God Loves the World, does it mean that He loves everybody in the world at exactly the same level?
Of course NOT!
For sure, God loves the world; however, He loves His children more!
Did God love Ishmael?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Isaac more!
Ishmael indeed received blessings from God, but, he was not the child of promise.
Isaac was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.
Abraham had several children besides Ishmael (, after Sarah had died, Abraham married Keturah, who gave births to several children).
Did God love these children of Abraham?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Isaac More!
Other children indeed received blessings from God, but, they were not the child of promise.
Isaac was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.
Did God love Esau?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Jacob more!
Esau indeed received blessings from God, but, he was not the child of promise.
Jacob was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.
Then, does this mean that God is UNFAIR?
Of course NOT!
God loves his children more, but, this does not mean that, the lives of his children in ‘this world’, will sure to be better than others.
The top students in schools are often non-Christians.
The Nobel Prize winners are mostly non-Christians.
The tops of the richest people in the world are mostly non-Christians.
Christians may not be more beautiful than others,
Christians may not be more handsome than others,
and Christians may not be more successful than others.
There are so many people who are not the children of God, receiving much more blessings than the children of God!
The blessings under ‘common grace’!
Instead, the children of God, in terms of common grace, may not have more than the others, in fact, sometimes have much lesser than others.
So, since God loves His children more, what does he love?
He has not promised his children to be more beautiful, more handsome, better in studies, or wealthier…
Then, what love is this?
God loves His children more, and what has ‘promised’ them, is the special grace, not the common grace.
God has promised that in whatever circumstances, He will provide such special grace forevermore.
However God has not promised that He will for sure give better to His children in terms of common grace.
Sometimes, God will give more common grace (to the children of God);
but sometimes, God does not give more.
God has promised never to forsake his children;
God has promised to love his children forever;
God has promised to teach his children;
God has promised to discipline his children;
God has promised to bring his children to heavenly home;
but God has not promised that his children will for sure get the top in exams, be more beautiful, earn more money…
In the eyes of us, how much does special grace worth?
In the eyes of us, does common grace worth more? Or special grace?
Being disciplined when we commit wrong things, as compared to earning extraordinarily, which is our prioritized preference?
Will those people who believe in folk religion, ever seek the deities to get disciplined, or punished, or instructed to the rightful way when they have committed wrong things?
Aren’t those people who believe in folk religion, praying to the deities to allow them to make large sum of money, to be very successful, to get super rich, to do the top in exams… all these success and richness in the life of ‘this world’?
What about us?
What about us, the Christians?
What about us, the people who consider ourselves the children of God?
How are the things we are longing for different from those who believe in folk religion?
We can of course pray for common grace. But when the status and the value of common grace become the very goal in our heart, neglecting special grace,
are we really the children of God?
Or only self-assumed to be the children of God, but actually not?
“By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” (Psalm 17:14-15)
“Those of this world whose reward is in this life”!
Is this really what we are praying for?
Is this what we are longing for earnestly?
Is this what we are thinking of from dawn to dust?
No wonder during all times of suffering, there are so many people abandon their faith!
Because, they are not the people who can rejoice in knowing God, even if they barely receive simplest food or even be beggars.
May we truly be the children of God!
Truly be the true children of God, who are ‘satisfied with seeing your likeness’, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnot ‘those of this world whose reward is in this life’ like the common people.
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Original Article ‘神愛世人，但更愛祂兒女’(http://blog.roodo.com/yml/archives/15704757.html) written by Little Little Sheep(小小羊), a Taiwanese Christian Blogger;
Translated by Yuan3y.
This copy of translation can be re-posted or reprinted online or offline freely, provided that:
*the Original Author is credited,
*and a URL link to the original article is attached,
*and for non-profit purpose.
