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Does God love people in hell?

Does God love people in hell?


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My answer to the poll question, "Does God love people in hell?" was no.

But the question in the OP was different: "Will love that has the power to save, save indeed?"

I would answer "yes" to that, unless Osage (the original poster) meant, "Will love that has the power to save every human being who has ever lived, is living, or will live, save universally?"

Thank you for your responses. I agree with you.

The question came from the first video where Pastor Fortner of Grace Baptist Church in Danville Kentucky said the following: "Love is commitment to the good of it's object, and love that has the power to save will save. If God doesn't save everybody that means he never loved everybody."

Pastor Fortner is preaching about the scope of the atonement and the love of God for his elect. He was saying that God saves the people he loves.
 
Part 2 of MacArthur:

I read the article and it doesn't address the point at all. Macarthur never said God loves people in hell.

He talked about common grace that God showers on everyone. God's common grace is proof of his benevolence toward the living as it clearly says in scripture.

However, people in hell are not in the grace of God. They have been stripped of all grace and now only suffer his wrath. They are beyond love and beyond hope. God is their enemy.

Macarthur never touched on people in hell at all but simply affirmed common grace to the living on earth. He did go a little too far with common grace in making it look like God is begging people to repent. God is not begging people to please repent. He is commanding them to repent.
 
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psalms109:31

Active Member
treasured posesssion

Yet His treasured posesssion the one's He loved was cut out for unbelief, but will include them back in if they do not continue in their unbelief.

He also included other besided the meek and humble out of His treasured posesssion who will trust in the name of the Lord those who heard the Gospel of their salvation having believed

Deuteronomy 26
18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.

Zephaniah 3:12
But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the LORD.

Romans 11
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Ephesians 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

I do believe as you do, but after Jesus is lifted up He has brought hope to all men, and all men can come those who humble themselves and listen and learn from the Father through Jesus words.

John 5:
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

Luke 10:21
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

John 6
43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.

John 14:24
Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
 

Skandelon

<b>Moderator</b>
I read the article and it doesn't address the point at all. Macarthur never said God loves people in hell.

He talked about common grace that God showers on everyone. God's common grace is proof of his benevolence toward the living as it clearly says in scripture.

However, people in hell are not in the grace of God. They have been stripped of all grace and now only suffer his wrath. They are beyond love and beyond hope. God is their enemy.

Macarthur never touched on people in hell at all but simply affirmed common grace to the living on earth. He did go a little too far with common grace in making it look like God is begging people to repent. God is not begging people to please repent. He is commanding them to repent.

So you believe God changes in that he starts out loving these people but then stops loving them once they go to Hell? Doesn't that defy the very biblical definition of love? Maybe it shouldn't be called "love?"

Again, I don't necessarily agree with MacArthur on this point (with regard to the consistency of His Reformed beliefs and the love issue). I'm merely reporting his findings regarding historical Reformed teaching regarding the love of God for those who never repent and believe (which would be those who end up in hell, whether he ever actually says that or not).
 

webdog

Active Member
Site Supporter
Webdog, I know that you did not say that Romans 5.8 referred to those in hell, but that "still sinners" describes people in hell. Even so, the implication is (please correct me if I have misunderstood you) that the fact that God loved Christians before they were converted lends support to the idea that God must love people in hell.
Yes David, that is correct
 

freeatlast

New Member
So you believe God changes in that he starts out loving these people but then stops loving them once they go to Hell? Doesn't that defy the very biblical definition of love? Maybe it shouldn't be called "love?"

Again, I don't necessarily agree with MacArthur on this point (with regard to the consistency of His Reformed beliefs and the love issue). I'm merely reporting his findings regarding historical Reformed teaching regarding the love of God for those who never repent and believe (which would be those who end up in hell, whether he ever actually says that or not).

Why is that so difficult to believe? if God can hate and love the same person at the same time why can't he withdraw his love from someone once they are no longer able to receive His love? God forsook His only begotten Son, so i think he can turn off the love for the damned.
 
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So you believe God changes in that he starts out loving these people but then stops loving them once they go to Hell? Doesn't that defy the very biblical definition of love? Maybe it shouldn't be called "love?"

I don't think common grace should be defined necessarily as love. You have people who live painful terrible lives in a tribal desert somewhere who never hear the gospel. They were given the temporary grace of a form of comfort, but their eternity will be spend suffering the wrath of God.

I do not define that as love.

