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To: Forest Keeper
Thanks for your reply. I feel I'm still not communicating an important point I'd like to consider:

Good in God's eyes is that which is of God.

Isn't selfless love 'of God'. Whether we have properly indentified it or know by name yet, isn't this love God's love through us?

10,348 posted on 02/14/2007 12:40:25 PM PST by D-fendr
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To: D-fendr; HarleyD; Dr. Eckleburg
Isn't selfless love 'of God'. Whether we have properly identified it or know by name yet, isn't this love God's love through us?

If in a believer, then "yes". If in a non-believer, then it depends on how you look at it. If you are going where I think you're going, then consider a soldier who is an unbeliever. He throws himself on a grenade to save his buddies nearby. Was this God's love through the soldier? Well, it certainly wasn't God's love FOR the soldier through him. If any of the buddies were Christians, then it "could" have been love for them. (Another example would be God using an unbelieving doctor to heal an elect.)

The point is that it is a completely different operation depending on whether the actor is a believer or non-believer. When believers show love that is God not only benefiting the beneficiary, but also the actor. We experience God working His love through us. All unbelievers, in their sinful natures, are separated from God. He does not hear their prayers, He is not in communion with them, He does not shower His love upon them. He uses them for His purposes. So with the soldier, I would not normally describe it as God showing His love through him. I would only use that description for believers.

10,813 posted on 02/18/2007 6:53:50 PM PST by Forest Keeper
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