Agape love: What is it?

[RickD]

Posted on another thread..

Does God love the Muslims?

Most likely he loves only those that he foreknows will forsake Islam and become Christian, the rest, as Proverbs 6:16-19 states, he hates. God appears to be awakening those he foreknows in marvelous ways and they warn us of the dangers of Islam - yet many will not listen. Recall that there are two kind of people: The children of God/light and the children of darkness/the evil one. We who are now Christians were all at one time God's enemies too, but he saved us by the blood of Jesus awakening us to his grace. He will do so for any people. Let's not be naive about Islam's true intent

If God doesn't not love all muslims......

Then why should I?

That's a great question. And since B. W. is the one who claims God doesn't love all Muslims, he's got to justify that with you.

I don't think God loves Muslims any less than He loves anybody else. Christ died for the sins of the world. That's everyone.

What I would say, is that God's love won't be realized equally by everyone. Those who go to heaven, will realize the fullness of His love. And those who don't, won't realize it.

I tend to believe when it says that God hates someone, it's not the kind of hate we know. It's more of a hate by contrast. For One who doesn't realize the fullness of God's love, it seems like hate.

I could never feel like God hates anyone. If that's the case, we'd all end up like self-righteous a-holes, like the Westboro baptist church folks.

[Nessa]

In Samuel there is a story about jonathan's son - mephibosheth. Now methibosheth had been dropped as a child by a nurse when they were fleeing for their lives and left a cripple.

Fast foward a bit and king david looks around and asks his servant if there is anyone who he can show kindness too for the sake of jonathan. He learns of mephibosheth and gets the servant to go get him...Now in those days when there was a new king the old kings family was usually killed so mephibosheth probably limped relunctantly along to the king fearing the worst...

He says to the king 'what do you want with a dead dog like me'
Well, quite alot really. He basically got given a heck of a lot of stuff...

From then on he got to eat at the king's table for the rest of his days as one of the kings own sons.

I bring this up cos its one of my most treasured stories of God's unconditional love for us.

And for the sake of Christ, we should bestow kindness and love on others and treat them like they dont necessarily deserve. Cos we ourselves, dine at the kings table and eat with the king. Now in a spiritually sense and later even more so.

For Christ's sake alone, we love.

images (8).jpg (24.21 KiB) Viewed 2357 times

[B. W.]

Posted on another thread..

Does God love the Muslims?

Most likely he loves only those that he foreknows will forsake Islam and become Christian, the rest, as Proverbs 6:16-19 states, he hates. God appears to be awakening those he foreknows in marvelous ways and they warn us of the dangers of Islam - yet many will not listen. Recall that there are two kind of people: The children of God/light and the children of darkness/the evil one. We who are now Christians were all at one time God's enemies too, but he saved us by the blood of Jesus awakening us to his grace. He will do so for any people. Let's not be naive about Islam's true intent

If God doesn't not love all muslims......

Then why should I?

That's a great question. And since B. W. is the one who claims God doesn't love all Muslims, he's got to justify that with you.

I don't think God loves Muslims any less than He loves anybody else. Christ died for the sins of the world. That's everyone.

What I would say, is that God's love won't be realized equally by everyone. Those who go to heaven, will realize the fullness of His love. And those who don't, won't realize it.

I tend to believe when it says that God hates someone, it's not the kind of hate we know. It's more of a hate by contrast. For One who doesn't realize the fullness of God's love, it seems like hate.

I could never feel like God hates anyone. If that's the case, we'd all end up like self-righteous a-holes, like the Westboro baptist church folks.

Last part of my post on the other thread pointed out what you just said Rick - Christ died for the sins of the world. That's everyone. That we were all enemies of God, just as the bible teaches, that God's wrath is upon all people, which the bible also teaches. God's love saves people - however - it will not save all people, including all Muslims. It is their choice. God's love honors that choice his own personal call gives to them, even to his own hurt. His love is saving many Muslims to Himself as it saved you, Rick, and Nessa but others and including Muslims his love will not save. Not all people will accept his love.

