The concept of a loving God is a “uniquely Christian idea,” says North Point Community Church Senior Pastor Andy Stanley in his newest book.
Titled Irresistible: Reclaiming the New that Jesus Unleashed for the World, Stanley’s latest book was released Tuesday by Zondervan.
In chapter 18, Stanley wrote about the New Testament book of 1 John, at one point focusing on 4:16, which reads in part “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”
“John equated God with love. This was novel. This was unique. This would change the world,” wrote Stanley. “God is love is a uniquely Christian idea.”
To justify his theological argument, Stanley contrasted Christian belief in a loving God with the religious views of both Near East paganism and Judaism.
“No one credited the pagan gods with being love or loving. They were jealous, fickle, capricious, and entertained themselves by trifling in human affairs,” Stanley explains.
“For Jews, God was holy. Separate. Unapproachable. He lived behind a curtain. His love was reserved for his covenant people.”
Stanley describes John’s “God is love” statement as being “epic,” especially given…
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