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Most Difficult Concept

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I think we can definitively answer that question.

God said to love your enemies.

Hitler was evil. He committed horrid acts against people.

We were evil. We were enemies of God.

Was Hitler's sins against the Jews more evil than our sins against God?

I do not believe so. But if sinning against st God is he greater sin, we have to acknowledge that Gid still lived us (while we were enemies) by sending His Son to die for us.
So God loves satan?
 

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
A sovereign God can allocate free will of various degrees or no free will at all to his creation without a loss of sovereign as His ways are not our ways. It is actually in my view his prerogative as sovereign to do as he pleases not what posters on Baptist Board need him to do so that they can feel good about themselves. Same as our love freely given not forced doesn't impact our sovereign ness but it appears that some get a lot of pleasure defending the reputation of the Almighty by throwing rocks and calling people names.

Daniel, a well regarded OT prophet, appealed to a sovereign God asking Him to open his eyes to the plight and suffering of the disobedient and unbelieving Jews and desolate Jerusalem and to act for reason of His great names sake among the gentiles on something he had already said he would do and the prophet asked this as if the sovereign all powerful all knowing God needed to be reminded (Daniel 9:18).
I do not see how God can allow full free will and still be fully Sovereign though!
 

thomas15

Well-Known Member
I do not see how God can allow full free will and still be fully Sovereign though!

I don't see anywhere in the Bible where he gave you, nice as you are, the job of determining just exactly what he can and cannot do to remain sovereign.

I do see however and I hope you do also see where He states that if we place our faith and trust in Christ and Him crucified we will be forgiven and accepted and thus saved.
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
It’s still hard to comprehend “love” for those persecuting and even killing Christians.

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.”

..to love OUR enemies, NOT God's enemies:

21 Do not I hate them, O Jehovah, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: They are become mine enemies.
Ps 139

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you. Mt 7
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I suspect the indwelling Holy Spirit enables such love.

Begotten of God/born of God/born from above/born of the Spirit, I'm not convinced it's the same as 'indwelling', but no doubt the source for this agape is the regenerate heart, and it comes NATURALLY:

14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); Ro 2

So naturally does this agape come to the heavenly born that they may not even be aware of acting on it:

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?
38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Mt 25

It's as if they weren't even conscious of doing anything out of the ordinary, like doing these things came to them 'naturally', from the heart, like Paul articulated, "when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law...they show the work of the law written in their hearts"

Like the Samaritan:

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion, Lu 10

Agape comes naturally to the heavenly born.
 

George Antonios

Well-Known Member
What do you believe to be the most difficult theological concept to understand?

I think for me, the hardest is God being love. This is easily seen in practice (Christ giving Himself) but it is difficult for me to work through.

The origination of sin in the heart of Lucifer.
 

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
Loving enemies means setting your love on those you hate. If you love them subjectively, they are no longer enemies. God set His love on us when we had nothing to love but only to hate.
 

canadyjd

Well-Known Member
..to love OUR enemies, NOT God's enemies:…
I think you are missing the point of Matthew 5.
Just like the man challenging the command to “love your neighbor”, by asking “who is my neighbor?” You are saying “who is MY enemy?”

Prior to salvation, scriptures says we were all the enemies of God.

The command to “love” your enemies loses all significance with such thinking.

peace to you
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I think you are missing the point of Matthew 5.

No. At it's core the Sermon On The Mount is an exposition of the law given by the Author of the law, addressed to the recipients of the law, showing the spirituality of the law:

20 For I say unto you...
21 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time....
22 but I say unto you...
27 Ye have heard that it was said...
28 but I say unto you
31 It was said also...
32 but I say unto you...
33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time...
34 but I say unto you...
38 Ye have heard that it was said...
39 but I say unto you...
43 Ye have heard that it was said...
44 but I say unto you... Mt 5

Just like the man challenging the command to “love your neighbor”, by asking “who is my neighbor?” You are saying “who is MY enemy?”

No. I seek only to 'rightly divide'. But that is a good question:

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you. Mt 7

Who are the dogs? Who are the swine?

ust like the man challenging the command to “love your neighbor”, by asking “who is my neighbor?”

And who PROVED to be neighbor?
 

canadyjd

Well-Known Member
No. At it's core the Sermon On The Mount is an exposition of the law given by the Author of the law, addressed to the recipients of the law, showing the spirituality of the law:

20 For I say unto you...
21 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time....
22 but I say unto you...
27 Ye have heard that it was said...
28 but I say unto you
31 It was said also...
32 but I say unto you...
33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time...
34 but I say unto you...
38 Ye have heard that it was said...
39 but I say unto you...
43 Ye have heard that it was said...
44 but I say unto you... Mt 5



No. I seek only to 'rightly divide'. But that is a good question:

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you. Mt 7

Who are the dogs? Who are the swine?



And who PROVED to be neighbor?
Thanks for the conversation

peace to you
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Prior to salvation, scriptures says we were all the enemies of God.

Good point. It should also be noted that 'us enemies'' names were written in heaven long before 'salvation '. Paul was a fearsome enemy all the while being separated from his mother's womb to preach to the Gentiles.

The command to “love” your enemies loses all significance with such thinking.

So many there are like you @canadyjd that consider 'such thinking' as 'rightly dividing' to be somehow 'taboo'.
 
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canadyjd

Well-Known Member
….

So many there are like you @canadyjd that consider 'such thinking' as 'rightly dividing' to be somehow 'taboo'.
We disagree that “rightly dividing’” what Jesus meant by “love your enemies” is to determine who is “my” enemy and who is God’s enemy or someone else’s enemy.

As Christian, all of God’s enemies should be our enemies

peace to you
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We disagree that “rightly dividing’” what Jesus meant by “love your enemies”

Yes. No doubt we disagree. In no way do I believe He intended for us to allow ourselves to be run over by His or our enemies.
 

robycop3

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Loving enemies means setting your love on those you hate. If you love them subjectively, they are no longer enemies. God set His love on us when we had nothing to love but only to hate.
An example could be the Japanese after WW2. My parents hated them after the PH snrak attack, but when they surrendered & cooperated, their hate died away quickly, they said, & they welcomed a few Japanese immigrants who'd moved into the 'hood at the time.
 

robycop3

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
TO ANSWER THE OP...

The hardest concept for me to grasp is God's omniscience & omnipresence, able to hear millions of prayers at once, & being everywhere at once, from here on earth to the farthest reaches of the universe, at the same time.
 

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Because He wants people to love Him by their free will; He does not want robots, which He could've easily created.
Sinners in their own free will cannot receive Jesus as Lord, as will always reject Him to save them !
 
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