Can Someone Who Does Not Love God Be Saved?

Brother TC:

Remember that the question was: can those who do not love God already be saved ?


My question then is did Paul love God while he was yet Saul ?

If yes, where is the Scriptural proof.

If no, then by such an answer you are saying that our eternal salvation depends on our love for God, and not His love for us. We love Him first, then He loves us and saves us ?

 

I know I am wandering from the thread here, but is it not a mistake to think that Saul's name became Paul at his conversion? Acts 13.9 talks of "Saul, who also is called Paul", but as far as I know there is no indication that the name was changed at conversion. Remember he was a Roman, as well as being a Jew, so perhaps "Paul" was his Latin name and Saul his Hebrew name. Hardly an earth-shattering matter, I know, and I am certainly not going to fall out with anyone over it! :laugh:

But to get back to your question, yes, God loved Paul/Saul while he was still being known as Saul, for he carried on being known as Saul, from before his conversion described in Acts 9, right up to Acts 13.9.

 

But, David, there is no question that God loved His own while they were yet sinners, my question is, in line with the clarified question by the OP, did Saul/Paul love God while he was yet Saul the unrepentant sinner, Saul the self-righteous, religious bigot who persecuted those of "The Way" ?

 

Sorry, Pinoy, I was just being over-pedantic. I knew that was what you meant, and should have left it be.

 

Not an issue, David.

But then we come nearer to the more correct question. When we ask, "is it possible for someone who does not love God to be saved", we need to define what we mean by "saved".

Is it eternal salvation ? If that is what we meant, then we add qualities and requirements to Christ's work which is never in the Bible.

Is it timely salvation manifested in this world by a repentance towards God, a renouncing of an ungodly life, an embracing of correct doctrine, an inclination towards correct theology, a love of the saints, a love of the Word, a love of God and everything He stands for, a calling on the Name of Christ, and all those things that manifest one's being a child of God ?

 

No!?!?!?!?!?!?!

IMHO, and limited theological academic skills, I have to say that this is probably a trick question. You don't have to love God to get saved....but, there is no way you not love God once the infilling of His spirit comes upon you at the moment you are changed from fleshly sinner, to sinner saved by grace.

Paul :type:

 

Not only is it impossible to be saved and not love God . . .
It is impossible to be saved and not love the brethren . . .

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." 1 John 3:15

In Christ,
Deborah