as he loves Jesus do not actually believe this.

If they do not believe it then there is a disconnect.

That disconnect can arise from many things, from never having a father to having a father who was harsh or absent.

Everyone that I walk with I always ask them "Do you know that God loves you as much as he loves Jesus, they say no.

But if I ask them "Do you know Jesus loves you" most say yes.
 
EleventhHour said:
Other option is to enlarge the screen, I wouldn't worry about it... I definitely have become less attentive to the details and my spelling is not always good... we can blame on the angst the naysayers cause us. ;)
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I have had our local clown call into question my spirituality once because if spelling something wrong....like I was not educated or something.....I don't use auto correct or predictive text and using thumbs typing like a mad man, I don't always catch a word mispelled because of hitting a wrong letter......hahha
 
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dcontroversal said:
I have had our local clown call into question my spirituality once because if spelling something wrong....like I was not educated or something.....I don't use auto correct or predictive text and using thumbs typing like a mad man, I don't always catch a word mispelled because of hitting a wrong letter......hahha
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You are fast there is no doubt!

The clowns are everywhere it seems locally, regionally, nationally and internationally...that is how we know this thread will go on. :)
 
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dcontroversal said:
I have had our local clown call into question my spirituality once because if spelling something wrong....like I was not educated or something.....I don't use auto correct or predictive text and using thumbs typing like a mad man, I don't always catch a word mispelled because of hitting a wrong letter......hahha
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BillG said:
Not sure I agree with you on this point.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are trying to convey.

The people I was referring to are belivers that I have spoken to walked with.

For various reasons they do not believe God loves them as much as he loves Jesus.

I was one of them. So are you saying because I didn't genuinely believe that God loves me as much as he loves Jesus, that during that time I was not redeemed?

I actually stumbled across the verse, I say stumble yet I had read that verse many many times but did not believe it true of me.

When I was laid up God asked me to spend time with him. I had been out of church for a long time (never lost my faith in Jesus) but starting to come back.
I was led through the process of what is it I genuinely believe?
I went from Romans concerning faith and access to God, to Ephesians, to the adulteress women and eventually to the verse in John.

I cried out to God "Is this true"
Then bang it was like he took a silver bullet with that verse on it and shot it into my heart.

The head knowledge was replaced with the reality.
The lie in in my head that told me it wasn't true was replaced with the truth.

Not everyone who has been redeemed automatically believes God loves them, so do some don't
Even those that do for some reason start to doubt it.

So my question concerning disconnect was based on those who God has redeemed or claim to be a genuine beliver.

How do we reconcile

John 3:16
16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

With what you are saying?

I believe that salvation is available to all, I also know that not everyone will accept it.
I also believe that God knows who will accept that gift and works his will in them.
Those he predestined.
I can't make the call and act accordingly based on outward appearance.
I can only make that call when it's very very evident that they fall foul of Romans 5-6.

So I would like to ask you.
If I came to see you and were to quote to me that God loves me as much as he loves Jesus and I said that is not true I struggle to believe that how would you counsel me?
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Maybe they sense something amiss in your take on the text. Could it be possible your take is incorrect and reading something into it not there nor intended? Perhaps this is the disconnect as well. I’d think it through a little more. Note John Gill:

"and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. The Oriental versions, the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic, all read the words thus, "and I have loved them, as thou hast loved me"; contrary to all the Greek copies, and other versions, which read as we do. The Father loved Christ as his own Son, and as Mediator; so he loved him when he assumed human nature, and became obedient to his will both in doing and suffering; when his Father left him, and poured out his wrath upon him, and when he laid down his life for the sheep. The instances of his love to him as Mediator are, his putting all things into his hands, showing him all that he does, and concealing nothing from him, and appointing him the only Saviour, the head of the church, and Judge of the world. The nature of this love is, that it is from eternity; is a love of complacency and delight; it is special and peculiar, unchangeable and inseparable, and will last for ever: now God has loved his people, as he has loved his Son; he loves them not merely as creatures, as the descendants of Adam, or as considered in themselves, but as in Christ. The instances of his love to them are, his choosing them in Christ; making a covenant with them in him; the mission of him into this world, to obtain salvation for them; the quickening and calling of them by his grace; the care he takes of them afterwards in supplying their wants, supporting them under temptations, delivering them out of afflictions, and causing all things to work together for their good; to all which add the provisions he makes for them, both for time and eternity. The nature of this love is such as that he bears to Christ; it is from everlasting; a love of the utmost delight and pleasure; it is special and peculiar, unchangeable, and will continue for ever: there is not the same reason for his loving them as his Son; and this as must not be thought to denote equality, but similitude and order."
 
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dcontroversal said:
I have had our local clown call into question my spirituality once because if spelling something wrong....like I was not educated or something.....I don't use auto correct or predictive text and using thumbs typing like a mad man, I don't always catch a word mispelled because of hitting a wrong letter......hahha
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So you don't care enough to take the time to edit your posts? Really? Why not?
 
jaybo said:
So you don't care enough to take the time to edit your posts? Really? Why not?
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I hate auto correct and rarely use predictive spelling,...better to keep your brain in gear!!

But really I have no clue why you would thumbs down to someone's preference ...you can thumbs down this post too!
 
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preacher4truth said:
Maybe they sense something amiss in your take on the text. Could it be possible your take is incorrect and reading something into it not there nor intended? Perhaps this is the disconnect as well. I’d think it through a little more.
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It could be possible that my take is incorrect but I think it is correct.
Just like you think it's not.

I do have some John Gill stuff in my library but not what you have quoted.

I am always open to be corrected but am happy to not be. If that's the case it means I'm settled in what I believe to be the truth. Just like you.

I am walking with a guy at the moment who is a believer. Baptised him.

Now he is really struggling.
Severe trauma from the past. Horrific sexual abuse from his step dad.
I never knew my dad, kicked out by mum and fostered into a Christian family only to suffer the same.

In his head the Bible tells him the God loves him because he is dirty and at fault.

I just want to reassure people like him that actually God really does love him.
 
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