we hear this all the time.
it's a constant refrain in theology when we try to understand how human and divine will interact.
it's stated by Christians every day as though it is an unassailable fact that should end every argument.
... but where is this in scripture?
... where is it in our daily life, for that matter?
our children don't choose their parents: but they are commanded to love them. when men and women court each other, they spend all their energy trying to bend the others will into loving them. when you have an animal in your home, as part of your family, you do everything you can to make it content and happy, trying to coerce him or her to love you - - - not ignoring it, as tho it would be wrong of you to exert some influence...
.. and then you go to church and to Bible study and firmly state 'if someone loves you because you influenced them to, it isn't real love - - loving God has to be only a completely free decision of human will alone'
... then go back home and do everything you can to influence your husband or wife to keep loving you, without thinking something is amiss if you have contributed to that response in him or her.
are we missing something here?
this thread is for Biblical evidence that our love is not real if God somehow created us to love Him or elicits that love from us with His omnipotence.
please give any such evidence, if you have it.
Brother the message that God sent his only begotten son to suffer and die for the sins of the people God created and loves
thats the influence towards our hearts that message if we receive it creates sincere love for God because he loves us truly and deeply in his son Jesus Christ as he accomplished the gospel on our behalf
what I mean to say biblically is the gospel reveals The true God to the believer his love towards them in Jesus laying his life down for us to convince and
pursuade us of his love for us
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:16-18 NIV
the self sacrificial message is meant to turn hearts back to him who loved us and died for us one thing is made to influence us , it’s official , sent by God will never change
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Mark 16:15-16 KJV
When we believe Jesus died for our sins that’s meant to create a reciprocal love within us
