Does God have a common grace?

All Glory To God

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I hear all the time God loves all people and wishes all to be saved, also know as the ''well meant offer'' but is that true? Let's discuss.

My understanding is God loves his friends and destroys his enemies.

A few things I think are helpful to consider going into this discussion:

-Will all people be saved? Why?
-Does God always fulfill his will and council? Why?
-When Jesus healed people, how did they respond to Christs gift?
-If there is a common love/grace for Christian and non-christian, why should the Christians act in a set apart Godly way?
 

Albion

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Here's a question that is important to your point:

If God allows someone to choose immoral living, thereby causing him to suffer the consequences of his acts, does this mean that God does not love mankind? Or to put it another way, is it necessary for God, who has revealed his will to mankind in various ways, to reward both those people who heed it and those who do not...just to show himself to be loving?
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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Here's a question that is important to your point:

If God allows someone to choose immoral living, thereby causing him to suffer the consequences of his acts, does this mean that God does not love mankind? Or to put it another way, is it necessary for God, who has revealed his will to mankind in various ways, to reward both those people who heed it and those who do not...just to show himself to be loving?
An OT pov wouldn’t see a division that is perceived in the NT. The Father, like the payee of the time spent in his employment, gave equally to all, like God’s offer of eternal life is perceived to be for all. But the rewarder is credited to the Risen Lord.
 
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bling

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I hear all the time God loves all people and wishes all to be saved, also know as the ''well meant offer'' but is that true? Let's discuss.

My understanding is God loves his friends and destroys his enemies.

A few things I think are helpful to consider going into this discussion:

-Will all people be saved? Why?
-Does God always fulfill his will and council? Why?
-When Jesus healed people, how did they respond to Christs gift?
-If there is a common love/grace for Christian and non-christian, why should the Christians act in a set apart Godly way?
First off: God allows or causes people to be destroyed, but that does not mean they are all His “enemy”, Steve was allowed to be stoned.

Not all people will accept God’s undeserving charity found in His forgiveness, so not all will be saved.

“Does God always do what He says He will do”: Jer. 18: 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

It is always dependent on what we do, so God will change in relation to what we decide to do.

People respond different ways to Christ’s gifts. The rich young ruler whom Christ Loved walked away unhappy when Jesus gifted him with the knowledge to enter the Kingdom.

The Christian and non-Christian were both offered the free undeserving charitable invitation to the banquet. The undeserving “pre-Christian” humbly accepted and the non-Christian refused the invitation.
 
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All Glory To God

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Here's a question that is important to your point:

If God allows someone to choose immoral living, thereby causing him to suffer the consequences of his acts, does this mean that God does not love mankind? Or to put it another way, is it necessary for God, who has revealed his will to mankind in various ways, to reward both those people who heed it and those who do not...just to show himself to be loving?

Or you could just tell me your view on common grace. That would be good.
 
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Albion

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First off: God allows or causes people to be destroyed, but that does not mean they are all His “enemy”, Steve was allowed to be stoned.
Oh, yeah... "Steve"

But his life on Earth coming to an unpleasant and undeserved close isn't really what we were talking about.
 
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All Glory To God

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. . .
People respond different ways to Christ’s gifts. The rich young ruler whom Christ Loved walked away unhappy when Jesus gifted him with the knowledge to enter the Kingdom.

Wanting to focus on these two points for the moment. Hope that's alright.

So the rich man who asked how asked to obtain eternal life but become discouraged after Jesus informed him it would cost all, according to church tradition that man was John mark. And John mark went on to be a disciple of Christ and helper of Barnabas. Perhaps all that were healed went on to become part of Christs growing ministry.


The Christian and non-Christian were both offered the free undeserving charitable invitation to the banquet. The undeserving “pre-Christian” humbly accepted and the non-Christian refused the invitation.


As for the parable, I am not sure how this substantiates a true loving nature of God for all human creation. I would concede all people receive good gifts from the workings of Gods providence but a common grace? I think there is only one type of grace, salvific grace.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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Wanting to focus on these two points for the moment. Hope that's alright.

