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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Does God love us for who we are?

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yuehan
Member



Joined: 2011/6/15
Posts: 562


 Does God love us for who we are?

I usually don't give heed to news about the Roman Catholic church, but recently there was a New York Times article stating that the Roman Catholic leadership has decided to "welcome and accept gay people, unmarried couples and those who have divorced, as well as the children of these less traditional families".

I certainly do not expect the Roman Catholic church to be articulate on Christian truths. However, the article triggered some thoughts:

We know that God loves the sinner (Romans 5:8). But if someone were to ask you, "Does God love me for who I am?" - how would you answer that?

(it's a pretty loaded question... what does "for who I am" mean anyway?)

 2014/10/14 11:39Profile
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re: Does God love us for who we are?

God loves us for who He is, right? He IS love. He created us in His image. It is His image that He loves, or He would not have made us in it. He made us for Him to be with. He made us to love us, for His own pleasure and glory. Rev. 4:11.

Do we possess inherent, independent value? No, not independent of Him, we do not. Paul compared us to seeds being sown in 1 Corinthians and, in articulating the truth of the resurrection, stated that if there is no resurrection, our faith is in vain, we are pitiful and we may as well die. The resurrection is the seal of our value and the proof of the source of our value -- He is both, exclusively so. It is our likeness to Him then ("we shall be like Him...") and our being made alive with Him that demonstrates our value. Our value, then, lies in His precious self. No more than I can eat gold is it valuable to my body if everyone is merely subsisting for what we can put into our mouths. Gold has value only if I can get something else with it. Our value lies in the fact that "God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8); yet, the value is connected with His own purposes for us -- that we should be a kind of "firstfruits of His creatures". James 1:18.

So, does God love us for who we are? It is like asking the sound of the color blue. There is no answer apart from Him. In Him we live and move and have our being. Does He love us for who we are in Himself? Absolutely. The world will not qualify human value on such terms, however.


_________________
Tim

 2014/10/14 11:57Profile
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re: Does God love us for who we are?

Greetings

Yes it is a loaded question but I think there is a two part answer, GOD loves us because of who HE is... then I would say HE does not love us for who we are but in spite of who we are.

As far as the RCC I think what your seeing here is more of what Frank spoke to a while back. The RCC wanting to be all things to all people as they continue to compromise and work toward one religion.

God bless
mj

 2014/10/14 11:59Profile









 Re: Does God love us for who we are?

Quote:
"Does God love me for who I am?" - how would you answer that?



yes.

 2014/10/14 12:11
rbanks
Member



Joined: 2008/6/19
Posts: 1330


 Re:

by dolfan on 2014/10/14 11:57:36

God loves us for who He is, right? He IS love. He created us in His image. It is His image that He loves, or He would not have made us in it. He made us for Him to be with. He made us to love us, for His own pleasure and glory. Rev. 4:11.

Do we possess inherent, independent value? No, not independent of Him, we do not. Paul compared us to seeds being sown in 1 Corinthians and, in articulating the truth of the resurrection, stated that if there is no resurrection, our faith is in vain, we are pitiful and we may as well die. The resurrection is the seal of our value and the proof of the source of our value -- He is both, exclusively so. It is our likeness to Him then ("we shall be like Him...") and our being made alive with Him that demonstrates our value. Our value, then, lies in His precious self. No more than I can eat gold is it valuable to my body if everyone is merely subsisting for what we can put into our mouths. Gold has value only if I can get something else with it. Our value lies in the fact that "God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8); yet, the value is connected with His own purposes for us -- that we should be a kind of "firstfruits of His creatures". James 1:18.

So, does God love us for who we are? It is like asking the sound of the color blue. There is no answer apart from Him. In Him we live and move and have our being. Does He love us for who we are in Himself? Absolutely. The world will not qualify human value on such terms, however.
-quote-


Brother! This is an awesome post which I can agree with whole-heartily! I felt to re post it and to thank you for sharing it!

Blessings to all!

 2014/10/14 12:25Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Sometimes when questions are asked like this it helps to substitute "Jesus" for "God".

Does Jesus love us for who we are (or did he love people for who they were)?

Yes, absolutely.

"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "One thing you lack..."


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Todd

 2014/10/14 13:12Profile
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

God loves us in spite of what we are apart from Him, which is vile, wretched, despicable sinners who deserve nothing but His eternal wrath. Unless we come to that realization we are not saved but remain under His wrath.

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."-Romans 5:6-10


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Oracio

 2014/10/14 18:59Profile
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

I feel I only shared one side of the coin in my post. I do understand that there is both dignity and depravity when it comes to humanity.

God's Word does teach that we all possess an inherent dignity because we are made in the image and likeness of God. That "image and likeness of God" separates us from the animal kingdom and all other creations of God. That "image and likeness" is seen in various ways, such as in our mental capacities, our creative abilities, and our moral sense of the need for justice.

But because of the fall of man, because of our sinful condition, we are also depraved and desperately wicked(Jer.17:9); by nature children of wrath(Eph.2:3); enemies of God in our minds through wicked works(Col.1:21). All throughout, God's Word paints a very ugly picture of humanity in terms of our fallen, sinful condition before God.

I believe that the point about human depravity is highly needed to be understood in this kind of discussion first and foremost. This God-hating, evil world-system in which we live tries to tell us that we need more self-esteem in order to be happy and solve our problems. They try to paint a nice, pretty picture of sinful humanity. Many professing Christians fall into that type of deception. We have preachers today that tell us that we are to worship God primarily for ourselves, for what's in it for us, not supremely for the glory and honor of God.

Like John the Baptist declared so truthfully, "He must increase and I must decrease."-John 3:30


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Oracio

 2014/10/14 23:56Profile









 It does not appear you see what God has already done for you and in you at the cross

Jesus Christ the LAST Adam reversed what Adam had done.
Adams race was completely destroyed and we where recreated by Him a NEW Creation!

After the cross NO one is born in Adam.
WE no longer have a wicked and depraved heart.
WE have a NEW heart and a NEW Spirit.
He took away the old heart and totally replaced it.

Gods does love us and HE solved the sin problem and mankind's sinful condition on the cross.

 2014/10/15 10:08
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re: It does not appear you see what God has already done for you and in you at the cr

Quote:
After the cross NO one is born in Adam.
WE no longer have a wicked and depraved heart.
WE have a NEW heart and a NEW Spirit.
He took away the old heart and totally replaced it.


Could you clarify that a bit for us tuc. Do you mean that that applies also to those who are not yet born again? Does that have universal application. Does that apply to Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, etc. who don't trust in Christ?


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Oracio

 2014/10/15 10:54Profile





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