What is wrong with the question of if God loves us? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out.
In discussing this, I am not at all saying that it’s not understandable someone asks this question. It’s part of the problem of evil. It’s something many of us have wondered about when suffering. It can be worse sometimes when we know God is good, and yet He allows events in our lives or the lives of others that horrible. We often know this is the crucible that gets us to be living a holy life and be more like Jesus, but we understand His own prayer of “But if there be another way, let this cup pass through me.”
Yet as I have pondered this question more, I think the truth is we have enough evidence God loves us. We could ask that if the cross and the resurrection are not sufficient evidence, then what else can be needed? Now at this point, I don’t normally go this, but I would say that when some Calvinists do say that God doesn’t love everyone, that this is something I definitely don’t hold to and looking at what has happened with Tyler Vela recently, which puts this on my mind, if he was of that persuasion, and I do not know if he was or not, I can understand more the dilemma.
If God does not love someone, then He could be more loving than He is. That is nonsense as it shows a lack in God. God loves all and God loves people in Hell so much He actually gives them what they want and in a way, is for their own good as well. They want life apart from Him and so they get that.
Yet still, if this is the wrong question to ask, then what is the right question. The right question is “Do I love God?” In this, there are obviously degrees of love. God cannot grow in His love. We can. If you ask happily married couples, they would say they loved each other enough to marry each other, but they would also say that their love has grown more over the years so they love their spouse now more than when they married them.
The more you come to know a person, the more you are capable of loving them. If you do not love your neighbor, the fault is not in your neighbor, no matter how many faults they have. The fault is in you. Love is a choice and you are responsible for the choices you make. Your neighbor does not make them for you.
So do you love God? Now how this is determined is often misunderstood in our culture. It is not in having a great passion, although one can have that. It is best shown in how one acts. Do you act in ways that show that God matters in your life?
The danger here is always legalism. However, here is a starting point to keep in mind. If you even ask the question, it means that you care if you love God, and if you care then to some degree, you do love God. I don’t know anyone who can lie awake at night wondering if they love their enemies.
Then whatever love you have, water it and tend to it. Love grows naturally that way, much like the love of a husband and wife if they properly care for it. Can you be doing more? Always. Can you always be growing in love? Yes. Do you lack love for God? Yes. The saintliest person here on Earth still lacks love for God. Only Jesus didn’t have a lack.
At the same time, accept that. You’re allowed to have imperfections. God doesn’t demand you make yourself perfect. As you walk the walk, He will do that in you. Accept the lack and ask God to purify you further and make you more like Jesus.
Does God love you? Yes. Do you love God? That’s the real question.
In Christ,
Nick Peters
(And I affirm the virgin birth)
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