Not sure why this is so hard to understand?

All I am trying to say be wise and not naive about determining who a Mephibosheth is and who is not. There is a time a season for every purpose under heaven, be wise and discerning the times.

Again,Not sure why this is so hard to understand?

Now what does the bible say on the matter of God hating folks? Let's see...

Psalms 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. NASB

Proverbs 6:16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. NASB

Deut 12:31, Deut 16:22 there are more verses and examples but I'll spare the redundancy...

So how does this square with God's love?

We can take Rom 5:8 all by itself and neglect the context of of Rom 5:9,10 which expresses what I mentioned and posted here. Bottom line is people will reject God's demonstration and proving of his love.

So be wise and not naive about determining who a Mephibosheth is and who is not. There is a time a season for every purpose under heaven, be wise and discerning the times.

If a person want to take in all the Muslim refuges such should ask themselves some serious why's with loads of discernment such as...

This crisis was caused by Obama's lack of back bone to keep the red line in the sand.

Add to this these little little known facts:

More Mexicans Leaving Than Coming to the U.S.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/11/19/m ... o-the-u-s/

This is leaving a shortage or low wage migrant workers to work in fields, Meat plants, factories, hotels, etc...

Big donors donating money to politicians needing a favor - replace these workers!

Bingo - Muslim Migrant workers. In fact, the Meat packing plant in Greeley CO lost Mexican workers and replaced these with Somalians - Muslims - who were place around 50 miles away in Fort Morgan area, which by the way, a Republican voting district. Muslim's who vote in US as citizens primarily vote Democrat.

Vast Majority of Democrat law makers do not want voting ID laws so bingo - votes. Now look at where the Fed Govt, under Democrats desires to place the refugees - Bingo - votes in districts traditionally republican switch to democrats. Check it out.

Notice Obama says, Its a crime against the values of compassion not to take the Muslims into the country who are mere widow, orphans... However 72 percent are men... of military age...

Obama makes his cases of no religious test allowing only Christians, yet, only 3 percent of the refugees are Christians who were being slaughtered and tortured have been admitted so far into the USA. The true widows and orphans which are persecuted Christians are not allowed to pass the Muslim only wanted test into the USA. Hypocrisy, truly, Hypocrisy...

Meantime our compassion heart strings are being pulled by politicians whose donors fund them and feed them with perks for favors need cheap labor fast! The Dem's need to stack the election voting deck to boot. Enter the refugees with Obama Govt demanding where they will settle... Plus Chance to name call opponents heartless bigots for propaganda value from the main stream media and Bingo...

So be wise and not naive about determining who a Mephibosheth is and who is not. There is a time a season for every purpose under heaven, be wise and discerning the times.

Yes God loves the Politicians but sadly so few will accept it....
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[Nessa]

If God doesn't not love all muslims......

Then why should I?

That's a great question. And since B. W. is the one who claims God doesn't love all Muslims, he's got to justify that with you.

I don't think God loves Muslims any less than He loves anybody else

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

[Mallz]

Nessa:

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

If God doesn't not love all Muslims......

Then why should I?

What does he mean when he says 'God doesn't love all Muslims'? Is simply saying He doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him. He respects the rejection and they are in turn, rejected. If a Muslim believes in Christ, they are not Muslim...

And you should love all Muslims because you don't know who is a Christian or not. We aren't the Judge. Just because someone isn't a Christian today, doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow, or decades from now. So we treat everyone as brothers and sisters. And if you love someone, you won't tolerate their allegiance to self and other destruction; surely not eternally.

[Nessa]

Nessa:

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

If God doesn't not love all Muslims......

Then why should I?

What does he mean when he says 'God doesn't love all Muslims'? Is simply saying He doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him. He respects the rejection and they are in turn, rejected. If a Muslim believes in Christ, they are not Muslim...

