New Oxfort Review

[bones_IV]

I read in the New Oxford Review in which one writer reported that God hates unnrepentant sinners. And that God’s unconditional love is a lie? This is just flat out blasphemy. They even cited scripture passages to back this up. What are some scripture passages that talk about God’s unconditional love?

 

[yinekka]

Could you please give a link to the article.

The NOR has changed. It is no longer a publication which affirms the Faith. It now seems to present as being more Catholic than the pope.

It is possible to make the bible say what you want it to say by cutting and pasting a line here and a line there. The Catholic Church has always looked at the bible in totality before pronouncing doctrine.

It is possible though that the article was talking about those people who think that because God loves them He doesn’t expect them to repent of sin. This is incorrect. . We are expected to be sorry for our sins and repent of them and resolve not to sin again and God our Loving Father welcomes us into His arms. God loves us even when we sin but we won’t be able to see Him as He is unless we are in the state of Sanctifying Grace.

Perhaps the NOR article expressed this in more forceful terms than we are used to today. More of the old ‘fire and brimstone’ - repent or be dammed - sermons. Today the emphasis is less on’ do or you will be punished’ and more on God is our Loving Father who wishes us all to be saved and if we cooperate with God’s grace and follow Jesus and listen to the Magisterium of the Church we will be saved.

 

[davethecatholic]

bones_IV:

I read in the New Oxford Review in which one writer reported that God hates unnrepentant sinners. And that God’s unconditional love is a lie? This is just flat out blasphemy. They even cited scripture passages to back this up. What are some scripture passages that talk about God’s unconditional love?

1 John 4:8-10 He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity. By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him. 10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

Exodus 34:6-7 And when he passed before him, he said: O the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, patient and of much compassion, and true 7 Who keepest mercy unto thousands: who takest away iniquity, and wickedness, and sin, and no man of himself is innocent before thee. Who renderest the iniquity of the fathers to the children, and to the grandchildren, unto the third and fourth generation.

**Mattew 8:17 ** That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.

Isaiah 63: 9 In all their affliction he was not troubled, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love, and in his mercy he redeemed them, and he carried them and lifted them up all the days of old.

Ephesians 2: 4 But God, (who is rich in mercy,) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,

**1 John 3: 16 ** In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us

 

[Della]

The NOR has changed. It is no longer a publication which affirms the Faith. It now seems to present as being more Catholic than the pope.

We noticed this too, which is why we didn’t renew our subscription a couple years ago.

Homiletic and Pastoral Review is a much better publication, but alas, we can’t afford it at the present time.

 

[TEME525]

I’m not going to present verses of scripture on God’s unconditional love, but I would like to add a few things.

First, I haven’t seen the article so I cannot comment on it. However, I have seen similar post in other forums and I have been in a few conversations on this topic.

Each time I have come accross such a theme I found it to be an an example of taking a few lines from scripture, quoted out of context to fit an agenda.

There are many examples in the Old Testament of God either speaking to or through the prophets, or through a psalm, where God speaks very hashly about sinners. But if you look at each passage in its total context God is always speaking ultimately of the deads that sinners due and God has His harshest words of almost hatred for some people but it is always because of their unjust treatment of others especially of the most innocent - usually personified in the plight of widows and orphans.

When I asked people who are trying to attach the principle of God’s unconditional love, about the full context of the passages they are trying to use the usual answer is in effect the full context isn’t revelant, which, in my opinion, not only shows the weakness of their position but the absurbity of the point they are trying to make.

 

[davethecatholic]

bones_IV:

I read in the New Oxford Review in which one writer reported that God hates unnrepentant sinners. And that God’s unconditional love is a lie? This is just flat out blasphemy. They even cited scripture passages to back this up. What are some scripture passages that talk about God’s unconditional love?

More on God’s unconditional love…

**Romans 8: 38 ** For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jeremiah 31: 3 The Lord hath appeared from afar to me. Yea I have loved thee with everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee.

Isaiah 46: 4 Even to your old age I am the same, and to your grey hairs I will carry you: I have made you, and I will bear: I will carry and will save.

**Isaiah 49: 15 ** Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee.