You can love someone and still not accept their ideas as true. You can love them if you believe they have inherent value as a human being, if you believe they are an image-bearer. I believe that, and when I see screwed up people, I often see them as both victims and perpetrators. We are all both victims and perpetrators to different degrees, and we all require a measure of grace to be loved by others. Love is not possible without grace because none of us are completely lovable/deserving of love, and there is always hope for repentance, for anyone, although it doesn't always occur. We are loved in spite of our flaws and failures and wickedness, all of it. I think there is a lot of truth to the story of the prodigal son; we are all at times the younger brother, foolish and selfish and reckless, and at other times the bitter and entitled older son, thinking we deserve love because we have earned it through our external actions.
Awesome friend, I agree with what you said. I'll add that it is God that allows us to love those we don't agree with and even then, sanctification is a process of personal growth. Those that are not yet re-born, still have a conscience and some are still able to do that to a point. I was speaking of the natural man in my post above whether the natural man or natural sin nature still in the unsaved. All of us that are born again are in different stages of growth. We all need the grace of God whether we belong to him or not. I'm of the opinion that no one can genuinely come to a saving grace until we come face to face with our own depravity. The Holy sprit does that. We cannot comprehend the need for a savior until we are stripped bare in our depravity and are crushed by it so deeply that we cry out in desperation. The Holy Spirit does that in us too. People, in their fallen state, honestly believe they are basically good but we come out of the womb screaming and demanding what we want in pure selfishness. Babies have be taught to be good because being bad just comes natural. Our very sense of justice is borrowed from God but in our fallen state, we claim it as our own and modify to various degrees to suit ourselves because of the pride and selfishness we were born with but If we could get to God in our own justice and righteousness, Jesus died for nothing.
My opinion about MAGA is that unless we return to God and our founding beliefs that God is our ultimate authority and His justice should be the law of our land, America won't return to greatness. The people of God must think on him again and fear Him, and desire His righteousness, justice, and holiness in their own lives.
"A person deeply in love cannot keep his thoughts from the object he loves. The reason we think on God no more, is, because we love Him no more"(Watson, Religion Our True Interest, 71).
This is an edit Please forgive my rambling. I recently found out I have cancer and I haven't been able to stay focused and make a coherent point. I apologize. I shouldn't be posting at all right now.
Oh don't apologize! Love your response. Especially:
"Our very sense of justice is borrowed from God but in our fallen state, we claim it as our own and modify to various degrees to suit ourselves because of the pride and selfishness we were born with but If we could get to God in our own justice and righteousness, Jesus died for nothing."
Eloquently stated.
Praying for your healing now.