Does God Love all Covenant Children?

[JML]

We obviously know that God loves the elect but does God love all covenant children for the sake of their status as covenant children? I mean love in a general sense and not necessarily a salvific love as we know that not all covenant children believe and are saved.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I believe I'm in full agreement with Josh, above.

There are other texts that flatly state that there is a corporate love, something that is a bit more nebulous (but nonetheless real), that is undifferentiated, so far as remnant/reprobate goes:

Dt.7:7-8 "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

(I like those verses: He loved you ...because he loved you.)​

Dt.10:15 "Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day."

Dt.23:5 "But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you."

cf. 1Ki.10:9 "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness."


The remnant principle is still active, though it may be the case that active discipline produces whole, healthy congregations, or even denominations.


The Lord loves "his church." But there are those within the church who are not individual objects of his love. Rom.9:6 is true of them as well, "They are not all Israel who are of Israel."

 

[JML]

Thank you both for your answers. As a parent of 3 little ones under 5, I have wondered how God views my children.

 

[Miss Marple]

The promise is to you, and to your children.

 

[Peairtach]

Reformed Baptist children are also covenant children of course, they just haven't been solemnly and visibly admitted to the covenant and visible church.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sovereign Grace]

God does have a love for all His creation, but only His elect has He loved savingly, in that He gave them to Jesus, and Jesus bore their sins on the cross, to atone for them. It's like parents love other people's children, but have a special love for their own. Or that's how I see it.

 

[ThyWord IsTruth]

They have providentially been placed in a Christ centered, God glorifying home. I'd say they are truly blessed by God. They could have been born to a Hindu family in India or a Buddhist family in Japan or an Atheistic family in the U.S.
Wether they are part of the elect....that will be known in time. Keep admonishing them in the Lord and directing them to the Saviour.

 

[irresistible_grace]

"Little ones to Him belong" - Jesus Loves Me, This I Know