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Why does He need to call them if they are already seeking Him?
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Does God Love Everyone, "Unconditionally"?
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Because he knows their problems, and the thieves and the robbers do not, and His call exhibits this.
The call of the thief:
Jesus came to give you health, wealth and happiness in this life and immortality in the next.
The call of the robber:
Jesus came to give you imputed righteousness in this life and escape from punishment in the next.
The call of the Shepherd:
Matthew 19:21Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Futile living is the enemy, not Hell.
Study what those who lived at the time gave as answers, in Stoicism and Epicuranism, in unlocking Torah, and how all failed.
That is why the Greeks wanted wisdom, a better solution, and the Jews wanted a sign.
John 5:39"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life (; it is these that testify about Me;
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"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:2
[The theme of this new Water from the Rock series is "Hebraic Insights on Puzzling Passages". We will look at some phrases and stories from the Bible that make us scratch our heads, and then shed new light on them using insights from culture and language.]
An interesting insight comes from how the term "eternal life", hayei olam (Hi-YAY Oh-LAHM) can be understood in a Jewish context.1 While it sometimes has our traditional understanding of life after death, hayei olam sometimes used in a different way, when it was contrasted with "hayei sha'a" (fleeting life). Hayei sha'a, fleeting life, is living a life that is only concerned about the short term needs of today - working, making money, eating, etc. Hayei olam, "lasting life" or "a life of eternity" refers to living a life focused on matters of eternal importance.
Traditionally, Jewish people have considered the study of the Bible truly living out one's "eternal life." A story is told about a rabbi who spent years in study of the Scriptures, and then walked past farmers tilling their land. He remarked, "they have abandoned lasting life and involve themselves instead with fleeting life."2
This is Eternal Life
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You still aren't answering the question. They are already coming. Why is a call necessary?Because he knows their problems, and the thieves and the robbers do not, and His call exhibits this.
The call of the thief:
Jesus came to give you health, wealth and happiness in this life and immortality in the next.
The call of the robber:
Jesus came to give you imputed righteousness in this life and escape from punishment in the next.
The call of the Shepherd:
Matthew 19:21Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Futile living is the enemy, not Hell.
Study what those who lived at the time gave as answers, in Stoicism and Epicuranism, in unlocking Torah.
That is why the Greeks wanted wisdom, a better solution, and the Jews wanted a sign.
John 5:39"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life (; it is these that testify about Me;
Quote
"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:2
[The theme of this new Water from the Rock series is "Hebraic Insights on Puzzling Passages". We will look at some phrases and stories from the Bible that make us scratch our heads, and then shed new light on them using insights from culture and language.]
When we read the line above from Jesus, it makes us stop and pause. It seems odd that Jesus would define eternal life as knowing him and his Father. Isn't eternal life living forever after we die?
An interesting insight comes from how the term "eternal life", hayei olam (Hi-YAY Oh-LAHM) can be understood in a Jewish context.1 While it sometimes has our traditional understanding of life after death, hayei olam sometimes used in a different way, when it was contrasted with "hayei sha'a" (fleeting life). Hayei sha'a, fleeting life, is living a life that is only concerned about the short term needs of today - working, making money, eating, etc. Hayei olam, "lasting life" or "a life of eternity" refers to living a life focused on matters of eternal importance.
Traditionally, Jewish people have considered the study of the Bible truly living out one's "eternal life." A story is told about a rabbi who spent years in study of the Scriptures, and then walked past farmers tilling their land. He remarked, "they have abandoned lasting life and involve themselves instead with fleeting life."2
This is Eternal Life
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You work in a IT Security firm. Your boss tells you to go to the seminar where people are looking for protection against hacking.
Other people are selling dashboards, hacking alerts. You have a hacking PREVENTION solution.
I can tell you from my experience last week that the crowd in front of me was more than the crowd in front of the others. It was my call, my solution talk, that did it.
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Gosh!
The Shepherd knew their needs (sometimes even the sheep themselves don't know their needs, you got to tell them! Which is what Paul did, reminded the Athenians in Acts 17 of a vague idea they had, their reaching out to an Unknown God for help, for an unease in their lives) and then you tell them the fix. Now you got their attention.
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I think I understand what you're getting at. God calls those who are seeking after something they need, even if they don't know what it is specifically. Is that correct?
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Pharoah wasn't called. He loved the darkness. There are many people like that. They do not glorify the image of God they were given, they do not reflect.
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I agree that not all are called.
So does God not love unconditionally those He doesn't call?