Again, I don't necessarily agree with MacArthur on this point (with regard to the consistency of His Reformed beliefs and the love issue). I'm merely reporting his findings regarding historical Reformed teaching regarding the love of God for those who never repent and believe (which would be those who end up in hell, whether he ever actually says that or not).

Macarthur is not reformed. He is a dispensationalist that happens to hold to correct soteriology.

I think he is wrong in asserting that common grace equals love. If God actually loved them he would actually save them.
 

webdog

Active Member
Site Supporter
Love is wanting what's best for someone else. The most definitely encompasses grace, common or otherwise.
 

psalms109:31

Active Member
Wrath

God loved the world that He sent His Son. That yes while we were sinners Christ died for us.

That He does want all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

The end result those apart from Christ that is not in His Son, God hates and His wrath is upon them.

We are message of good news and how much I pray that the Lord of the Harvast send out more workers. God created the most highly mobile multi-purposed vehicle that can go any where to spread the gospel. That we can reach the ends of the Earth, by doing the plan of God

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
 

Skandelon

<b>Moderator</b>
I don't think common grace should be defined necessarily as love.
Then you differ with Calvin and many other historical reformers as MacArthur points out. That was the point I was making. End of discussion.

You have people who live painful terrible lives in a tribal desert somewhere who never hear the gospel. They were given the temporary grace of a form of comfort, but their eternity will be spend suffering the wrath of God.

I do not define that as love.
I believe they are "without excuse" because they have clearly seen and understood enough of God's attributes to acknowledge Him as God and I believe some do and are saved accordingly.

There are many spoken of in scripture that "fear God" or "worship God" prior to ever hearing the gospel (Cornelius and Lydia come to mind). Abraham believed the promise of God and it was credited to him as righteousness. There are many passages which indicate men will be held to account to the level of their revelation. I believe God is just in that respect.

Macarthur is not reformed. He is a dispensationalist that happens to hold to correct soteriology.
That is not a refutation of his arguments, citations and claims, that is a mere "label and dismiss" tactic.

I think he is wrong in asserting that common grace equals love. If God actually loved them he would actually save them.
Again, proving that you part ways with Calvin himself and many of the historical reformers. My point is made. Thanks
 

Skandelon

<b>Moderator</b>
I believe God always gets what he wants in the end.
And have you ever considered that maybe what God wants is people who freely choose to love and serve him, rather than a bunch of stones with arms and legs made to cry out to him through causally determinative means?
 

MB

Well-Known Member
I believe God no longer loves those in hell other wise they would not be separated from His love. God is a Just God.
MB
 

Skandelon

<b>Moderator</b>
I believe God no longer loves those in hell other wise they would not be separated from His love. God is a Just God.
MB

So you believe he loved them once, but now doesn't love them? How is that consistent with the biblical view of love that does not end?
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Reformed Pastor David Craig:

All of it came because of the Father’s love. He sent Christ to save and not to condemn the world (John 3:17). But there are many who will not accept God’s gift of salvation. They reject what Christ has done for them. They spurn the work of Christ. They spurn the love of God. They insist on taking for themselves what Christ has already taken for them, the punishment of their own sin. They insist on going to the place where Christ has already gone for them, hell. Their rejection of God’s love does not diminish the love God demonstrated. Their insistence on taking their own punishment does not diminish the work of Christ on the cross.

http://www.firstreformedevansdale.c...d-up-in-hell-for-all-eternity-why-create-them
 

freeatlast

New Member
I believe God always gets what he wants in the end.

If you believe that then you would be wrong according to scripture.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 Thess. 4:3 For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

Just those two things shows He does not always get His will.
 

Skandelon

<b>Moderator</b>
can you give a reference about God's love for the lost never ending? Thanks.

I can't. I just know that the bible defines love as being never ending, so it just seems to reason that if he loves someone and they refuse his grace and die, that wouldn't negate his love for them.
 

pinoybaptist

Active Member
Site Supporter
So you believe God changes in that he starts out loving these people but then stops loving them once they go to Hell?

I've got a question for you, Skandelon, and please, I am not disrespecting you, or others who think that God does love those who are in hell, including JM.

If you had a child whom you loved and who went awry in his life and you ended up having to give him up for punishment and the punishment was death, wouldn't that grieve you for as long as you lived in this time world ?

Now, if you got God creating man who through their federal head fell into His condemnation and His justice demanded that they reap the consequences of this condemnation which is eternal, wouldn't that make God an eternally grieving God ?

Or would He turn His powers on Himself and make Himself ungrieve after He had judged them to hell.
 
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