God loves ME?

[55Dodge]

God loves ME?

It has been said that Jesus would have gone to the cross for each one of us even if we had been the only sinner to have ever lived. Is there any biblical support at all for such a statement?

In my evangelical church there's a lot of emphasis placed on God's love, and people talk about how wonderful God's love for them is and how it gives them such joy and peace. They describe God’s love for them in the same way they might describe a spouse’s deep, personal love, or their own love for their children.

The bible certainly says a great deal about God's love and mercy, and a central biblical theme is that of God’s giving himself up to crucifixion for every repentant sinner’s redemption. The bible also teaches that as our creator, He knows every last detail about each individual who ever lived. But what if anything does it say about His love for each one individually?

In chapters 13 and 15 of John’s gospel Jesus commanded 12 specific men to love each other ‘as I have loved you’. John 3:16 says 'God so loved the world...'. This seems kind of like the soldier who gives his life for his country. A truly loving and noble sacrifice to be sure, but given for the collective all, not for each and every last individual. Is there any biblical support for the idea that the ‘you’ or ‘all’ in these passages and many others can be extended across cultures, continents and centuries to mean EVERY person.

I guess what I’m trying to get at here is, I’d feel more confident of God’s love for me personally, if somewhere in my bible I could find something that basically said, ‘You there! Yes you, the person reading this: God loves YOU!’.


Can anyone help me with this? Thanks.

 

[Adstar]

Hello 55Dodge

The parrable of the lost sheep (Note singular sheep) and the lost coin they gives us an understanding of the importance of an individual to God.

Luke 15
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

We are all individualy important to God and there is great joy for God when we individuels respond to His will for us with acceptance.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

 

[Adstar]

In fact read the entire chaper, the parrable of the lost son is a classic, Showing the love of God for an individuel.

So again and again in more detail Jesus revealed Gods love for us as individuels.


All Praise The Ancient of Days

 

[Dusty]

It has been said that Jesus would have gone to the cross for each one of us even if we had been the only sinner to have ever lived. Is there any biblical support at all for such a statement?

In my evangelical church there's a lot of emphasis placed on God's love, and people talk about how wonderful God's love for them is and how it gives them such joy and peace. They describe God’s love for them in the same way they might describe a spouse’s deep, personal love, or their own love for their children.

The bible certainly says a great deal about God's love and mercy, and a central biblical theme is that of God’s giving himself up to crucifixion for every repentant sinner’s redemption. The bible also teaches that as our creator, He knows every last detail about each individual who ever lived. But what if anything does it say about His love for each one individually?

In chapters 13 and 15 of John’s gospel Jesus commanded 12 specific men to love each other ‘as I have loved you’. John 3:16 says 'God so loved the world...'. This seems kind of like the soldier who gives his life for his country. A truly loving and noble sacrifice to be sure, but given for the collective all, not for each and every last individual. Is there any biblical support for the idea that the ‘you’ or ‘all’ in these passages and many others can be extended across cultures, continents and centuries to mean EVERY person.

I guess what I’m trying to get at here is, I’d feel more confident of God’s love for me personally, if somewhere in my bible I could find something that basically said, ‘You there! Yes you, the person reading this: God loves YOU!’.


Can anyone help me with this? Thanks.

For each one of us who reads the Bible , God's love is exhibited to you or me individually . If we go through all the chapters that speak about God's love He is talking directly to you or He is talking to me . That's why the Bible is personal . That's why God's love for us is without boundaries . That's why we sing of His love in church . Each of us can feel His love and just by looking at the age old verse that every one quotes ... John 3: 16 .... For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son . Who did God give His Son to ? He gave His Son to you . He gave His Son to me . What greater love is this ?

God loves us so much . You and I would not be here if it were not for the sacrifice on the cross . Jesus Christ .... God's Son loved . The Bible is about God's love and when you are reading just inject your name there and see how personal it is .

 

[Who am I]

It has been said that Jesus would have gone to the cross for each one of us even if we had been the only sinner to have ever lived. Is there any biblical support at all for such a statement?

Can anyone help me with this? Thanks.

1 John 3:1
See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him;
1 John 3:2
beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is;



Since the Bible is the inerrant word of God… God himself says that we are his children.

If you have children, do you love the group of children more than you love each one individually?
Would you give your life for your children, but not for just one child?

If you don’t have children, ask some friends with children how they would answer those questions.

God loves you personally just as much as he loves us all together.

 

[55Dodge]

Thanks Dusty,

Honestly, my purpose is not to be argumentative, but does the bible itself really say this?

For each one of us who reads the Bible , God's love is exhibited to you or me individually . If we go through all the chapters that speak about God's love He is talking directly to you or He is talking to me . That's why the Bible is personal .

and

The Bible is about God's love and when you are reading just inject your name there and see how personal it is .

Adstar,
Thanks, I confess I've never considered the parables of the lost sheep and coin in this way before.

 

[55Dodge]

1 John 3:1
See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him;
1 John 3:2
beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is;


Since the Bible is the inerrant word of God… God himself says that we are his children.

If you have children, do you love the group of children more than you love each one individually?
Would you give your life for your children, but not for just one child?

If you don’t have children, ask some friends with children how they would answer those questions.

God loves you personally just as much as he loves us all together.

Don't these John 3 passages refer to a collective "we"? The apostle John didn't know or know of any specific individuals beyond his own place and time that would eventually read his account of Christ's life, which would ultimately become the Gospel of John.

Incidentally, I don't recognize the version of bible you quote- what version are you using?

Thanks WaI.

 

[willing_servant]

Hmm. I agree with adstar, the two parables he mentioned really display God's love for each of us individually.

But it's always important to remember that the one who is loved, is supposed to love others also, and to acknowledge that the other is loved too.

That we are members of the church is important to God.

I've had times when I found God when I sought Him privately, but I've had the greatest spiritual progress when I sought God in the context of the church.

Also, the other human, our neighbor, is always one of the greatest gifts God could give us. So it's perfectly ok when God emphasizes His love to be aimed at us collectively, meaning that none of us are to be left behind, so that all are saved and so that our joy in each other is maintained as a hugely important ingredient to our happiness.

 

[Who am I]

Don't these John 3 passages refer to a collective "we"? The apostle John didn't know or know of any specific individuals beyond his own place and time that would eventually read his account of Christ's life, which would ultimately become the Gospel of John.

Incidentally, I don't recognize the version of bible you quote- what version are you using?

Thanks WaI.

If a father were to have a family meeting and tell all his children that he loves them. It is very safe to say that he loves each one individually as well as collectively as a whole. Although, one may have a thought that it doesn’t apply to him. One may have a hard time believing what his father said was true. The problem wouldn’t be with what the father said or how he said it, but in how one of his children received the message. The same would be true for a lot of people with a lot of different things.

I had low self esteem for quite a few years. I finally learned it wasn’t what others were doing or saying. It was how I was receiving it all. Nothing around me changed, but I changed on the inside and it was all different after that. Since I posted last on this thread, I came to realize that I myself am having a difficult time with the Father’s love. I know in my mind that God loves me as much as anyone else, but I’ve got a lot of work to do so that I feel it in my heart. I’m not going to give up though. I know it’s going to happen some day.

Here is a link to a website someone gave me Friday night.
http://www.fathersloveletter.com/index.html


And the version I was using was the YLT.
I have it on e-Sword but have yet to find a hard copy.