I don't know why I love you ... (Full Version)

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mvic -> I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 4:30:30 PM)

God created us and loves us.

He wants us to love Him back with all our heart, soul and mind.

Some of us do. Why?

Is it because of what He has done for us; or is it because we fear Him?

"I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, He is the one you must fear!" Luke 12:5

There are many believers who love God through fear. Fear of His punishment and His damnation. I'm sure that's not the kind of love He wants - love under duress is not love at all.

How can we reconcile two facets of the same God?



Miril -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 4:38:33 PM)

I love Him because of what I feel when He is near, which is all the time as long as I stay close to Him.

He builds me up and gives me undoubted guidance with His Word and daily conversations.

While doing so I am either smiling or crying in joy, and feeling His warmth around me.

Can't beat that[;)]



justajerk -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 4:54:33 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mvic

God created us and loves us.

He wants us to love Him back with all our heart, soul and mind.

Some of us do. Why?

Is it because of what He has done for us; or is it because we fear Him?

"I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, He is the one you must fear!" Luke 12:5

There are many believers who love God through fear. Fear of His punishment and His damnation. I'm sure that's not the kind of love He wants - love under duress is not love at all.

How can we reconcile two facets of the same God?



There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.- 1John4:18-20



Butterflytearz -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 4:56:52 PM)

quote:

"I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, He is the one you must fear!" Luke 12:5


Hmm,, something doesn't seem right here.
A little out of context . {or alot}


Lets read verse 4 as well as 5 cause they go together.
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

The one who kills and casts into hell is Satan, for he was a murderer and liar from the beginning. It is God's will that none should perish.

Matthew 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

John 3:16 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.



mvic -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 5:08:03 PM)

Hi Butterflytearz,

The quotation you use says: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell.

You have interpreted this to be satan rather than God.

My "Good News" Bible specifically says: Fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell.

Can anyone please help with these interpretations?

Also, can anyone please help with views on how to reconcile the two facets of God - as in the Opening Post.

Thanx.



PureLight -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 5:15:29 PM)

1 John 4:19 - 'We love because he first loved us.'

That's why we love Him. He has the power to throw us into hell, yes, but He'd rather not as shown by Him DYING for us.



Miril -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 5:16:28 PM)

quote:

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.- 1John4:18-20


Amen!



justajerk -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 6:16:49 PM)

mvic,
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge – Prov 1:7; 9:10
God is sovereign; there is no one over Him. As you grow in knowledge of who He is, there comes with that knowledge an awe of His majesty and holiness, His wisdom, grace, mercy, justice and wrath.
There should be a holy fear, but also a love for the God who had mercy on individuals who in no way deserved it.



SonInMe1 -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 8:33:23 PM)

If God can love....me.....how can...I....not love Him?

What's not to love? How can you not love God?

To me, the only way you cannot love God is because the god you think He is, isn't the real God.

My people die for a lack of knowledge.

To know Him is to love Him. I....don't think its a choice. Its automatic.

Kinda makes ya want to be a preacher...eh?



AboundinginHisGrace -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 8:43:10 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SonInMe1

If God can love....me.....how can...I....not love Him?

What's not to love? How can you not love God?

To me, the only way you cannot love God is because the god you think He is, isn't the real God.

My people die for a lack of knowledge.

To know Him is to love Him. I....don't think its a choice. Its automatic.

Kinda makes ya want to be a preacher...eh?


I agree the reasons to love God are more than anyone can list. I cant help but love the God that could love someone like me, much less love so much that He would send His son to die for me!!!! WOW WHAT LOVE!!! Also His Majesty and power, just look at His creation I mean WOW.



SomeFineDay -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/13/2008 11:15:13 PM)

Hmmm...I love him because he is worthy of being loved, he has all the attributes that are good, what we fear are mirrors of the good attributes, ie how can there be justice without enforcement? Fear because he says we can be good just as he is good, and he expects us to do our best to live up to that standard.



mvic -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/14/2008 6:47:29 AM)

Thanx for your replies. Maybe it's me ... somehow I'm not making my point clearly ... forgive me and have a little more patience.

Yes, I agree you personally love God because of what He has done for you. I accept that.

In fact the same applies to me: when I made the decision to become a Christian, when I proved it to myself that God exists, I decided to follow Him and to love Him.

However, leaving that aside for a moment. There are plenty of people who love Him through fear. Fear of Him and fear of the alternative. Even Jesus, (in the quote above in Post No. 1) says: Fear God or else.

