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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son?

I'm just listening to James O'Brien on LBC and he just pointed out the quote from the Bible that "...God so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son..." is not actually that impressive, because Jesus "rose again" on the third day, so God only lost His son for a long weekend, and He's had Him sitting at His right hand ever since.

So He didn't actually give very much at all, did He?

So He can't love the world very much then, can He?

Update:

oldguy63 - Er? That's why I'm asking the question. You've not quite grasped the concept of Yahoo! Answers yet, have you?

I'm tempted to give the best answer to mixmastersback. NOT! If that's an example of what it is to be a Christian, I'm not surprised so many people are turning their backs.

Seriously though, for me, Clive has given the best answer so far. God could have stopped Jesus' suffering at any time. He didn't, he sat there and *let* him suffer. If anyone else had done that, we'd call them an evil monster. Why does God get away with this terrible behaviour?

23 Answers

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  • Clive
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago
    Favourite answer

    An omnipotent God can create anything he wishes so his gifts and sacrifices are meaningless.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    If the whole Jesus Christ story were true HE would have been the one to make the sacrifice. But from the parental point of view god the father would suffer knowing that his son suffered the crucifixion.

    The whole idea of sin and the fact that humans are supposed to have to struggle to live a certain way in order to get into heaven is distasteful. I love my children unconditionally. I would not purposely put any trial or tribulation in their path. I do everything possible to prevent their suffering.

  • 1 decade ago

    Have you watched Mel Gibson's "The passion of the Christ"? From my study of the Bible and research, what was depicted in the movie is as close to what was the practice of ancient Rome. The scrouging and the cruxifixion that Christ went through for me and for you was humiliating, painful and shameful! To die on a cross was something that no one wanted - it was the most shameful way to die! But God, in His great love for us, sent His only Son to suffer and to die for us in this very way. If this is not love, not giving very much, then what is? "No greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for another".

    Jesus was God but He chose to be humble Himself, to be incarnated as man, lived among us and then suffered and died for us on the cross. He was God, He didn't need to humble Himself for a bunch of unworthy sinners but He did and that to me is the greatness of God - that He gave and He willingly suffered and died for me. You need to understand the "kenosis Theory" to get the whole of what Jesus did for you (read Philippians 2).

    My answer to your question is simply, "He didn't have to but He did and that's what is important - He didn't have to lower His status as God to become man, but He did, being sinless - He didn't have to suffer and be punished for our sins but He did, and finally, He didn't have to die a shameful death by cruxifixion on the cross, but He did!" Why He did is what really matters! - because God so loved the world.

    And if Jesus did not rise again from the dead and be seated on the right hand of God, what hope would there be for us? The fact that He rose from the dead and conquered death is what Christianity is all about - otherwise there wouldn't be a reason to believe. It is only because He lives! that we can face our tomorrows with hope and without fear.

    Thank you, friend, for asking this question as I believe there are many who are, like you, seeking the truth out there. Keep searching and you will find!

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:17 For God sent his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because their deeds were evil. I can go on and on, But I do not have to. If you want to seek your answers. Do not hesitate your father in heaven wants to enlighten you. I can tell by your question. God bless you and enlighten you. Oh and one more thing please do not allow yourself to be brainwashed. tell the truth as it was written.

  • carl
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Remember that Jesus is true man and that God in Jesus experienced human death, even if Jesus knew that he would rise again , it didn't make his sufferings any less. Jesus carried all the weight of all the sins of the world and it tore His heart open on the cross.

    We also know through faith that we will rise again, does that make our sufferings any less?

  • 1 decade ago

    1. “For God so loved the world...”

    God, as we have already said, loves us!

    It is amazing that the one who has created

    all things; the one who is so powerful; the

    one who is so great; would love us.

    Usually we know someone loves us because

    of how they treat us. Maybe they’ve

    cared for us, or given us a gift at one time.

    Whatever the case, they have shown their

    love toward us in some way.

    You may ask, “What has God ever done

    for me?” This brings me to the second

    thing I’d like to share with you about this

    Bible verse...

    4. “...but have everlasting life.”

    YES! This is talking about Heaven!

    It is eternal happiness for all those who

    have put their trust in Jesus. When Jesus

    was crucified (killed) He did not stay

    dead, but He rose again on the third day!

    Because He rose again and ascended back

    to Heaven, we can go there too!

