God and His love

[Sana]

Once we're born again, how does God feel about us when we sin? Does he become angry with us?

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
John 15:10

What does that mean?

The people down at Billy Graham told me that obedience and love go together. Does that mean his love is conditional?

I feel as though I need to relearn even the very basics about God. I know he hates sin and is holy and righteous, and I love that about him. I also know we are his enemies before we are born again, but he died for us - what does he think of us now? Is he our friend now or is that a disrespectful thing to say? Is he harsh with us?

Just what kind of relationship does he want to have with us? To be reconciled - does that imply closeness? How close is too close?

I can only rely on conrete, biblical evidence, not anyone's opinions or beliefs. What does the bible say or where can I read about these things in there?

[Werner]

Read through Paul's Epistles...

As you do, when you come across conditional statements ask the following:

Is he addressing believers?
Is this about salvation?
Is this about fellowship?

The verse you posted is about fellowship.

It all comes down to this for a beleiver, IMHO:

1 John 2:6
The one claiming to rest in Him ought so to walk himself as that One walked.

Don't take my word for it, you have the Word of God available to you. :):

[Sana]

Thank you so much, Werner. If anyone else has any input, I would love to hear it.

The verse you posted is about fellowship.

I think that makes the most sense. I hope you are right. How do you come to this conclusion?

That one verse has been torturing me for weeks. I have no peace at all, thinking God will stop loving me if I sin. I have always heard preachers say his love is unconditional. Studying this verse, I look for help and come across different views.

Kind of ironic, because I was telling my mother a few weeks ago that I could handle anything as long as God loves me. I would be fine if I could always count on his love...

P.S. Did I post this thread in the right place?

[mikesteffen]

This does seem to be a critical subject. It is probably one that we all struggle with at times. It is our sin that Satan uses to discourage us. We stand by faith not feelings though. When I sin I feel guilty, ashamed and unworthy. But if I am born again then my standing is that I have been born into God's family and He sees me as His son. We stand in that position by faith regardless of our feelings.

I once heard a preacher make a point that God expects far less from us than we think He does. He quoted from Psalm 103...

[12] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
[13] Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
[14] For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

God remembers that we are just dust. He doesn't forget that. We stand pleasing to Him because we have accepted His free gift, not because of our works. There will be reward for good works, but there is no rejection of us because of sin. Our sin debt is paid in full. The bill has been stamped paid.

Satan does not want us to get a firm grip on that fact. The truth is the more that we come to understand the unconditional nature of our position, the greater our love will be for Him.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

It doesn't say that we love Him so that He will love us. Rather His love is unconditional.

___________________

[Persuaded]

Sana,

Our small group just finished an excellent book (Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John Cross) that talks about this (pgs 281 and 282) ...

"Once we are born into God's family we can't be unborn. It's important to understand that when it comes to your relationship with God, your eternal destiny is settled once for all.

1Jo 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Rom 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Even though you are now part of God's family (relationship) the Bible says you will still sin. When that happens there is a break in your family fellowship.

SNIP

When we sin, we are told to acknowledge that fact to God, and if we have wronged our fellow man, then we must seek to be reconciled to him as well. God has promised that...

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Our fellowship with God will be immediately restored when we acknowledge our sin."


And to quote mikesteffen (well said :thumb )

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

It doesn't say that we love Him so that He will love us. Rather His love is unconditional.

[Werner]

How do you come to this conclusion?
I think mikesteffen and Persuaded answered this :hug


P.S. Did I post this thread in the right place?
:lol :hug

[Morgan]

I'm just going to add something I heard from Chuck Missler and other teachers.

How many of our sins were paid for at the cross? All of them. Not the ones that we committed up to the point of our being saved - but all of them.

I've even heard false teachings about the sins we commit today add to His suffering. That is false teaching.

Being in His will of loving God with all our hearts and loving others as ourselves is where we find our peace and joy that passes understanding.

[andy]

On the cross "all" sins were paid in full. Remember Jesus died on the cross and rose again over 2000 years ago. You and I were not even born yet.:):

Your sins were paid in full. The same is true for all of us who are in Christ.:clap

This is by no means a license to sin. Please reflect on this scripture:


Rom 5:6 For we yet being without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For one will with difficulty die for a righteous one, yet perhaps one would even dare to die for a good one.
Rom 5:8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Or this one:

Rom 8:1

(ESV) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.


Pretty much says it all.:wave