Why does God love us equally?

[CRATUS]

It is hard to imagine why God would forgive some of the most vile of sinners for simply repenting. Yet a morally upright man who refuses to acknowledges his existence is in danger of hell.

Some children are peaceful, quiet, emotionally stable, intelligent, logical, fair, mild-mannered. While others are rebellious, noisy, irritating.

As much as God gives us free-will/choice. I still strongly believe some people are predisposed to certain negative qualities while others are not.

I will probably never ever find an answer. I just wonder.

 

[Regina7]

By predisposition, do you mean crosses? Some people may carry the cross or temptation of anger, or cowardice, etc. while we all have different personalities, each comes with a positive and negative. So the quiet kid who is very lovibg may, in turn, fear confrontation- even when confrontation is necessary (eg. Brother is sinning but child too timid to say anything). On the other hand, that brass, obnoxious person who drives people nuts may be the one who has the courage to stand up for the truth.

Don’t be deceived. Everyone, even the most outwardly perfect-looking people, have flaws.

 

[CRATUS]

By predisposition, do you mean crosses? Some people may carry the cross or temptation of anger, or cowardice, etc. while we all have different personalities, each comes with a positive and negative. So the quiet kid who is very lovibg may, in turn, fear confrontation- even when confrontation is necessary (eg. Brother is sinning but child too timid to say anything). On the other hand, that brass, obnoxious person who drives people nuts may be the one who has the courage to stand up for the truth.

Don’t be deceived. Everyone, even the most outwardly perfect-looking people, have flaws.

I guess I am. Some sins seem to carry more of a negative connotation than others.

 

[Regina7]

I guess I am. Some sins seem to carry more of a negative connotation than others.

To us maybe, but not to God. You mentioned children, so I’ll use mine as an example. I have one child who, from the outside, is the annoying, obnoxious one. Another child of mine is, from the outside, compliant and sweet. But I see more of than just what meets the eye: my obnoxious child is a great defender of the faith while my quiet one isn’t. So I’m able to see the whole picture, not just what people perceive. And while my one child may be a hothead and obnoxious, I’d call her first in a fight with evil.

God can see more than just a simple mom like me. He doesn’t care that we humans attribute connotations to certain traits.

Going back to my kids, do you think I love my sweet child over the more difficult one? Nope. They are my children. I’d die for them. God is the same way…and he did, in fact, die for us.

 

[Kurisu35712]

I’ve interpreted it as, God loves everyone equally because:

1. He loves everyone unconditionally.
2. He loves everyone individually.

He has an unconditional love for each of us, irrespective of anyone else. It is a deeply personal love that one can only have through an deeper understanding of the person than they understand themselves, and truly only God can claim this knowledge. God loves everyone. Even the worst sinners. Even the souls in Hell. The difference between the worst sinner in Heaven and the soul in Hell is that the soul in Hell will never return God’s love.

Even though we may see a person as the most awful, unlovable being in existence, only God truly understands their circumstances, their mind, and their heart. We can see only what we can observe, and learn only what they tell us. If everyone had a superpower, I honestly think those who could read minds would be the most compassionate because the only way one can truly love someone is through understanding that person. And who understands us more completely than God?

 

[JRKH]

It is hard to imagine why God would forgive some of the most vile of sinners for simply repenting.

I think part of the problem here is contained in your wording.
What makes you think there is anything simple about repenting?

Yet a morally upright man who refuses to acknowledges his existence is in danger of hell.

The key here again is in your wording. “Refuses to acknowledge…”
This implies an intellectual choice to deny God’s very existence - or even the possibility of the existence of God.
This is not ignorance… it is refusal.
So God does not deny the man as a morally upright person, And God desires that the man would have eternal life…but the man denies God and chooses by such denial to NOT have eternal life.

Some children are peaceful, quiet, emotionally stable, intelligent, logical, fair, mild-mannered. While others are rebellious, noisy, irritating.