And you should love all Muslims because you don't know who is a Christian or not. We aren't the Judge. Just because someone isn't a Christian today, doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow, or decades from now. So we treat everyone as brothers and sisters. And if you love someone, you won't tolerate their allegiance to self and other destruction; surely not eternally.

Are you sure you mean me?

So if a non christian asks me if God loves them, I can say..

'Well the good news is, I do, but the bad news is God may not'

If I remember correctly, you see everyone as a brother and sister, right?

Nice to exchange posts again

[Nessa]

So be wise and not naive about determining who a Mephibosheth is and who is not. There is a time a season for every purpose under heaven, be wise and discerning the times.

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Mephiboseths are anyone who receives the invitation. He could have said no as we also can. Either we choose to love God or not. His love is constant.

[Mallz]

Are you sure you mean me?

Lol, unless I'm really blind.

So if a non christian asks me if God loves them, I can say..
'Well the good news is, I do, but the bad news is God may not'

If you think about it, isn't that what everyone says, despite their allegiance?
And to me, it's more like: God loves you; if you love and respect Him, He will love you forever.

If I remember correctly, you see everyone as a brother and sister, right?

Basically. More like everyone is or is in the process of becoming.

[Nessa]

Are you sure you mean me?

Lol, unless I'm really blind.

So if a non christian asks me if God loves them, I can say..
'Well the good news is, I do, but the bad news is God may not'

If you think about it, isn't that what everyone says, despite their allegiance?
And to me, it's more like: God loves you; if you love and respect Him, He will love you forever.

If I remember correctly, you see everyone as a brother and sister, right?

Basically. More like everyone is or is in the process of becoming.

But wheres the good news in God only loving those who love him?

I consider it quite fickle and shallow.

Now just because God loves unconditionally, does not mean we will necessarily love him back.
Those that truly love him will do as he says. Those who dont love him will ultimately perish.

You are saying non christians are your 'brother' and sister' along with christians, right?

[RickD]

How anyone can say that God hates anyone, the way that we understand hate, is beyond me. It's not who God is.

When someone says, "God hates gays", or "God hates Muslims", we all know what that word "hate" means in that context.


Saying that God's love will be fully realized only by those who will go to heaven, is not the same as God hating everyone else.

We had this conversation a while back, in regards to Calvinism. In 5point Calvinism, God only loves those who He chooses to call. Everyone else He hates.

God so loved the world(everyone whoever lived), that He sent His only begotten son...

Nessa is right. How are we supposed to show God's love to others, if we aren't even sure if God loves them?

If you want to see what happens when Christians hold to the belief that God hates certain people, then look no further than the Westboro Baptist Church. Google it, and see what I mean. They take the stance that God hates certain people. Then they take that belief to its logical conclusion.

It's not loving one's neighbor, that's for sure.

[RickD]

Here's a link that talks about what we're discussing:
http://www.compellingtruth.org/does-God-hate.html

The Hebrew word translated as hate, is not hate as we understand it in English:

But what about God hating people? First, the Hebrew understanding of "hatred" may not translate in the same way as it does in English. The idea could be more of "despising" or "stand against." Understood this way, both of the Old Testament passages cited above can be understood as God hating evil actions and standing opposed to those who participate in them.

[RickD]

Here Nessa.
http://www.wildbranch.org/teachings/wor ... 0sane.html

Sané is the Hebrew word translated as hate, in Proverbs 6:16.

Does that help?

[B. W.]

Nessa:

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

If God doesn't not love all Muslims......

Then why should I?

What does he mean when he says 'God doesn't love all Muslims'? Is simply saying He doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him. He respects the rejection and they are in turn, rejected. If a Muslim believes in Christ, they are not Muslim...

And you should love all Muslims because you don't know who is a Christian or not. We aren't the Judge. Just because someone isn't a Christian today, doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow, or decades from now. So we treat everyone as brothers and sisters. And if you love someone, you won't tolerate their allegiance to self and other destruction; surely not eternally.

Thanks Malz, that was my point...

