He loves us unconditionally when we surrender unconditionally.
In the story of the Prodigal Son, the Father restore the son’s condition with no restrictions, but only after the son returned. The Father did not go and drag the son back, he did not reserve him his place until he returned. He did sit a single condition: the son must come and repent.
Once that condition was met, then there were no other conditions.
John 3:16 says God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Not just individuals who were saved. The world.
That said, John 3:16b requires receipt of the Gospel for salvation.
God IS love (1 John 4:8). It is not for us as men to make judgments on the ability, or inability, of God to love any member of His creation unconditionally.
That said, receive the Gospel and be saved.
John 6:29
John 6:29New International Version (NIV)
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 14:6
John 14:6New International Version (NIV)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The author is confusing unconditional LOVE with unconditional eternal salvation.
God STILL loves Adolf Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson - the SAME as He loves you, me, Billy Graham, or any other human being HE created.
Yet, He gave US the choice of loving Him back or not.
HIS love IS unconditional; ours is not.
This above is the money quote from the post.
There are no good deeds we can do to atone for our sins.
It is Christ Who died for our sins.
It is Christ Who paid for ALL of our sins.
It is Christ Who was offered as a one time sacrifice for ALL of our sins.
It is Christ and Christ alone who makes us righteous.
As the old hymn goes....
what can wash away my sins? nothing but the blood of Jesus
what can make me whole again? nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Romans 5:8 (emphasis mine)
This guy has never heard of Reformed/Calvinistic theology because it deals with all of those questions. Whether you agree or disagree with the doctrines of Grace, they have been a major school of Christian theology from the beginning and just pointing out that there is an alternative perspective is not to much to ask. It is not my point to hijack the thread and turn it into a “predestination vs. free will” thread, we’ve had way to many of those already. I’m just pointing out the a author is either ignorant of a major branch of Christian theology or for some reason he just chose to ignore this perspective on “unconditional love”.
John said it all:
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Yes, God loves us unconditionally.
However, that does not mean He's obligated to save everyone.
In His love, He provided a means by which ANYONE could come to Him and be saved, a way easy and simple enough for a child to do it.
But His not forcing salvation on people against their will does not mean He doesn't love them.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
God's love is unconditional also, because He is no respecter of persons.
If His love was conditional, there would be some criteria on which to base who He loves and who HE doesn't.
He didn’t “love” the money changers defiling the Temple.