True love is carried to the person; It is adulterous love, to love the thing, or the gift more than the person, St. Paul loved the person of Christ, because he felt sweet experience that Christ loved him; his love was but a reflection of Christ's love first, he loved to see Christ, to embrace him, and enjoy him, that had done so much and suffered so much for his soul, that had forgiven him so many sins

Christians who believed what they said in church knew that to die was not the end of life but its fulfillment; not extinction, but the promise of eternity.

If you had refused to descend to men, you would have been my distant dream. If you had refused to sow your word, I would love you without hearing it. If you had hesitated and fled from the crucifixion, and I were not saved, I would still love you. If you were a myth, I would leave reality and live with you in a dream.

Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ. If you are not sure you have done this, all you need to do is receive and believe. The Bible promises, "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."23 Will you accept God's offer?

Preparing you for these two questions is the goal of this book. The first question will determine where you spend eternity. The second question will determine what you do in eternity. By the end of this book you will be ready to answer both questions.

This is why for thousands of years Christians have found the cross to be so central to life. It speaks to us of God's suffering, God's pain, God's broken heart. It's God making the first move and then waiting for our response.

If we want hell, if we want heaven, they are ours. That's how love works. It can't be forced, manipulated, or coerced. It always leaves room for the other to decide. God says yes, we can have what we want, because love wins.

I have been told that I need to believe in Jesus. Which is a good thing. But what I am learning is that Jesus believes in me.

God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2). So does God get what God wants?

Sometimes the reason people have a problem accepting 'the gospel' is that they sense that the God lurking behind Jesus isn't safe, loving, or good. It doesn't make sense, it can't be reconciled, and so they say no.

God has to punish sinners, because God is holy, but Jesus has paid the price for our sin, and so we can have eternal life. However true or untrue that is technically or theologically, what it can do is subtly teach people that Jesus rescues us from God.

Neither son understands that the father's love was never about any of that. The father's love cannot be earned, and it cannot be taken away. It just is.