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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Are we really the objects of God's love?

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JFW
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Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 2009
Dothan, Alabama

 Re:

Brother rbanks wrote "To answer your question...no...we are not the object of God's love...Jesus is the object of God's love."

Yes dear brother amen!

There is a historical tendency to shift the focus from a Christ centered gospel to a man centered one where Jesus becomes the means to our ends. A gospel where we want a person to be saved for their sakes rather than because we don't want Jesus to be cheated out of that for which He shed His blood. Unfortunately this seems quite prevalent in the age we live and while it is a subtle shift, the consequences of this distraction are dire as we see in Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jesus became a means to their ends rather than they a means to His as we are urged to be so here in Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

John 17... a most intimate look into our saviors prayer life- where in the last verse we find ; 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

(For me) there is parallel to Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Note that in both passages it's the love "of" God (not "for"God) that's spoken of.... Jesus asks that the love that His father had loved Him with would be in us,... Paul declares (in Romans) that prayer was answered. My understanding is that the "love of God" that is "shed abroad in our hearts" is Gods love for His son:))) He gives it to us and this is where we fellowship/tabernacle with the Father...in the shared love for Jesus.

God the Father's love "for" us is articulated 3 verses later in Romans
5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Again (in my understanding) this is the only way any biblical promise or principle works or even could work. For example most anything done with the intent to magnify Jesus, (to make sure He isn't being cheated out of that for which He shed His blood), even a cool glass of water being given to this end can't help but be rewarded as it is sought for His namesake, not ours.
But people do all sorts of things "in Jesus name" and say it as if it's some magical phrase, tho again they are trying to use it (His name) as a means to their own ends. That's not love.... it's sin.
So either we believe (in spite of our failings/weakness) He can use us to accomplish His objective or we believe/attempt to use Him to accomplish ours...


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Fletcher

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