Can non-Christians really love anyone?

[Kabowd]

i am young and new to this site, but i believe that nonbelievers can not truly love anyone. because God is love. and with out God, how can they love?

Its good that your asking questions, young old or inbetween. I however feel that love is pretty much universal, even the most hardened criminal usually loves someone. I don't think you can fully appreciate what love is however if you don't understand the love of God. So, I basically agree and disagree with you. By the way, Welcome to Worthy!

Along the lines of the last post, just because someone doesn't *know* God, does not mean that He isn't actively involved in their lives or using them for His purposes. We see throughout scripture that God even used wicked kings and secular people/leaders to accomplish His purposes. Another good example is Oskar Schindler. He was a German drunkard, womanizer and an adulterer who eventually abandoned his wife and there's no historical evidence that he ever accepted Christ or was a believer. But that does not negate the fact that he single handedly rescued over 1,100 Jews from certain torturous deaths. There had to be a certain level of love and compassion for him to take the risks he did in order to save these people. Where did those thoughts/feelings come from that propelled him to risk his own life for so many others? They came from God, of course. In spite of the fact that Schindler never responded to the eternal, sacrificial, personal love of the Savior...he was still an instrument of the Savior's love for others and his compassion will stand in history as one of the greatest acts of kindness every shown to mankind.

[eric]

Tess

I don't think you have to clarify. Love is a complex subject and when one speaks about love one should define the type of love he is referring to.

Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends."

How many true stories have been told about men who have died to save some one else in all the wars down thru the ages, but then the cynics will say " well that's different because blah blah. " People have died defending their loved ones since day one and the likes of WSB can call it lust or whatever they like. That's just plain cynisism, that's only how he personally sees it. And of course, he's entitled to his opinion.

Good post, Tess.

eric.

[eric]

Sorry, Tess, we were posting at the same time.

e

[InternalFlame]

Love is a gift from God...whether the person is a believer or not, true love comes from God. He may give it to unbeleivers just as He has hardened unbeleivers hearts. I imagine that love given to an unbeleiver by God could perhaps bring that person to God.

[mike2]

If God is pure love and Satan is the opposite,

We must all be capable of love in one degree or the other

I do believe that if we practice loving others we get better at it

I also believe there are a bazillion kinds of love, but there is a special kind of love that we are taught through the bible

mike2

[Rania]

No. Non-christians are not capable of love. They have some vague idea of what love is supposed to be, but that's as far as it goes. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. John also said Love is of God because God is Love. That being said, it is impossible for an unredeemed person to have love, because they don't have God.

The closest an unsaved person comes to love is lust.

Forgive me, but this really blew me away. I'm a born again Christian who has also experienced love prior to becoming a Believer. I think it is incredibly insulting to tell a non-believer that they cannot love. They may not experience agape love or Christian love but.......all love?

Maybe I misunderstood you?

Rania

[apothanein kerdos]

If non-Christians cannot love then:

1) They are not in God's image

2) They can never come to Christ (you have to understand love before you can accept it)

Go from there

[RustyAngeL]

If man in his unregenerate state is hopelessly self-centered, can he truly love someone? Or is his fondness for others simply utilitarian in nature, or is it simply possessiveness posing as love? Is one of the discoveries when we get saved is how to genuinely love someone (1 Corinthians 13)? I guess another progression of this thought might be; If a non-Christian is capable of loving someone, are there are degrees of love that a non-Christian can't approach? See the kind of questions that people with a supposed creative minds can come up with when sit around pontificating in the wee hours of the morning.

I have a friend who is a christian. Her husband claims to be one too. However he is one of the most hateful, miserable people I have ever met. He runs down anyone he can, tells them that they are not as smart as he is, that his house is better then yours and will make more money then you ever thought of making. The f word comes out of his mouth with every word and he is just plain rude to most everyone. On the hand I have a friend who is not a christian will do anything he can to help you. He gives of his time and is the first one to encourage you. So yes I think non christians can most certainly love.

[David from New Bern]

Has anybody read 1 Cor 13 in forming their opinion? Experiences can be deceiving and emotions even more self-deceptive. True love looks for nothing in return. The counterfeit conditional love either consciously or subconsciously is looking for some return. Example: I promise to love you as long as you show an equal affection in return. If you start holding back on me, I'm going to start holding back on you. Or show me sexual attention and I will show you romantic love

The idea of Karma seems to be almost universial whether it is labeled that or not. People believe that unselfish acts will be rewarded somehow, therefore they are still on the take regardless how unselfish it looks. Some people are so afraid of loneliness that they will selectively choose someone to partner with in life. The result some people wrongly see dependence as love. What I am adding to the discussion here is that true love doesn't have to be returned? That is why it is divine and very difficult for common man.

In 1995 I saw a couple divorce after 55 years of marriage. My grandparents stayed married 48 years but had no intimate conversation the last 20 years of their marriage, yet they had 11 children. Even longevity doesn't promise the real article. The latest statistics suggest that the divorce rate among evangelicals is slightly higher than the general population. Genuine love is more than an attraction, a dependence, a history, a compatability, or heroic act. As some have suggested in this thread it is not human it is a gift of God. The only argument is who is He giving it to... believers, non-believers? I believe it is learned behavior that is part of our sanctification. The more I become like Christ the more I display (hesed) committed covenant love. If I drift away from the spiritual disciplines that promote sanctification the first area it shows is in the genuiness of my love, both for God and man.

Edited March 8, 2006 by David from New Bern

[Copper Scroll]

Has anybody read 1 Cor 13 in forming their opinion?

Yes.