Help me dissect this quote.

[Southern Presbyterian]

I overheard a quotation this morning that has disturbed me all day. The person passing along this tidbit of "wisdom" was quite taken with the idea. I however am not. It seems wrong on so many levels.

Here is the quote:

God loves people more than anything.

Bad theology? I believe so. Heresy? I can't decide.

And before anyone asks, No, I did not confront the person making the statement as I was not part of the conversation and knew neither of the individuals.

What say ye all?

 

[rbcbob]

Titus 3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

The Greek word here is φιλανθρωπία “love of man” from which we get our English word philanthropy.
To argue from this that God loves man “more than anything” might be a stretch however

 

[MarieP]

If by people you mean Persons, you could certainly make an argument...

Haven't listened to Pint of Grace in a long time...I stopped after hearing "You are the Answer" and was somehow convinced (along with some others) that it was inclusivistic. But I just read the lyrics again and see that it isn't!

 

[fredtgreco]

That quote would be correct only if two things were a given:

1. "Anything" did not include God (i.e. God is not a "created thing")
2. People were defined as "redeemed people" or "God's people"

I doubt that is the case, but if people were compared to angels, for example, it would be true, because God has redeemed His people, but not angels. All of that said, I am doubtful that the speaker mean that with all the qualifications I have made.

 

[Ivan]

Pint of Grace

Guinness?

 

[Southern Presbyterian]

What about things like God's justice and holiness? He does not love even the elect more than these "things" since the plan of redemption had to account for satisfying these. He did not just simply set them aside out of love, but provided for them to be satisfied through the Son.

 

[WAWICRUZ]

I think the quote is an oversimplification.

For God to love man He must also love the cosmos in which He has placed man, for in man's redemption the cosmos also finds its redemption.

God's design for the eternal physicality of man necessarily ties him up with his environment (I don't mean this in a tree-hugging way).

 

[Skyler]

God's design for the eternal physicality of man necessarily ties him up with his environment (I don't mean this in a tree-hugging way).

Right, but God created the environment in order to give man a place to live--not for its own sake.

God loves Himself (and His attributes) first and foremost. (That is why we, also, must love Him first and foremost.)

I think it can easily be argued that He loves His elect more than any other created beings, since everything He does is for their benefit.

 

[seajayrice]

The quote is too vague to jive with scripture. Certainly, such a gaudy statement is dismissive of His glory.

 

[Skyler]

The quote is too vague to jive with scripture. Certainly, such a gaudy statement is dismissive of His glory.

You don't think Scripture makes that vague of statements?

 

[MarieP]

Pint of Grace

Guinness?

If they were Charismatic, it would be "Pint of New Wine"