So the rich man who asked how asked to obtain eternal life but become discouraged after Jesus informed him it would cost all, according to church tradition that man was John mark. And John mark went on to be a disciple of Christ and helper of Barnabas. Perhaps all that were healed went on to become part of Christs growing ministry.





As for the parable, I am not sure how this substantiates a true loving nature of God for all human creation. I would concede all people receive good gifts from the workings of Gods providence but a common grace? I think there is only one type of grace, salvific grace.
I think church tradition has stretched losing your shirt a bit far.
 
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If God loves all people, are Christians obliged to live different from the lost?
I just noticed this ... but it’s a far stretch from Mark’s portrait in the bible to a rich man. We can allow our consciences whatever we want, but it’s biblically cautioned to think well on it.
 
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All Glory To God

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Common grace: "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." (Mt 5:45)

Is sunshine really evidence for Gods love for all human creation? Notice how that scripture never mentions grace.

In Romans 1 Paul talks about reprobates, the people that God has cast away. The sunshine also is on them, why would God love something he reprobated?

I think sunshine comes under Gods providence, all people receive good gifts from God, like sunshine but the intent of the gift is different for his friends and reprobates.
 
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All Glory To God

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I just noticed this ... but it’s a far stretch from Mark’s portrait in the bible to a rich man. We can allow our consciences whatever we want, but it’s biblically cautioned to think well on it.


You say ''We can allow our consciences whatever we want'' but Jesus said of his people they are the light and salt of the world.
 
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You say ''We can allow our consciences whatever we want'' but Jesus said of his people they are the light and salt of the world.
Paul said :
1 Corinthians 8:9 Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin].
 
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All Glory To God

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Paul said :
1 Corinthians 8:9 Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin].


It's hard to tell what your point is when you quote scripture without an explanation accompanying the scripture.

This is Paul instructing the Christians in Corinth to be mindful of their conduct, note this is not required of the heathen. So I would say this demonstrates how God expects a behavior better from his people then he does the lost. Do you agree?

Don't forget the topic is common grace.
 
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Wanting to focus on these two points for the moment. Hope that's alright.

So the rich man who asked how asked to obtain eternal life but become discouraged after Jesus informed him it would cost all, according to church tradition that man was John mark. And John mark went on to be a disciple of Christ and helper of Barnabas.
That’s an inaccurate tradition at best. That was the comment. Be careful that what is written in scripture (Mark is known for his tunic being left behind) that allows you to assume he was a rich man (not biblical) Your allowance of tradition may be a stumbling block to someone who knows scripture and is aware of the discrepancy, to get any meaning from your post.
 
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Hmm

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I think sunshine comes under Gods providence, all people receive good gifts from God, like sunshine but the intent of the gift is different for his friends and reprobates.

You may well think that but what does the Bible say? Let's see...

Matthew 5:45
"so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."

Now, which quote to believe :scratch:
 
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Clare73

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Is sunshine really evidence for Gods love for all human creation? Notice how that scripture never mentions grace.

In Romans 1 Paul talks about reprobates, the people that God has cast away. The sunshine also is on them, why would God love something he reprobated?

I think sunshine comes under Gods providence, all people receive good gifts from God, like sunshine but the intent of the gift is different for his friends and reprobates.
Yes, sunshine and rain are God's provision.

But "love" is not the definition of "grace."

Grace = unmerited favor.

Do we "merit" provision from God?
 
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All Glory To God

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That’s an inaccurate tradition at best. That was the comment. Be careful that what is written in scripture (Mark is known for his tunic being left behind) that allows you to assume he was a rich man (not biblical) Your allowance of tradition may be a stumbling block to someone who knows scripture and is aware of the discrepancy, to get any meaning from your post.


Ok, you have made it abundantly clear you disagree on this point.
 
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All Glory To God

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You may well think that but what does the Bible say? Let's see...

Matthew 5:45
"so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."

Now, which quote to believe :scratch:


Does it mention grace?
 
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