This statement of the apostle John may seem unrealistic to many people because of the difficulties they face. Their typical reaction is to think that if God loved them, He would not have allowed certain events in their lives. They may consider that God loves some people, but they are convinced that they are not among them.
It is also relevant to ask about cases where Christians are persecuted because of their religious witness.
If God is love, as John proclaims, why does He not take care of His own disciples?
Despite the persecution they suffer because of their faith, these Christians choose to remain faithful to their convictions rather than deny them. This choice testifies to the existence of a higher value that they consider more precious than the freedom that would be theirs if they renounced their belief.
John explains that the higher value is the eternal life offered by God. According to him, this requires believing in Jesus, which means following his teachings and living in accordance with his commandments.
The Gospels recount the ministry of Jesus over three and a half years and show how crowds followed him. They do not merely relate historical facts, but demonstrate that, just as those people were blessed and delivered by Jesus, we can benefit from the same privilege today.
Indeed, the Messiah Jesus truly died on the cross on Friday, April 1st, AD 33, but the following Sunday, at dawn, he came back to life and appeared to many witnesses. The Son of God is truly alive today.
Many Christians affirm that the grace of God was decisive in overcoming various difficulties. According to their testimonies, the love of God made itself known as an intangible strength during the trying times they went through.
Earthly life is a transitory but significant phase. Indeed, the decisions we make today will, according to the Gospels, influence our future in the afterlife.
A recurring theme in the Bible, and more particularly in the Gospels, is that the Messiah Jesus does not merely diagnose that humanity is on the wrong path. He also offers a solution and leaves each individual completely free to adopt it or not.
It is precisely this solution offered to mankind that demonstrates God’s love for humanity. Man is lost without God, with a terrifying future, hell, but in his love, God offers a way out whose name is Jesus. Those who go through this door enter the kingdom of God.
In concrete terms, this means that those who follow the teachings of the Messiah Jesus, as developed in the New Testament, notably by the apostle Paul, and who believe in his power to forgive sins, enter the kingdom of God.
All these people benefit from the exceptional gift conferred by God. However, those who refuse this grace will have to answer for it before Him, having knowingly rejected this means of salvation. Each individual remains master of his eternal destiny, while the divine will longs for the salvation of all humanity.
For many people, this salvation is a treasure such that even the most severe persecutions could not turn them away from it.
Dominique Lormier
This statement of the apostle John may seem unrealistic to many people because of the difficulties they face. Their typical reaction is to think that if God loved them, He would not have allowed certain events in their lives. They may consider that God loves some people, but they are convinced that they are not among them.
It is also relevant to ask about cases where Christians are persecuted because of their religious witness.
If God is love, as John proclaims, why does He not take care of His own disciples?
Despite the persecution they suffer because of their faith, these Christians choose to remain faithful to their convictions rather than deny them. This choice testifies to the existence of a higher value that they consider more precious than the freedom that would be theirs if they renounced their belief.
John explains that the higher value is the eternal life offered by God. According to him, this requires believing in Jesus, which means following his teachings and living in accordance with his commandments.
The Gospels recount the ministry of Jesus over three and a half years and show how crowds followed him. They do not merely relate historical facts, but demonstrate that, just as those people were blessed and delivered by Jesus, we can benefit from the same privilege today.
Indeed, the Messiah Jesus truly died on the cross on Friday, April 1st, AD 33, but the following Sunday, at dawn, he came back to life and appeared to many witnesses. The Son of God is truly alive today.
Many Christians affirm that the grace of God was decisive in overcoming various difficulties. According to their testimonies, the love of God made itself known as an intangible strength during the trying times they went through.
Earthly life is a transitory but significant phase. Indeed, the decisions we make today will, according to the Gospels, influence our future in the afterlife.
A recurring theme in the Bible, and more particularly in the Gospels, is that the Messiah Jesus does not merely diagnose that humanity is on the wrong path. He also offers a solution and leaves each individual completely free to adopt it or not.
It is precisely this solution offered to mankind that demonstrates God’s love for humanity. Man is lost without God, with a terrifying future, hell, but in his love, God offers a way out whose name is Jesus. Those who go through this door enter the kingdom of God.
In concrete terms, this means that those who follow the teachings of the Messiah Jesus, as developed in the New Testament, notably by the apostle Paul, and who believe in his power to forgive sins, enter the kingdom of God.
All these people benefit from the exceptional gift conferred by God. However, those who refuse this grace will have to answer for it before Him, having knowingly rejected this means of salvation. Each individual remains master of his eternal destiny, while the divine will longs for the salvation of all humanity.
For many people, this salvation is a treasure such that even the most severe persecutions could not turn them away from it.
Dominique Lormier