To: Frumanchu; Dr. Eckleburg; RnMomof7; ksen
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, The love of God
"He loves His rational creatures for His own sake, or, to express it otherwise, He loves in them Himself, His virtues, His work and His gifts. He does not even withdraw His love completely from the sinner in his present sinful state, though the latter's sin is an abomination to Him, since He recognizes even in the sinner His image-bearer...At the same time He loves believers with a special love, since He contemplates them as His spiritual children in Christ."
It sounds like Berkhof agrees with MacArthur.
103 posted on
08/02/2005 10:05:07 AM PDT by
suzyjaruki
(From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.)
To: suzyjaruki
Yes it does, and Berkhof gives a wonderful explanation.
108 posted on
08/02/2005 10:11:35 AM PDT by
Frumanchu
(Saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.)
To: suzyjaruki; RnMomof7
I think Berkof agrees with MacArthur's statements in the excerpt I posted from Larry King.
God loves His "creatures" in so far as they are part of His creation.
But that "special love" of which Berkof writes is the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died and was resurrected to save the elect, ordained by God from before the foundation of the world.
Pretty special.
111 posted on
08/02/2005 10:16:47 AM PDT by
Dr. Eckleburg
(There are very few shades of gray.)
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