I read this article last night. Wasn't it wonderful?! If you haven't yet read it, get off this silly list and go read it right now.
Jon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Beecroft" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 11:32 AM Subject: [ZION] Conditional divine love > Some time ago on this very list (probably its incarnation on zilker.net > or some other pre-Topica server), a rather heated discussion -- imagine > that! -- arose regarding, of all topics, God's love. Some of us claimed > that the scriptures clearly teach that God's love is conditional, given > to some more than to others, and dependent in its intensity on the > actions and heart of the recipient; while others steadfastly maintained > that God's love is unconditional, that he loves the rankest, vilest > sinner just as much as he loves the most virtuous of men and women. > > I thus find it interesting that this month's Ensign includes an article > by Elder Nelson extolling the *conditional* nature of God's love. I > definitely recommend the article to all, which starts on page 20 of the > February 2003 Ensign. Some relevant quotations follow: > > "While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and > universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as *unconditional*." > [emphasis in original] > > "With scriptural patterns of conditional statements in mind, we note > many verses that declare the conditional nature of divine love for us. > Examples include: [John 15:10; D&C 95:12; John 14:23; Proverbs 8:17; > Acts 10:34-35; 1 Nephi 17:40; John 14:21]" > > "Understanding that divine love and blessings are not truly > 'unconditional' can defend us against common fallacies such as these: > 'Since God's love is unconditional, He will love me regardless...'; or > 'Since ''God is love,'' He will love me unconditionally, regardless...' > These arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people with deception." > > "Divine love is perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal. The full > flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are > conditional -- predicated upon our obedience to eternal law." > > Stephen > > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// / > > > ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
