Lesson 27
The self denying love of God is powerful, and comes at great cost to those who put it into practice. Although it comes through great sacrifice and pain, the rewards for living out God’s love are far better and longer lasting than living a life of self centeredness. Those who want to follow Jesus receive their desire through a calling from God. By choosing the weak and foolish to accomplish his goals, God demonstrates his majesty over everything and everyone. Those who accept God’s call to live and stay in his love, have no fear of judgment for they are abiding within the family of God. When God is the one who is calling the weak and lowly to Jesus, and only those who are called by God can follow Jesus, when do the wise, strong and noble people have an opportunity to follow Jesus? Is it correct to tell people that they merely have to decide for themselves to accept Jesus and receive salvation, or is there more information they should know? Did Jesus come to save all humanity, or only the weak ones? When do those not called by God to Jesus during this life, get to learn about him? When salvation only comes to those who accept Jesus, can anyone be saved if they only know that God exists?
1 Corinthians 1:25-29 English Standard Version
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
John 6:44 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
44 No one is able to come to Me unless the Father having sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
1 John 4:12-17 New Catholic Bible
12 No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we can be certain that we abide in him and that he abides in us: he has given us a share in his Spirit. 14 Moreover, we have seen for ourselves and can testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, and that person abides in God. 16 We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 This is how love is made perfect in us, enabling us to have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because even in this world we have become like him