RE: General questions about the Christian idea of God and love
September 14, 2014 at 3:55 pm
(This post was last modified: September 14, 2014 at 4:02 pm by fr0d0.)
Quote:You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love (agapēseis) your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love (agapāte) your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?
—Matthew 5:43-46, RSV
In loving your enemies you are mimicking God who loves his enemies.
"Unconditional love" is a modern translation of the word 'agape'. A being who's prime attribute is love can't hate.
Quote:“But God demonstrates His own (agape) love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)
If we were still sinners then he hated us and condemned us to hell. If he didn't condemn us to hell, then he didn't hate us.
