Does God Love Unconditionally?

[Lisa]

Does God love unconditionally?

Does God love us unconditionally? Some people seem to think yes, He does, because they say that God is love. I think that God’s love is a different kind of love than ours. The real kind of love that dies for a sinner, not because the sinner deserves it but because God loves. Scripture tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) It may be that that is why people think God loves unconditionally, but I don’t believe that’s true..if God loved unconditionally then no one would have to die for our sins. We could keep sinning and sinning and have no problems with God, but that isn’t the case, we sin and we have problems with God who hates sin.

God hates sin so much that there is a place where sinners will go one day, after they die and that place is called hell. Jesus tells us that there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:42, Matt 13:50, Matt 25:30, Matt 8:12, Matt 25:41, Matt 22:13, Matt 13:28) there and that its a furnace of fire that people will be thrown into (Matt 13:42, Matt 13:50) aka hell. You don’t want to go there and He made is so you don’t have to, someone else paid that price for you.

If God loved us unconditionally, after we are saved, then God wouldn’t do any work on us at all, yet He does. We are told that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6) He also tells us that anyone in Christ is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2Cor 5:17) Since this is the case then God doesn’t really love people unconditionally.

However, that isn’t to say that one must clean up their lives to come to God. We can also say that you aren’t able to make your life clean on your own..sin stands in the way and you can only come to God as you are-a sinner. The Bible tells us for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)You don’t have to clean up your life to come to God, you can come to Him just as you are and God will give you rest. Jesus tell us we will find rest for our souls (Matt 11:29) But and this is big...God will not leave you the way He finds you and will start a process in your life whereby He takes out all the old in you and creates in you a clean heart. Eph 4:22-24, Ps 51:10.

Ezekiel‬ ‭18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”
‭‭‬ ‭

 

[Lisa]

un·con·di·tion·al\ˌən-kən-ˈdish-nəl, -ˈdi-shə-nəl\
adjective
: not limited in any way : complete and absolute

 

[Eternal Salvation]

Does God love unconditionally?

Does God love us unconditionally? Some people seem to think yes, He does, because they say that God is love. I think that God’s love is a different kind of love than ours. The real kind of love that dies for a sinner, not because the sinner deserves it but because God loves. Scripture tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) It may be that that is why people think God loves unconditionally, but I don’t believe that’s true..if God loved unconditionally then no one would have to die for our sins. We could keep sinning and sinning and have no problems with God, but that isn’t the case, we sin and we have problems with God who hates sin.

God hates sin so much that there is a place where sinners will go one day, after they die and that place is called hell. Jesus tells us that there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:42, Matt 13:50, Matt 25:30, Matt 8:12, Matt 25:41, Matt 22:13, Matt 13:28) there and that its a furnace of fire that people will be thrown into (Matt 13:42, Matt 13:50) aka hell. You don’t want to go there and He made is so you don’t have to, someone else paid that price for you.

If God loved us unconditionally, after we are saved, then God wouldn’t do any work on us at all, yet He does. We are told that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6) He also tells us that anyone in Christ is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2Cor 5:17) Since this is the case then God doesn’t really love people unconditionally.

However, that isn’t to say that one must clean up their lives to come to God. We can also say that you aren’t able to make your life clean on your own..sin stands in the way and you can only come to God as you are-a sinner. The Bible tells us for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)You don’t have to clean up your life to come to God, you can come to Him just as you are and God will give you rest. Jesus tell us we will find rest for our souls (Matt 11:29) But and this is big...God will not leave you the way He finds you and will start a process in your life whereby He takes out all the old in you and creates in you a clean heart. Eph 4:22-24, Ps 51:10.

Ezekiel‬ ‭18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”
‭‭‬ ‭

I believe you're right. Do you think God loves EVERYONE though?

 

[Lisa]

I believe you're right. Do you think God loves EVERYONE though?

Yes I do think He does...

John‬ ‭3:16‬
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.​

‭‭‭
And I also believe that He will forgive all sins except..

Matthew‬ ‭12:31-32‬ ‭
Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.​

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:4-8‬ ‭
For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.​

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭14:9-12‬
Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.​

‭‭‭

 

[Eternal Salvation]

Yes I do think He does...

John‬ ‭3:16‬​

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.​

‭‭‭
And I also believe that He will forgive all sins except..

Matthew‬ ‭12:31-32‬ ‭​

Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.​

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:4-8‬ ‭​

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.​

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭14:9-12‬​

Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.​

‭‭‭

Yep I agree! So I don't understand what you and the others were arguing about then. Weren't you all agreeing that God loves everyone (except they who sold their souls)?

 

[Lisa]

Yep I agree! So I don't understand what you and the others were arguing about then. Weren't you all agreeing that God loves everyone (except they who sold their souls)?

We were arguing about unconditional love. Where people are saying that they love unconditionally even thinking that putting boundaries in their relationships is unconditional love.

Whereas I said that if you put boundaries in your love relationships than you aren’t loving people unconditionally..you have just put a condition to that love. And I think what got people upset is that they thought that I was saying that they didn’t love that person any more, which I wasn’t. I was just saying that it was love, but not unconditional.

 

[Lisa]

God loves everyone (except they who sold their souls)?

Why do you think that God doesn’t love them too?

 

[justjess]

You are confusing what love is.

Is there anything your CHILD could do that would make you stop loving them? That is the best/purest example of unconditional love there is... a parent for a child.

