WIDENESS OF GOD’S MERCY

So, how much do I need to love God to know God? How much do I need to know God to be born of God? What many of us have been taught is that if we are ‘good’ God will love us and if we are ‘bad’ God won’t love us. This could be very arbitrary.

“The old apostle John, the one who, of all New Testament writers, had the longest time to dwell upon Jesus and his revelation of “God, the Father Almighty,” puts it all in terms of love: “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7–8). But one must understand that this “love” was and is an incredibly high standard. Does this mean that these people of love earned their salvation? That they deserved their acceptance by God? Not at all. It is simply a description of the wideness of God’s mercy. The idea that God works with humankind strictly on a basis of merit is a mistake—especially when that merit is defined in human terms, which is the usual case. But the idea that anything and everything is acceptable to God is likewise a mistake.” (Dallas Willard)

God is love whether we like it or not. The Lord is not changing; therefore, we should agree: God is love.

“For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Jesus