- Jul 22, 2014
- 41,510
- 7,861
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How would you define love to an unbeliever?
I would say God is love to them.
And that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
God loved, then God took an action in love. Not just any kind of loving action but a love that was done in self sacrifice for others.
In other words, in the eternal Godhead: God the Father had loving feelings towards us (Which then led to His loving action in sending forth His Son to save us from our sins by His Son's sacrifice). We are commanded to love God with all our heart, mind, and souls. Surely, emotions are in the mix somewhere within those three. Also, our very soul is in the act of loving God, too. So our very being must love God (Which would be displayed by loving action). We are told in Scripture to walk as Christ walked. We are told to lay down our lives for the brethren, too. So we are to not only love from the heart (with loving feelings) but we are to love in self sacrifice towards others (As Christ had done). This is not our love. But the love of God that lives within us. How does one get this love?
First, a person has to repent of their sins and receive Christ as their Savior. This means that they will be born again (or changed) spiritually and Christ (God) will then live within them. Second, they then need to allow Christ (Who is the source of love) to continue to work within their heart and lives. It is not their love, but it is the love of Christ moving and working within them so as to love others in a self sacrificing way.
I would say God is love to them.
And that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
God loved, then God took an action in love. Not just any kind of loving action but a love that was done in self sacrifice for others.
In other words, in the eternal Godhead: God the Father had loving feelings towards us (Which then led to His loving action in sending forth His Son to save us from our sins by His Son's sacrifice). We are commanded to love God with all our heart, mind, and souls. Surely, emotions are in the mix somewhere within those three. Also, our very soul is in the act of loving God, too. So our very being must love God (Which would be displayed by loving action). We are told in Scripture to walk as Christ walked. We are told to lay down our lives for the brethren, too. So we are to not only love from the heart (with loving feelings) but we are to love in self sacrifice towards others (As Christ had done). This is not our love. But the love of God that lives within us. How does one get this love?
First, a person has to repent of their sins and receive Christ as their Savior. This means that they will be born again (or changed) spiritually and Christ (God) will then live within them. Second, they then need to allow Christ (Who is the source of love) to continue to work within their heart and lives. It is not their love, but it is the love of Christ moving and working within them so as to love others in a self sacrificing way.