Is loving God a process over time?
Question:
I understand that the process of one becoming a Christian isn't an overnight decision many times. Of course, it can happen that way, but many begin learning about God at an early age, and as they learn more, they will be baptized into Christ at a teenage year or even older. For some, it may take years of being taught and some may be sooner. And some may never do that before life is over. Do you believe that loving God is a process that happens over time? This may be the case for many today who hear about God and begin to love Him but have not obeyed to the point of being immersed in Christ. Until someone is immersed into Christ, they are lost according to the Scriptures. But, do you think many today love God but are not yet Christians? I'm not saying that "love" for God means they are saved until they are baptized into Christ and added to the church.
It seems that many people love God but are lost because they haven't yet fully obeyed. But I don't believe that someone goes from not loving God to loving him overnight. Some may take years to fully render total obedience to God by being baptized, but they may have loved God for years. But that love isn't going to cause them to be saved without baptism.
These are just some thoughts of mine. It seems like it's a process that flows through the plan of salvation, and you begin to love before you are baptized. But you are not saved until baptism.
Answer:
"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:9-10).
"But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also" (II Corinthians 8:7).
Living the Christian life involves growth, not just in love, but faith, knowledge, and earnestness. "Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord" (I Peter 2:2-3). That growth starts before a person becomes a Christian and, hopefully, continues until the day he dies. "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day" (Proverbs 4:18).
Often, what is called "love" by the worldly isn't love at all. Their idea of "love" is more an expression of interest, but they want a relationship that is on their terms. The idea of obedience because of love is a foreign notion. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Thus, a part of growing in love is learning what love truly means. It requires a growth in knowledge and trust.
