What is the biblical basis for the belief that God loves individuals?
Upvote:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Need I say more?
I mean, He did create us, and an environment suitable for us.
Life itself is evidence of God's love towards us. Before we were even born, before we knew life, He knew us, and still created us.
Let me add:
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, KJV)
Upvote:2
I believe John 3:16 is on the point:
For God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son, and whosoever shall believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
The salvation of any and all is accomplished through Christ, whom was given by God because of his love.
Upvote:3
This seems, in some ways, a question of semantics - I mean, it's hard to know what you'd accept. I think inference is arguably a stronger basis for the Christian belief than this passage and I doubt the belief is founded on this passage, but perhaps it will suffice for you:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:21-23)
Upvote:7
First, does God love any individuals particularly?
Job believed that he would stand face to face with God, who would hear his complaint and grant him justice. God appeared and spoke to him, and vindicated him before his friends, and blessed him with an abundant life.
God promised Abram a son, a nation, and influence throughout the whole world. He gave him a new name, Abraham. God guided him from his old home to a new one, and showed him respect by letting him know about his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
God had mercy on Leah and opened her womb, because Jacob loved Rachel more than her.
God appeared to Moses, granted him kingly authority, displayed his glory to him and spoke to him like a man speaks to his friend.
God granted Hannah a son, Samuel, in response to her urgent prayers.
God provided food miraculously to Elijah, sent angels to assist him, and spoke to him from a mountain top.
Jesus wept when he saw how grieved Mary and Martha were over the death of their brother, Lazarus.
God's history with man shows that he grants particular mercies much prized by those who received them. He granted the desires of their hearts. He often deals with them as individuals, not as a collective. Patient, kind, gentle, humble - just as He has defined true love in 1 Corinthians 13, so He has expressed this love to individuals.
"Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." God is very particular.
Revelation 3:19-22 says:
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
This is the end of the letter to the church at Laodicea. You can interpret it as only being directed to a group, but some believe that it is both directed to the church and to individuals. While some preterists might say that this was completely fulfilled among the believers of that church many years ago, historicists and others believe that the church of Laodicea stands for the end-times church, in apostasy. A disordered and disfunctional church can no longer be relied upon to faithfully deliver God's message to his people, so he must speak to individual Christians directly. This is God's message to all the faithful who persevere, directed to each personally, not just the church corporately.
Yes, if you overcome in faith, God loves you. God spoke his love directly to people of faith long ago. He will speak to you as well.
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