God’s love to His elect is not of yesterday; it does not begin with their love to Him, we love Him, because He first loved us. It was bore in His heart toward them long before they were delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. It does not commence in time, but bears date from eternity, and is the ground and foundation of the elect’s being called in time out of darkness into marvelous light: I have loved thee, says the Lord to the church, with an everlasting love.
— John Gill (1697–1771), Theologe
Related Bible passage: JER.31.3
Topics: Love, Grace & Redemption, Eternity & Hope Beyond Death
Occasions: For Reflection
John Gill
John Gill war ein englischer baptistischer Theologe und Gelehrter des 18. Jahrhunderts, der über fünfzig Jahre lang als Pastor in London wirkte. Er verfasste die erste vollständige Vers-für-Vers-Auslegung der gesamten Bibel, sah sich wegen seiner strengen Prädestinationslehre jedoch auch dem Vorwurf des Hyper-Calvinismus ausgesetzt. Heutigen Bibellesern dient sein Werk als detailreiches historisches Referenzwerk mit seltenen Einblicken in rabbinische Hintergründe der biblischen Texte.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa
I am the prodigal son every time I search for unconditional love where it cannot be found.
Henri Nouwen
It wasn't the nails that held Jesus to the cross. It was love.
Max Lucado
To love a person means to see them as God meant them to be.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
I ask myself: what does hell mean? I maintain: it is the inability to love.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
A drop of love is worth more than an ocean of reason.
Blaise Pascal
Love keeps no record of wrongs, but bitterness keeps detailed accounts.
Craig Groeschel
The world consists of nothing but opportunities for love.
Søren Kierkegaard