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Is there some reason you won't answer questions, or reply directly to a post? It happens quite frequently.
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Cassidy Bennett
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I almost died and met my angel. Yes, God loves us unconditionally. He loves you more than you love anyone or anyone that loves you. Parents, spouses, siblings, friends....they are just symbolic of his love. The closest love would be like a father loves his children but even that doesn't come close. He loves us like God but there's no way to really understand that unless you experience it.
That said I did grow up praying to God and believing in Jesus. However I really didn't think he cared much about me and believe me I've said some choice words to him before. I'm sure it didn't make him happy but he was never angry with me.
In my experience he doesn't work off of control but rather persistence. I told him i wasn't ready to go yet so that was the end of it. But I know he keeps calling back, giving me dreams, etc. That stuff won't stop until I give in. He's very persistent.
Human love does not come close to his love because he is pure/holy. It feels so good it almost hurts and honestly I don't even know how I'll endure it for eternity.... which is weird to say. Lol it's not a feeling I've ever experienced before. Also, I was going through some horrible circumstances during this here and it's like I completely forgot about it.
So yes, unconditional love. If you are ever in trouble, no matter where call to him and he will come to you. Do not be arrogant or afraid of him. But trust him like you would a father and go to him. That's all he wants.
That said I did grow up praying to God and believing in Jesus. However I really didn't think he cared much about me and believe me I've said some choice words to him before. I'm sure it didn't make him happy but he was never angry with me.
In my experience he doesn't work off of control but rather persistence. I told him i wasn't ready to go yet so that was the end of it. But I know he keeps calling back, giving me dreams, etc. That stuff won't stop until I give in. He's very persistent.
Human love does not come close to his love because he is pure/holy. It feels so good it almost hurts and honestly I don't even know how I'll endure it for eternity.... which is weird to say. Lol it's not a feeling I've ever experienced before. Also, I was going through some horrible circumstances during this here and it's like I completely forgot about it.
So yes, unconditional love. If you are ever in trouble, no matter where call to him and he will come to you. Do not be arrogant or afraid of him. But trust him like you would a father and go to him. That's all he wants.
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Hate is not the opposite of Love by deity’s definition of hate, since we are commanded to both Love and hate our families. So God can hate people and still Love them unconditionally (and it would have to be unconditionally since they do nothing to deserve His Love).
This earth is very complex, yet everything is working together for those that Love God and really those that still can love God in the future. God predestines/foreordains/controls/allows almost everything that does happen, to help willing individuals fulfill their earthly objective. This everything includes: Christ going to the cross, satan roaming the earth, tragedies of all kind, hell, heaven and even sin is allowed. Mature adults who have refused God’s help (Charity/mercy/grace/Love/forgiveness) to the point they would never accept his help, take on a much lesser earthly objective of helping those that can still choose to accept God’s help to accept God’s charity. They can do this by being the living examples of how bad sin is and how much God hates sin.
God can Love wicked people and yet can destroy them, but they are not being destroyed for their sake, but for the sake of others God also loves. The ones being destroyed are unwillingly sacrificing their lives for the good of others and God is using them for that because God did all He could for them, but they refused to accept His help and will never complete their objective. A child that God Loves which will never turn around and is hurting God’s other children, is used by God to help His other children.
A general loves all his soldiers, but will on occasion have to sacrifice some soldiers for the good of the other soldiers, but does that mean the general did not love those he sacrificed? (this is a poor analogy, but is true to some degree.)
God can do no more for those that He is sacrificing, but they can do good for those that look on. There death will also stop their further hurting of His other children.
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You are asking the wrong questions!
Just kidding.
Actually, its the nature of the beast. Language is volatile. That's why patterns, motifs are more important than words.
Points have to be repeated, in different ways, till they get across. Don't give up.
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I mean that if you live unrighteous, God will make you a vessel of dishonor, use you as His instrument of destruction. Babylon was violent. God used them as His hammer to punish Israel for idolatry.
However, Babylon was too violent.
God used the Medes, who loved violence, did not fight for wealth, to in turn punish Babylon:
Isaiah 13:17Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold.
18And their bows will mow down the young men,
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
Nor will their eye pity children.
19And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation;
Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there,
Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.
21But desert creatures will lie down there,
And their houses will be full of owls;
Ostriches also will live there, and shaggy goats will frolic there.
22Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers
And jackals in their luxurious palaces.
Her fateful time also will soon come
And her days will not be prolonged.
The takeway lesson, live right, God will make you a vessel of honor, use you for a good purpose.
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