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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Q: Are all people in this world God's people? God calls us to love others... does this include non-christians and people who hate God as well?

A:  Firstly, let's establish if we are all in fact God's people. 


Considering the fact that God created us, yes, we are all literally God's people.  We are created in His image and we belong to Him.  Whether or not people realize this is or not and whether or not we are for God or against Him, is another story.  But Biblically speaking, everything on earth belongs to God, including us.


Secondly, let's understand the meaning of love and how it relates with others.

Jesus demonstrates the ultimate love for humankind when He died on the cross.  It's important to understand that this sacrifice that Jesus did was not for specific people who loved Him.  He died for everyone.  Even, and especially for the ones who condemned Him to the cross.  Take a look at this passage below:

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.- John 15:12-14
This verse explains to us that we are to love one another as [Jesus] has loved us.  And what is that love? Verse 13 explains how Jesus epitomizes and shows us the meaning of love - that a man would lay down his life for his friends. 

We are given a command to love each other and an example of what it means to do that.  The challenge is as you say, to love those who hate God.  If Christ could do that and lay down His life for people who hated Him, than we too can learn how to embrace those who hate us.  This is a hard concept to master, but something that God wants us to do. 


[answered by Pastor KJT]