As much as God gives us free-will/choice. I still strongly believe some people are predisposed to certain negative qualities while others are not.

I will probably never ever find an answer. I just wonder.

Yes these are difficult questions to resolve…

Peace
James

 

[benotagoat]

I guess I am. Some sins seem to carry more of a negative connotation than others.

Some people who have brusque mannerisms have bigger hearts ,and will help out when the more careful will disappear . God looks at the bigger picture ,which only He can see . Not only can He see the past which you have lived , He can see your potential to do His work, or not, when it will be neccessary .
Some of the most unpromising individuals, can turn out to be courageous and willing .

 

[benotagoat]

I think part of the problem here is contained in your wording.
What makes you think there is anything simple about repenting?

The key here again is in your wording. “Refuses to acknowledge…”
This implies an intellectual choice to deny God’s very existence - or even the possibility of the existence of God.
This is not ignorance… it is refusal.
So God does not deny the man as a morally upright person, And God desires that the man would have eternal life…but the man denies God and chooses by such denial to NOT have eternal life.

Yes these are difficult questions to resolve…

Peace
James

I like how you have underlined repent here .
No there is nothing simple about it .It requires a profound internal look at yourself and your attitudes and behaviour on a regular basis ,and then feeling true sorrow ;sorry I don’t believe in catholic confessions,where one tells someone else,who then gives you some prayers to say .It might be good for the young ,but adults need to take responsiblity for their thoughts and actions,and ask God to help them to climb 'the high road ’ .

 

[GEddie]

We are all equally human.

ICXC NIKA

 

[heidi_storage]

It isn’t morally upright to refuse to acknowledge God; it is an act of rebellion against Him.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Heb. 11:6 (ESV) You can’t even keep at least 3/10 of the Ten Commandments without believing in God.

 

[tafan]

Do we know that God loves us all equally?

 

[CRATUS]

Do we know that God loves us all equally?

I would assume God loves us equally well because He died for all of us anyways. As important as it is to divide between mortal and venial sins, it can be difficult not to see someone as better or worse than their fellow man.

 

[JRKH]

I like how you have underlined repent here .
No there is nothing simple about it .It requires a profound internal look at yourself and your attitudes and behaviour on a regular basis ,and then feeling true sorrow ;sorry I don’t believe in catholic confessions,where one tells someone else,who then gives you some prayers to say .It might be good for the young ,but adults need to take responsiblity for their thoughts and actions,and ask God to help them to climb 'the high road ’ .

You seem to think that the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is some sort of way to avoid true repentance and responsibility…I assure you that this is not the case,

Peace
James

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

It is hard to imagine why God would forgive some of the most vile of sinners for simply repenting. Yet a morally upright man who refuses to acknowledges his existence is in danger of hell.

Some children are peaceful, quiet, emotionally stable, intelligent, logical, fair, mild-mannered. While others are rebellious, noisy, irritating.

As much as God gives us free-will/choice. I still strongly believe some people are predisposed to certain negative qualities while others are not.

I will probably never ever find an answer. I just wonder.

You have no real insight into anyone’s moral reality in their hearts. God does. So while you may think that some children are peaceful quiet emotionally stable etc… You have no view into their soul. That being said he loves us all equally because he created us all equally. That is something that even the patriots and founders of our country knew without the internet.

 

[CRATUS]

I’ve interpreted it as, God loves everyone equally because:

1. He loves everyone unconditionally.
2. He loves everyone individually.

He has an unconditional love for each of us, irrespective of anyone else. It is a deeply personal love that one can only have through an deeper understanding of the person than they understand themselves, and truly only God can claim this knowledge. God loves everyone. Even the worst sinners. Even the souls in Hell. The difference between the worst sinner in Heaven and the soul in Hell is that the soul in Hell will never return God’s love.