God does indeed stand against those that reject him totally and it is at the point of eternity when this is made known fully. Does God love everyone, yes, saint and sinner yes, if the sinner doesn't return to God's overtures of love proven, does sinner remain a sinner or not after he or she dies? That is my main point...again, still do not understand why that is so difficult to see.

Any doctrine taken to an extreme saws into the realm of heresy: The modern LOVE message is one bible truth that is currently being taken to an extreme because the realm of Godly wisdom is missing from this new message because the modern gospel love message relies on emotion appeals alone as the arbiter of truth.

Agape love came be defined by looking at the Hebrew word meaning for love as well the Greek. Agape contains these meanings: means to take care of, tend too, nurture, provide for, cherish one to achieve their best, edify, rebuke, chastise in order to edify, defend...

Now let us apply this meaning to John 3:15-21 from the NASB with word meanings added in...

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved (takes care of, tend too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises in order to edify, defends) the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (trust, faithing, attaching themselves) in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (leave in a condemned state) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (Note: Rev 21:1-27)
18 "He who believes (Trust-attaches themselves) in Him is not judged (Left in a condemned state); he who does not believe has been judged (left in a condemned state) already, because he has not believed (Trusted) in the name (Character) of the only begotten Son of God.
19 "This is the judgment (official Judgment that separates/divides), that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

I suggest everyone take a chill pill and look over the word meanings in John 3:14-21 - do his or her interpretation and see if agape love is merely an emotional feeling or something far deeper.

Agape/Agapeo love means more than just the condition of unconditionalness attached to love. It is in fact a state of being that seeks too: take care of, tend too, nurture, provide for, cherish one to achieve their best, edify, rebuke, chastise in order to edify, defending ...without thought of one returning it.

In that strict biblical sense, yes God loves everyone by the mere fact he hasn't performed a Gen 6:5,6,7 yet...

He allows folks to go on and on sending the rain down on the just and unjust, and doing as the Apostle Paul mentions in Romans 1:16-32. In this way, God so loved the world...

The modern day gospel message in many quarters is straying into the realm of emotional appeal and away from what Agape/Agapeo love actually means and strays into a love that is devoid of being governed by Godly wisdom, knowledge, and faith.

Look at John 3:18-21 - that part of John 3:16 context is left out of the modern messages concerning the emotional appeal on God's love.

Jesus said to love and do good to one's enemies (Mat 5:44)- what is missed out of this passage from Matthew chapter five is that God viewed us all as enemies (Romans 5:10) and still he - takes care of, tends too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises in order to edify, defending... the whole world...

Now here is a big question: Mat 5:44 NASB says: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."

Now the bible says this in 1 Peter 5:8-9 NASB, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."

So, should you let the devil have his way with you, don't resist and just give him everything you got just to live by Matthew 5:44?

Wouldn't this be a logical contradiction concerning all our enemies and that Eph 4:27 and 1 John 3:8 are actually an unloving statement and not in line with loving your enemies?

How about these verses, Eph 6:11 and Heb 2:14 so should you do good for satan to fulfill the command to love by not doing what these verses say?

Would not then 2 Tim 2:26 NASB, "...and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." Be considered counter productive and unloving as taught in today's modern presentations of the gospel of love?

I hope by presenting this, those that read can assess better what agape love actually means and how it applies. Agape love is not a doormat - it will defend and fight. We are called to fight a spiritual foe, not surrender to the devil. Our prayers can help release those held captive to the devil and Islamist are a prime example.

Does God love all unsaved people? Yes, however, not in quite the manner that has been taught by the modern presentation of the love gospel. God takes care of, tends too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises, defends all - why? To bear witness to the absolute truth within a person...

John 3:19-21 NASB, "This is the judgment (official Judgment that separates/divides), that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Again my point is that we should not be played by the devil's attempt to pit the natures of God's love against itself.

We need to be wise and not naive about when and how to love those that persecute us according to His instructions guiding us from Himself. The enemy will attempt to use God's words to pit theses against God's own words so you live your life as a true doormat and not an overcoming saint.