There is NOTHING on earth my children can do that would ever make me stop loving them. Nothing. Serial killer, rapist, whatever you can think of... nope. I’d still love them. I’d be pissed as hell and majorly disappointed but I’d still love them.

 

[Lisa]

You are confusing what love is.

Is there anything your CHILD could do that would make you stop loving them? That is the best/purest example of unconditional love there is... a parent for a child.

There is NOTHING on earth my children can do that would ever make me stop loving them. Nothing. Serial killer, rapist, whatever you can think of... nope. I’d still love them. I’d be pissed as hell and majorly disappointed but I’d still love them.

Sure, you’d still love them but doesn’t being pissed at them and majorly disappointed mean you don’t love them unconditionally? If you love them unconditionally then there is nothing they can do that will make you mad or disappointed in them. That would be true unconditional love.

 

[justjess]

Sure, you’d still love them but doesn’t being pissed at them and majorly disappointed mean you don’t love them unconditionally? If you love them unconditionally then there is nothing they can do that will make you mad or disappointed in them. That would be true unconditional love.

No Lisa. If I still love them anyway clearly it isn’t a condition on my love. Do you never get angry at your kids or husband? Does being angry mean you don’t love them?

I truly feel sorry for you that you are so confused...

 

[Lisa]

No Lisa. If I still love them anyway clearly it isn’t a condition on my love. Do you never get angry at your kids or husband? Does being angry mean you don’t love them?

I truly feel sorry for you that you are so confused...

Who’s confused? Being angry means I don’t love them unconditionally. If I love someone unconditionally then nothing would bother me about the other person. Unconditional means not limited in any way.

 

[Robin]

Who’s confused? Being angry means I don’t love them unconditionally. If I love someone unconditionally then nothing would bother me about the other person. Unconditional means not limited in any way.

If you think anger and disappointment means an absence of love, even temporarily, then I'm sorry to say I don't think you've truly experienced real love before.

 

[Lisa]

If you think anger and disappointment means an absence of love, even temporarily, then I'm sorry to say I don't think you've truly experienced real love before.

I never said it meant an absence of love.

I think that y’all don’t get the distinction of unconditional and conditional. I never said the love turns off but if there is a but when you talk about loving someone there is a condition to that love.

 

[Robin]

I never said it meant an absence of love.

I think that y’all don’t get the distinction of unconditional and conditional. I never said the love turns off but if there is a but when you talk about loving someone there is a condition to that love.

Yes, that is what you're saying. You're saying that conditional love means "if you do xyz then and only then will I love you". That is not love because it implies that you can stop loving that person or that you dont already. Most people trying to explain this to you seem to more or less agree that true love is more along the lines of "I love you even if you do xyz, even though I do not agree with or accept your actions." Loving someone doesn't mean you condone whatever they do, nor does it mean that your love is conditional because if it did that means you consider love a switch that can be turned on or off the minute a condition is violated. Doesn't work that way. Does your own bible not talk about God correcting those who He loves? Surely that tells you love and disagreement are not mutually exclusive and that one does not invalidate the other. Get it now?

 

[justjess]

I never said it meant an absence of love.

I think that y’all don’t get the distinction of unconditional and conditional. I never said the love turns off but if there is a but when you talk about loving someone there is a condition to that love.

No your confusing boundaries with love. I love you but... is conditional love if that but is followed by “if you do this I don’t” - it is unconditional if no matter what they do you will still love them. You are trying to combine two separate things here and confusing both in the process... to make some sort of point that doesn’t even need to be made except perhaps to justify your self (idk)

 

[Lisa]

Yes, that is what you're saying. You're saying that conditional love means "if you do xyz then and only then will I love you". That is not love because it implies that you can stop loving that person or that you dont already. Most people trying to explain this to you seem to more or less agree that true love is more along the lines of "I love you even if you do xyz, even though I do not agree with or accept your actions." Loving someone doesn't mean you condone whatever they do, nor does it mean that your love is conditional because if it did that means you consider love a switch that can be turned on or off the minute a condition is violated. Doesn't work that way. Does your own bible not talk about God correcting those who He loves? Surely that tells you love and disagreement are not mutually exclusive and that one does not invalidate the other. Get it now?

What is the definition of unconditional?

Yes God does scourge those He loves and you can turn your back on Him when He does. The Bible tells us some will fall away from the faith..so some people will turn away from Him. So when God corrects someone isn’t that a condition? He loves you but there is a condition.

Yes you can stop loving people...people do it all the time.
People are really fickle....they get divorced from people they say they will live with the rest of their lives and then try to reassure their kids that they couldn’t possibly do it to their them....

Honestly, I don’t see what the big, hairy deal is about not being able to love unconditionally?

 

[Lisa]

No your confusing boundaries with love. I love you but... is conditional love if that but is followed by “if you do this I don’t” - it is unconditional if no matter what they do you will still love them. You are trying to combine two separate things here and confusing both in the process... to make some sort of point that doesn’t even need to be made except perhaps to justify your self (idk)

I didn’t say you didn’t still love that person but that you can’t say that you love them unconditionally.

 

[justjess]

I know divorced people who still love each other dearly. You are entirely confused about what love is...

 

[justjess]

I didn’t say you didn’t still love that person but that you can’t say that you love them unconditionally.

Yes you can because there is nothing they can do that will make me stop loving them. The only thing that matters here is the love.

 

[Lisa]

I know divorced people who still love each other dearly. You are entirely confused about what love is...

Then they should still be married..