Even though we may see a person as the most awful, unlovable being in existence, only God truly understands their circumstances, their mind, and their heart. We can see only what we can observe, and learn only what they tell us. If everyone had a superpower, I honestly think those who could read minds would be the most compassionate because the only way one can truly love someone is through understanding that person. And who understands us more completely than God?

Lol. I think I may disagree. I think if I could read minds and fully understand others. I am sure there are some people are just deliberately evil/mean. Maybe I am just in a bad place in my life. I have a VERY DIFFICULT TIME believing the true reason some people are mean is because they are misguided, come from a screwed up family, tumultuous childhood, etc. I heard this excuse for almost everything. I think people are naturally evil and they do things sometimes because they can. We all have our evil tendencies, no body has to teach us necessarily to be bad, when know it.

 

[CRATUS]

You have no real insight into anyone’s moral reality in their hearts. God does. So while you may think that some children are peaceful quiet emotionally stable etc… You have no view into their soul. That being said he loves us all equally because he created us all equally. That is something that even the patriots and founders of our country knew without the internet.

I find it hard to believe God created us all equally. Some are more loved than others. Some are born into harsher circumstances. I agree we cannot see into someone’s soul. But for us humans, all we know about someone is what they tell us (if it is true), what we see, how they act around us & others. I still wonder why and how God could love us equally though?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I find it hard to believe God created us all equally. Some are more loved than others. Some are born into harsher circumstances. I agree we cannot see into someone’s soul. But for us humans, all we know about someone is what they tell us (if it is true), what we see, how they act around us & others. I still wonder why and how God could love us equally though?

Yes, some are born into harsh circumstances. Like in a time of persecution and slavery, in a time of poverty and historical times before many modern medicine, In a place where a family has to escape to a foreign country while other babies are killed. Some are born into a plitcal climate that will only see them suffer a horrific death.

All of that is true of God himself 2000 years ago.

 

[Gertabelle]

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, God does NOT love us all equally. I found this on the New Advent website:

Article 3. Whether God loves all things equally?

Objection 1. It seems that God loves all things equally. For it is said: “He hath equally care of all” (Wisdom 6:8). But God’s providence over things comes from the love wherewith He loves them. Therefore He loves all things equally.

**Objection 2. **Further, the love of God is His essence. But God’s essence does not admit of degree; neither therefore does His love. He does not therefore love some things more than others.

**Objection 3. **Further, as God’s love extends to created things, so do His knowledge and will extend. But God is not said to know some things more than others; nor will one thing more than another. Neither therefore does He love some things more than others.

On the contrary, Augustine says (Tract. in Joan. cx): “God loves all things that He has made, and amongst them rational creatures more, and of these especially those who are members of His only-begotten Son Himself.”

**I answer that, **Since to love a thing is to will it good, in a twofold way anything may be loved more, or less. In one way on the part of the act of the will itself, which is more or less intense. In this way God does not love some things more than others, because He loves all things by an act of the will that is one, simple, and always the same. In another way on the part of the good itself that a person wills for the beloved. In this way we are said to love that one more than another, for whom we will a greater good, though our will is not more intense. In this way we must needs say that God loves some things more than others. For since God’s love is the cause of goodness in things, as has been said (2), no one thing would be better than another, if God did not will greater good for one than for another.

**Reply to Objection 1. **God is said to have equally care of all, not because by His care He deals out equal good to all, but because He administers all things with a like wisdom and goodness.

Reply to Objection 2. This argument is based on the intensity of love on the part of the act of the will, which is the divine essence. But the good that God wills for His creatures, is not the divine essence. Therefore there is no reason why it may not vary in degree.

**Reply to Objection 3. **To understand and to will denote the act alone, and do not include in their meaning objects from the diversity of which God may be said to know or will more or less, as has been said with respect to God’s love.

It’s a bit more than my poor brain can process right now (and I am absolutely in no way a theologian nor an apologist), but if you are interested in reading more, click on the New Advent link above to read Aquinas’s full teachings on the love of God.

God bless you!

Gertie