We don't need to argue about a definition for love. It is an english word! If you want to redefine it, then give me a definition. Until then, let's use this:
love A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness.
There are seven different words meaning love used in the Bible, and they each have a different meaning. The word 'agape' is the word Christ used regarding the love God has for us, and I don't necessarily think it can be defined in the manner above.
Do you deny that Jesus restored our relationship with God? We are back to the status of Adam and Eve. We now have the ability to choose or reject God' grace.
Jesus reunited us with God. Now we can pick up our cross and follow or reject God's grace.
Jesus restored the ability to have a relationship with God, but we aren't back to the status of Adam and Eve precisely because we have to pick up our cross and follow Him. That means we are still bound by a fallen world. Adam and Eve were not (till they fell). As long as we live in a fallen world, we will not see things clearly, and our main characteristic, every one if us, is to take our will, our definition of things, and substitute it for God's, even if we don't think we are, because we are still fallen.
I do believe that we have the ability to choose to reject God's grace. I just don't think anyone who has been regenerated will.
I know I keep posting some of the same verses, buy you keep ignoring them.
Please tell me why you don't believe these verses:
Since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
1Cor. 15:21-22
Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. Rom. 5:18
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
Rom 11:32
I do believe those verses, but I don't believe what you believe about those verses because 'all' doesn't always mean all. When you take away the context, sure, it can look like it means everyone, but the context usually tells us who is being addressed in the passage, and most of the time, all means people from all nations or all believers. Very rarely does it mean every single person that ever lived on the face of the earth.
Strong's G3956 - pas πᾶς
Part of Speech-adjective
Outline of Biblical Usage
1) individually
....a) each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2) collectively
....a) some of all types
Same with 'world'.
Strong's G2889 - kosmos κόσμος
Part of Speech-masculine noun
Outline of Biblical Usage
1) an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
2) ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet. 3:3
3) the world, the universe
4) the circle of the earth, the earth
5) the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family
6) the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ
7) world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly
....a) the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
8) any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
....a) the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Rom. 11:12 etc)
....b) of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19
I couldn't do it, I'd be tempted to play safe. But then, I'm not love, I'm not a parent and I'm not God.