And that's the point I wish clarified. Does God want us to love Him because He loved us first and for what He did for us? Or does He want us to love Him through fear?

If it's the former - then how about the millions who love Him through fear? Are they doomed? Forgiven? Saved? Loved all the same albeit they're misguided?



SonInMe1 -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/14/2008 8:43:55 AM)

If your faith is genuine, God will work out the kinks. You don't have to be this cookie cutter christian to be saved. Most of those are fake, legalists, anyways.

You should put God first and you do that because He loves you...not because He can send you to hell or that it is WISE to fear God.

It makes sence to fear God. It makes a relationship to love Him.



Butterflytearz -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/14/2008 4:35:18 PM)

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

God doesn't kill us , what kills is believing Satan and not God. The one who says there is no God but me.



SomeFineDay -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/14/2008 4:52:47 PM)

Maybe we could say that we all have a "picture" of God in our head, and we direct our worship thoughts and definitions to that picture. God is God and the same, and exists outside that picture, we cannot see outside our picture.

The thing I think to ponder is to that our picture exists independently of who God really is.

Some love him our of love, some to avoid punishment, but both accept the same "definition" as found in the Bible (what we take our our picture making guidebook). Does God accept them both? I think so because we do has as our definitions a God of love, and IMO God prefers that as well.



_CANCELLED_ -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/15/2008 12:14:43 AM)

I'm no theologian but I've heard it said that the original translation of fear in this context was 'respect'--or as close as you can get to it in the English translation. Someone, I'm sure, will correct me if I'm mistaken and if I am, my apologies.

I've never 'feared' God in the sense many think. I love Him b'c of what He and Jesus did for US. How many of us would go through physical torture for a stranger?



Butterflytearz -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/15/2008 12:54:08 PM)

Hi Crossed eyed

Thank you for your post. Luke 12-5 does not say to fear God. It says to fear him,, ( with a small h) giving no glory to the him.


thank you for bring it up GBU



_CANCELLED_ -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/15/2008 1:55:23 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Butterflytearz


thank you for bring it up GBU


Hi back. I'm probably going to feel like a nincompoop for asking this but, wht is GBU? [:D]



indigoblue2008 -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/16/2008 7:31:00 AM)

There are more reasons to Love God and others than there are grains of sands in the seas.

I love/serve Jesus because of his sacrifice for me on the cross and because he is perfection in Love, Grace, Forgiveness, and all that is Lovely and Pure.

As I turn 52 years old this year, I gravitate more and more towards the things in life that are of God and less of the world. I have learned to loathe the world but not it's people. I loath the harm others do to the innocent but work at loving the soul of the wicked.

Remember, it isn't the healthy that need our prayes/love/understanding but it is the sick that need the Love of Christ the most. Lest any of us forget, we were lost once too and it was/is Gods Love that rescued us.

Brothers & Sisters in Christ Jesus....It truely is GODS PERFECT LOVE that sets you apart from the rest of the world.

One of many signs you are a believer in Jesus Christ is your gravitation towards all that is good/holy/rightous/pure. If you still "need" the world, ask the Hold Spirit to help you overcome it and he will gladly do so.
IMHO it is essential in your walk with the Lord to love him with all your heart. If you don't Love the Lord like that, you cannot follow him as you should.

Lastly, if you are tempted to judge someone today, please choose to love them instead and stear them to Jesus. Nobody wants to be judged but everybody needs to be loved.



Butterflytearz -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/17/2008 4:53:50 PM)

quote:

Brothers & Sisters in Christ Jesus....It truely is GODS PERFECT LOVE that sets you apart from the rest of the world.

One of many signs you are a believer in Jesus Christ is your gravitation towards all that is good/holy/rightous/pure. If you still "need" the world, ask the Hold Spirit to help you overcome it and he will gladly do so.
IMHO it is essential in your walk with the Lord to love him with all your heart. If you don't Love the Lord like that, you cannot follow him as you should.

Lastly, if you are tempted to judge someone today, please choose to love them instead and stear them to Jesus. Nobody wants to be judged but everybody needs to be loved.


quote:



Amen

How did God change my heart? I looked for love and found Him. Now his love is my life.



SonInMe1 -> RE: I don't know why I love you ... (6/17/2008 9:38:02 PM)

quote:

wht is GBU?


God bless you.



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