Be wise and note that Eccl 3:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 mentions that are times and seasons. The Lord will help us and notify his people the correct time on these matters.

The current refugee crisis was made my Obama and as Melanie pointed out in a different context - it is all about money. Money needed by politicians to keep them in office and for new cheap labor as well as stacking the voting deck for democrats. It is about denying truly persecuted Christians, widow, orphans, downtrodden from entering the USA in mass and only allowing in mass Muslims - whose masses historically and empirically do no assimilate into a host country. Look at Sweden - Europe.

These is another manner to do good for these people: actually have kept true the red line of 2012-13 or now set up a safe zone, or incentives for Muslims countries to take there own in. Not allow tem in due to the need to replace cheap labor and stack the voting favors...
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[RickD]

Nessa:

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

If God doesn't not love all Muslims......

Then why should I?

What does he mean when he says 'God doesn't love all Muslims'? Is simply saying He doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him. He respects the rejection and they are in turn, rejected. If a Muslim believes in Christ, they are not Muslim...

And you should love all Muslims because you don't know who is a Christian or not. We aren't the Judge. Just because someone isn't a Christian today, doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow, or decades from now. So we treat everyone as brothers and sisters. And if you love someone, you won't tolerate their allegiance to self and other destruction; surely not eternally.

Thanks Malz, that was my point...
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God doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him?

That absolutely flies in the face of 1 John 4:19.

[B. W.]

...God doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him?

That absolutely flies in the face of 1 John 4:19.

While you were writing this I added to the comment in an edit...

Nessa:

B.W,
I still dont feel like you have answered my question

If God doesn't not love all Muslims......

Then why should I?

What does he mean when he says 'God doesn't love all Muslims'? Is simply saying He doesn't love anyone who doesn't love Him. He respects the rejection and they are in turn, rejected. If a Muslim believes in Christ, they are not Muslim...

And you should love all Muslims because you don't know who is a Christian or not. We aren't the Judge. Just because someone isn't a Christian today, doesn't mean they won't be tomorrow, or decades from now. So we treat everyone as brothers and sisters. And if you love someone, you won't tolerate their allegiance to self and other destruction; surely not eternally.

Thanks Malz, that was my point...

God does indeed stand against those that reject him totally and it is at the point of eternity when this is made known fully. Does God love everyone, yes, saint and sinner yes, if the sinner doesn't return to God's overtures of love proven, does sinner remain a sinner or not after he or she dies? That is my main point...again, still do not understand why that is so difficult to see.

Any doctrine taken to an extreme saws into the realm of heresy: The modern LOVE message is one bible truth that is currently being taken to an extreme because the realm of Godly wisdom is missing from this new message because the modern gospel love message relies on emotion appeals alone as the arbiter of truth.

Agape love came be defined by looking at the Hebrew word meaning for love as well the Greek. Agape contains these meanings: means to take care of, tend too, nurture, provide for, cherish one to achieve their best, edify, rebuke, chastise in order to edify, defend...

Now let us apply this meaning to John 3:15-21 from the NASB with word meanings added in...

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved (takes care of, tend too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises in order to edify, defends) the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (trust, faithing, attaching themselves) in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge (leave in a condemned state) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (Note: Rev 21:1-27)
18 "He who believes (Trust-attaches themselves) in Him is not judged (Left in a condemned state); he who does not believe has been judged (left in a condemned state) already, because he has not believed (Trusted) in the name (Character) of the only begotten Son of God.
19 "This is the judgment (official Judgment that separates/divides), that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

I suggest everyone take a chill pill and look over the word meanings in John 3:14-21 - do his or her interpretation and see if agape love is merely an emotional feeling or something far deeper.

Agape/Agapeo love means more than just the condition of unconditionalness attached to love. It is in fact a state of being that seeks too: take care of, tend too, nurture, provide for, cherish one to achieve their best, edify, rebuke, chastise in order to edify, defending ...without thought of one returning it.

