Unconditional love?

[B-A-C]

God has unconditional love for us...it's a phrase you hear a lot in some churches, but is it true?

People tie this to "agape" love. But here is the definition of agape.

ἀγάπη
agapē
ag-ah'-pay
From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
Total KJV occurrences: 116

Nothing about being unconditional here.

Now of course I believe God loves us before we are saved. He loves us before we are even aware of Him.

But do we always remain in the love of God automatically? It's an interesting study.

On one hand we have verses like....

Rom 8:38; For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom 8:39; nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I notice that "sin" and "disobedience" are not on the list here. Even so... the "love" of God is not the "salvation" of God. God loves even the unsaved.
Rom 5:8; But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

On the other hand we have verses like...

1 Jn 5:3; For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
Jude 1:21; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Keep yourselves in the love of God... hmmmm... how do we do that?

John 15:10; "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

1 Jn 2:3; By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
1 Jn 2:4; The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

John 14:21; "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

2 Jn 1:6; And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

 

[Hekuran]

Yes, it's true. God loves us, and does not stop loving.

But remaining in God's love is a slightly different matter. That is conditional on our response - we can choose to accept God's love, keep his commandments and abide in him, or we can reject and live outside God's love.

I think that distinction helps to make sense of the verses that you've posted.

 

[regibassman57]

@B-A-C,
I agree with Hekuran. God chasten every son that comes to Him. If that child responds to the chastening correctly - God deals with them as sons.

Hebrews 12:6
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Hebrews 12:7
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Hebrews 12:8
But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.

 

[Bendito]

God has unconditional love for us...it's a phrase you hear a lot in some churches, but is it true?

People tie this to "agape" love. But here is the definition of agape.

ἀγάπη
agapē
ag-ah'-pay
From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
Total KJV occurrences: 116

Nothing about being unconditional here.

Now of course I believe God loves us before we are saved. He loves us before we are even aware of Him.

But do we always remain in the love of God automatically? It's an interesting study.

On one hand we have verses like....

Rom 8:38; For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom 8:39; nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I notice that "sin" and "disobedience" are not on the list here. Even so... the "love" of God is not the "salvation" of God. God loves even the unsaved.
Rom 5:8; But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

On the other hand we have verses like...

1 Jn 5:3; For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
Jude 1:21; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Keep yourselves in the love of God... hmmmm... how do we do that?

John 15:10; "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

1 Jn 2:3; By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
1 Jn 2:4; The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

John 14:21; "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

2 Jn 1:6; And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

It means you can abide in His love, or go your own way?