Subject: eph 1:4-5 what is predestination, chosen |
Bible Note: Hi, John... It is popular in many circles to sagely resort to the priority of love when faced with discussions of the importance of sound doctrine, exegesis, reason, or learning. The claim is based on Paul's assertion concerning the three virtues of faith, hope, and love in 1 Corinthians 13:13. This use of Biblical love is highly misleading. One could easily, for example, refute the line of reasoning by looking to the attributes of God. He is, we are told, love (1 John 5:3). However, we do not find the love of God thrice affirmed as we do His holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). Furthermore, faith comes by hearing God's word (Romans 10:17), and we are sanctified by God's word (John 17:17). With that in mind, we do not find God elevating love above His own name, yet that is what we are told He does with His word (Psalm 138:2). Indeed, our Lord Jesus tells us that we live by every word of God (Luke 4:4) -- was He forgetting the importance of love? Is it love that sets us free (John 8:32)? Finally, we could simply study the entire first epistle to the Corinthians to rightly understand Biblical love in its proper context in a Christian's life. Love is, indeed, the summum bonum -- the greatest good. But that isn't the whole story. Nor is it appropriate to appeal to it as being somehow superior to the truth. No, our Brother Hobbs was speaking well as he encouraged Edwin the all-import activity of the pursuit of truth in the Scriptures. Indeed, these were words that had their very roots founded in love. Please note that the raising of this question also has nothing to do with the discussion of God's grace and man's inability -- the topic at hand. However, perhaps it succeeds where my incredulous "Huh?" failed. If you'd like to discuss love further, let's do so in a new thread. In Him, Doc "True love likes to become familiar with the object of its affection; its heart is set upon that object, it studies it, and can never know it too well or too closely. True love to Christ thinks of Him from morning till night; it is glad to be released from other thoughts that it may follow only its one darling pursuit." --Charles H. Spurgeon |