    Here we will be in the prescence of God,

    and we will never know heartache or pain

    ever again. In Heaven, Jesus has prepared

    a place just for us, a place we can call

    home.

    God has given us Jesus, and along with

    that He has given us Heaven if we would

    believe on His Son, Jesus.

    actually earned Hell because of our sin!

    God needs a payment for sin, and we can

    never pay for it by anything we do.

    DON’T FORGET, GOD LOVES YOU!

    And this is why He sent Jesus. Jesus faced

    Hell for us, and paid what we owed God,

    so this awful place would not be where we

    had to spend eternity. Through believeing

    in Jesus we are made clean before God,

    forgiven, and can have a personal

    relationship with God!

    This brings us to the fourth thing about

    this Bible verse...

    2. “...that he gave his only begotten

    Son...”

    God has shown us that He loves us by

    giving us His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was

    the greatest gift that could have ever been

    given to man. He was just what man

    needed!

    Due to man’s sin (the bad things we do, as

    well as the good things we don’t do),

    we are all in need of a Saviour.

    We have broken God’s Law. Because God

    is holy (perfect), and we are sinners

    (unholy), we are now separated from God!

    Not only that, but we must pay for the

    law we have broken with our very lives!

    (We will talk about that in a minute)

    But because God loves us,

    He sent Jesus to be our Saviour.

    Jesus has made it possible for us to

    be brought close to God, and Jesus paid

    the price of our sin when He died on

    the cross for us.

    Because of Jesus, we can be...

    FORGIVEN!

    Knowing that we have an opportunity to

    be forgiven, we must also realize that we

    have a choice to make about God’s love -

    Do we accept God’s love, or do we reject

    God’s love? The Bible says

    “...that whosever believeth in him...”

    Depending on which one we choose, we

    determine where we will spend eternity

    after death. The rest of the Bible verse tells

    us about those two places...

    3. “...that whosoever believeth in him

    should not perish...”

    When the Bible says perish, it is talking

    about an awful place called hell.

    This is where the souls of those who have

    rejected God’s love will spend eternity.

    You have probably seen pictures of what

    people think hell is like, or maybe you

    have your own ideas, but whatever those

    ideas may be, the Bible tells us that there

    is only pain and suffering in Hell.

    Hell is the place that God prepared for the

    wicked one called the Devil. God never

    intended for any of us to go this place,

    and it is not His will that any should go. It

    is because of SIN that we are condemned

    to this horrible place.

  • 1 decade ago

    Great that the pheologist couldn't be bothered to expand isn't it ?

    Good point though - give something you can easily replace. However, as the Bible contain as much truth as the Sun it's moot. No-one sent any son to pain for any sin, this is the churches way to control and lay the guilt on as thick as they can.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    He did give his Son to the world, to be tortured and killed for the sake of salvation for those who believe and appreciate that God would do such a thing for us as proof of how much he wants us to be with Him.

    That's what I believe anyway. It seems pretty clear that you don't want to believe it. I truly hope someday you'll allow God to come to you in some way without being so cynical and flippant about His method.

    Peace...

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    God Almighty has unlimited powers and authority, without any share from other person.

    God almighty can do any thing.

    If God or ( Hypothetically) His son can born then can die also.

    If God Almighty can die then He is not God Almighty.

    If God Almighty has son then He share responsibility with His son, then again He is not The God.

    God is unique no son, no daughter, no spouse.

    We cannot visualize Him, and his powers, and authority.

  • 1 decade ago

    Only-begotten Son?

    What about this verse :

    "...the Lord hath saith unto me, (David) Thou art My Son: this day have I Begotten thee" - Psalm 2:7

    Jesus was not the only Begotten Son !

    Anyway, only humans beget. God is too Superior and Pure for such animal acts !

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Every religion has some good to it. Learn to see other religions for their good rather than their bad qualities.

    Do not dismiss the beliefs of other faiths automatically. Try and learn what other religions have to say. Relate this to your own beliefs.

    Don't be too pushy. People don't convert if you are too anxious; in fact that will often scare them away from you. Instead, bring up your religion casually and only suggest they join if it's obvious they are interested - and don't force them into a conversation they don't want concerning religion.

    Make friends outside your church, mosque, synagogue, etc. This will help you see things from a different point of view.

    Read other Holy Books other than your own. This will better help you understand other religions and hear what they have to say.

    It is also possible to be an atheistic zealot. If you are an atheist, respect other people's faiths. Do not look down your nose on believers and "feel sorry for the deluded fools."

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