which is the important part here: the fact of love, who we love, or how we love?
in the case of our Lord --
but no - He says whosoever believes will have everlasting life.
it seems to me it hinges on belief - that love is a necessary but insufficient condition.
thus we remain unqualified to judge one another: someone may have love but remain in unbelief, and someone may believe but, because of vexation of sin, their love is grown cold and appear inevident to our dim, human eyes.
only God searches the heart
what do i mean? an example: Lot did not speak to his married daughters, nor did Lot speak to his sons before he was snatched away from Sodom. shall i say then Lot was not saved? affirming what i read in Genesis, Peter tells me he is righteous, and that his soul was vexed by the wickedness he saw. for what reason did he refrain from speaking to his sons and daughters, other than this vexation? should i imagine he had no love for them? if i say that, how do i address 1 John 3:14?
in the case of our Lord --
For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16)
is it His love that saves? if so wouldn't the whole cosmos be saved, because He so loved the whole of creation? but no - He says whosoever believes will have everlasting life.
it seems to me it hinges on belief - that love is a necessary but insufficient condition.
thus we remain unqualified to judge one another: someone may have love but remain in unbelief, and someone may believe but, because of vexation of sin, their love is grown cold and appear inevident to our dim, human eyes.
only God searches the heart
what do i mean? an example: Lot did not speak to his married daughters, nor did Lot speak to his sons before he was snatched away from Sodom. shall i say then Lot was not saved? affirming what i read in Genesis, Peter tells me he is righteous, and that his soul was vexed by the wickedness he saw. for what reason did he refrain from speaking to his sons and daughters, other than this vexation? should i imagine he had no love for them? if i say that, how do i address 1 John 3:14?
By grace through that belief (faith) in Jesus Christ.
The Koine Greek word for 'belief' is pistis.
The Koine Greek word for 'faith' is the same word pistis.
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