Unconditionally Yours
It is easy to read the scriptures and understand that God chose His children before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4) so that the love He offers His children is unconditional. He did not set conditions on who could and could not have eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-10). He loves and chose His people because He is who He is, not because of anything we did to earn it.
Many professing Christians have adopted a belief that God gives unconditional love to everyone even though His Word clearly says that He “hates evil doers” (Psalm 5:5 ESV).
Many Christians boldly promise the love of God to someone if they would stop doing drugs, give birth to their baby (rather than aborting), confess their sin of adultery, repent of having had an abortion, or stop using pornography. They focus in on one sin rather than the sin nature.
Interestingly, to stop these sinful behaviors may make life better for them because they will be moving away from the earthly consequences of sin. But it is only when there is faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, given to us as a gift from God, that we will know His unconditional love.
Going through the scriptures it is evident that God does require something from us. There are a lot of promises made to unbelievers that have no biblical basis; they lack the “conditions” that God has placed on us. Clearly, our actions speak louder than our words regarding our faith.
Deuteronomy 8:19 says, “And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.”
Speaking to His disciples n John 15:10 Jesus said, ”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.” Even though God’s love endures forever, it is like the love of a parent. He will not let sin go but will expect a certain desire for holiness. Jesus said that if we love Him we will obey His commands (John 14:15). God looks at the heart (1 Samuel; 16:7). He sees motives as well as actions.
A woman at a conference at which I was speaking said that when she was growing up her Christian family taught her that if she did not drink, smoke or get pregnant out of wedlock – she was being a “good Christian girl.” She had been given “conditions” which were not God’s conditions for salvation.
The Bible was in their home, but not taught. They attended church and youth group and stayed out of trouble. She had probably memorized John 3:16 in Sunday School with no idea that “whosoever believes” in Him should not perish but have eternal life is a condition. We must believe that God has given His only Son as the substitute for us, taking the punishment for our sin.
She was given a “code of conduct” for a Christian girl but it was completely external. She had not been taught a true understanding of what God had done for her in sending Christ. Knowing and responding to the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not part of the familial expectation.
A lot needs to change in our personal obedience to God’s Word – and in our national recognition of His Authority in the world.
The personal has to come first. God will change our nation one person at a time. It would seem that we have to start boldly telling people the truth, including politicians and businessmen who insist that everyone must agree to the evil that is being called good.
We will be blessed by God when we live by faith in Him and His Word. It is His love for us that gives us the desire to repent of our sin and obey Him. Our nation will see God’s blessings when we start to believe that His Word (Genesis to Revelation) is “living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4L12) and by sharing its truth with everyone.
When God gives faith to a person, it is unconditional. He is giving His Spirit and His Son’s death as He forgives our sin. However, He is not fooled by our words. He says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me and He calls them hypocrites (Matthew 15:8; Mark 7:6).
God does have a level of unconditional love that Christians are to be most grateful for as a gift from Him. However, it is important to filter our proclamations and promises to others in God’s name through what He says in the scripture. Do we even know that it says that He hates evil doers (Psalm 5:5)?