by Deputy Dog 119 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
DD
God's children have always had His love. Why would they demand something they already have?
Your problem may be with those who are not His children. Yet they recieve His common grace (love) blessings like rain, food, air,ect.
Are you expressing your opinion above?
If you don't mind my asking, Do you have children?
quietlyleaving
Are you expressing your opinion above?
I was asking a question.
If you don't mind my asking, Do you have children?
What do my children have to do with the question? Do you love your neighbors children the same as your own? Or are you asking because you're not happy with how God loves you?
Maybe the real question is, who do you think are Gods children?
The Greek word for preferred is used three times in the first chapter of John
John 1:15
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.John 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
John 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
I think you're missing the point. God LOVED agapao¯ (not prefered) Jacob. Where was God's love for Esau?
If you look at modern translations, that word is translated along the lines of 'surpassed', 'before' or 'greater than', in the context of the passage itself, it is John's acknowledgement that Jesus is more than a prophet (and possibly more than a mere human). Such is the development of the English language coupled with translation of the Greek and Hebrew scriptures within context.
Again, if you look at the origin of the verse from Romans about Jacob and Esau - in Malachi 1:2,3, yes it's still translated as 'hated' - but the Hebrew word sane' may also be used in terms on enmity. Since it's God who is speaking - telling Israel how He loves them, to paraphrase into modern conversational terms, it possibly went something like this:
Israelites: You don't love us, prove you love us! (whinge, whine, whinge!!!)
God: This is how I prove my love to you - you're my chosen people, and because of that I've blessed you, unlike the descendants of Esau who are my enemies, I just don't stick with them.
Consider - could it be Esau who became enemies to God first? Look back at the story - God wanted to bless him, it wasn't for lack of trying but he continually threw it all away - even his birthright. No Jacob wasn't much better - a bit of a cheat! So why should God love one more than the other? I don't think He did - He just showed preference, for reasons unknown to me.
DD
quietlyleaving
Are you expressing your opinion above?I was asking a question.
If you don't mind my asking, Do you have children?What do my children have to do with the question? Do you love your neighbors children the same as your own? Or are you asking because you're not happy with how God loves you?
Maybe the real question is, who do you think are Gods children?
I don't get your reasoning - I must be a vessel fitted for destruction
Sad E : So why should God love one more than the other? I don't think He did - He just showed preference , for reasons unknown to me.
Would that be the case with Pharoah?
Rom 9:17
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up,'DDog: Where was God's love for Esau?Agreed, where was the love for Pharoah?
quietlyleaving
I think it is I who is missing your point. If you had one.
emo
Consider - could it be Esau who became enemies to God first? Look back at the story - God wanted to bless him, it wasn't for lack of trying but he continually threw it all away - even his birthright. No Jacob wasn't much better - a bit of a cheat! So why should God love one more than the other?
This won't be my opinion this is scripture:
Rom 9:11
for though the twinswere not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,I don't think the bible could be much clearer!
I don't think He did - He just showed preference, for reasons unknown to me.
Even showing preference is loving one over the other.
Would that be the case with Pharoah?
ellderwho - I don't see your point. The whole of that verse reads:
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
It doesn't say anything about whether God loved pharaoh or not - just that God used him to display His power. Just because someone (like pharaoh or Esau) gets a crappy deal in life, does it necessarily mean that God loves them any less?
Straying into QL's angle a little maybe - if your children misbehaved, would you love them any less? Or would your love be the same even though their actions filled you with horror at times?!
ellderwho
Are you saying: that the potter has ..."a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?"
emo
Straying into QL's angle a little maybe - if your children misbehaved, would you love them any less? Or would your love be the same even though their actions filled you with horror at times?!
I know this wasn't addressed to me, but,
Do you think that every human is one of God's children?
