The love of God is part of who he is (2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8).
Have you seen that terrible movie Clash of the Titans yet? I got suckered into it. :mmph: They portray god (Greek paganism, Zeus) as a mean old man.
That may be a god of man's imagination but that is not the God of scripture. The God of scripture is: living, personal, relational, good and loving.
He loves us even when we are unlovable (Ro 5:8). He proved his love by dying for us.
"Love is giving you what you need not what you deserve."
If I may use the terrible movie again as an illustration of error. The main god in the movie needed humans for his power.
Humans stopped loving him, he got mad, yada, yada, yada. :yawn: Again--a god of man's imagination--but no proof.
Scripture says man cannot profit God (Job 22:2; Ps 16:2). We become something special when we respond to him (2 Cor 5:17). He wants our fellowship (Ge 5:22, Ge 6:9, etc.). We were made for him and his will (Re 4:11).
In The Crucible
Out from the mine and the darkness,
Out from the damp and the mold,
Out from the fiery furnace,
Cometh each grain of gold.
Crushed into atoms and leveled
Down to the humblest dust
With never a heart to pity,
With never a hand to trust.
Molten and hammered and beaten
Seemeth it ne'er to be done.
Oh, for such fiery trial,
What hath the poor gold done?
Oh, 'twere a mercy to leave it
Down in the damp and the mold.
If this is the glory of living,
Then better to be dross than gold.
Under the press and the roller,
Into the jaws of the mint,
Stamped with the emblem of freedom,
With never a flaw or a dint.
Oh, what a joy, the refining,
Out of the damp and the mold.
And stamped with the glorious image,
Oh, beautiful coin of gold!
–Author unknown