In that strict biblical sense, yes God loves everyone by the mere fact he hasn't performed a Gen 6:5,6,7 yet...

He allows folks to go on and on sending the rain down on the just and unjust, and doing as the Apostle Paul mentions in Romans 1:16-32. In this way, God so loved the world...

The modern day gospel message in many quarters is straying into the realm of emotional appeal and away from what Agape/Agapeo love actually means and strays into a love that is devoid of being governed by Godly wisdom, knowledge, and faith.

Look at John 3:18-21 - that part of John 3:16 context is left out of the modern messages concerning the emotional appeal on God's love.

Jesus said to love and do good to one's enemies (Mat 5:44)- what is missed out of this passage from Matthew chapter five is that God viewed us all as enemies (Romans 5:10) and still he - takes care of, tends too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises in order to edify, defending... the whole world...

Now here is a big question: Mat 5:44 NASB says: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."

Now the bible says this in 1 Peter 5:8-9 NASB, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."

So, should you let the devil have his way with you, don't resist and just give him everything you got just to live by Matthew 5:44?

Wouldn't this be a logical contradiction concerning all our enemies and that Eph 4:27 and 1 John 3:8 are actually an unloving statement and not in line with loving your enemies?

How about these verses, Eph 6:11 and Heb 2:14 so should you do good for satan to fulfill the command to love by not doing what these verses say?

Would not then 2 Tim 2:26 NASB, "...and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." Be considered counter productive and unloving as taught in today's modern presentations of the gospel of love?

I hope by presenting this, those that read can assess better what agape love actually means and how it applies. Agape love is not a doormat - it will defend and fight. We are called to fight a spiritual foe, not surrender to the devil. Our prayers can help release those held captive to the devil and Islamist are a prime example.

Does God love all unsaved people? Yes, however, not in quite the manner that has been taught by the modern presentation of the love gospel. God takes care of, tends too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises, defends all - why? To bear witness to the absolute truth within a person...

John 3:19-21 NASB, "This is the judgment (official Judgment that separates/divides), that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Again my point is that we should not be played by the devil's attempt to pit the natures of God's love against itself.

We need to be wise and not naive about when and how to love those that persecute us according to His instructions guiding us from Himself. The enemy will attempt to use God's words to pit theses against God's own words so you live your life as a true doormat and not an overcoming saint.

Be wise and note that Eccl 3:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 mentions that are times and seasons. The Lord will help us and notify his people the correct time on these matters.

The current refugee crisis was made my Obama and as Melanie pointed out in a different context - it is all about money. Money needed by politicians to keep them in office and for new cheap labor as well as stacking the voting deck for democrats. It is about denying truly persecuted Christians, widow, orphans, downtrodden from entering the USA in mass and only allowing in mass Muslims - whose masses historically and empirically do no assimilate into a host country. Look at Sweden - Europe.

These is another manner to do good for these people: actually have kept true the red line of 2012-13 or now set up a safe zone, or incentives for Muslims countries to take there own in. Not allow tem in due to the need to replace cheap labor and stack the voting favors...

1Jn 4:19 We love (take care of, tend too, nurture, provide for, cherish one to achieve their best, edify, rebuke, chastise in order to edify, defend) because He first loved (takes care of, tends too, nurtures, provides for, cherishes one to achieve their best, edifies, rebukes, chastises, defends) us.

1Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love (cherish) God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love (cherish) his brother whom he has seen, cannot love (cherish) God whom he has not seen.
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves (cherishes) God should love (cherish) his brother also.

A brother/sister is whom according to the context of 1 John? (see 1 John 2:12)

Next, a stranger is whom according to the bible? What is the best way to help such?

In this God guides each person on the correct time and ways to act. So how has welfare help to create the racist black lives matter group and the entitlement philosophy - how is that good?

All I am saying Rick - avoid heart string pulled love... be wise not naive in exercise of Godly love.... For me not to point this out would be in fact unloving...
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