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To: Frumanchu; RnMomof7; ksen; HarleyD; suzyjaruki
And thus we're back to the definition of love which Rnmom detailed 100 posts ago.

If, by "love" you mean that the reprobate can prosper, can receive vitamin D from the sun, can have their crops watered by the rain, then, yes, God can and does bestow that type of "love" on whomever he wishes, the reprobate as well as the elect.

If, however, you mean the "love" that redeems man's dead heart and gives him salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, then, no, God does not love everyone.

That's what Pink was saying clearly, and what MacArthur was skirting.

228 posted on 08/02/2005 12:45:55 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray.)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

Thinking about it I think the general preaching of the Gospel can be seen as God showing the same kind of love to the Reprobate as He shows them with sunlight, rain, prosperity, etc.

God could have made it so that only the Elect ever have the Gospel preached to them, however the Great Commission is pretty clear in that we are to preach the Gospel to everyone without consideration of their Elect status. When righteous rulers are in charge the Reprobate also benefit in the blessings promised by God.

However, God does not extend the "love" that saves to everyone. If He did, then obviously everyone would be saved.


233 posted on 08/02/2005 12:52:04 PM PDT by ksen ("He that knows nothing will believe anything." - Thomas Fuller)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
If, however, you mean the "love" that redeems man's dead heart and gives him salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, then, no, God does not love everyone. That's what Pink was saying clearly, and what MacArthur was skirting.

I don't think MacArthur was saying in that article that God loves the reprobate in the agape or redemptive sense. There are Calvinists who believe God does not have any love of any sort for the reprobate, and I believe MacArthur was defending against that view.

237 posted on 08/02/2005 12:55:25 PM PDT by Frumanchu (Saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.)
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