Is God's Love Unconditional? - Bret Hickey 1/12/20

So good to be here this morning at a beautiful song service and

certainly the table has been set.

So to speak for our study, this morning on is God's love

conditional. It's been a wonderful weekend.

But really, with all the festivities and all the special

moments we've shared, what we're doing today is even more

beautiful, because it goes to God and everything that the

father Son and the Holy Spirit have done to bring us to this

point in time. It's great to be in Bakersfield.

A lot of wonderful memories here.

Great to be with family but you were all as members of the body

of Christ, our family and so it's great to be here and I'm

excited about our time to honor Jesus this morning.

The late dr. Karl Barth a 20th century.

Protestant Theologian was so highly respected among religious

Scholars that despite their Many religious differences, even Pope

Pius. The 12th spoke of Barth as the

greatest Theologian since Thomas Aquinas of the 13th century and

certainly the most influential of the 20th century Barth Buck

the liberal Protestant theology that he trained under in Europe.

Then when much of Germany was mesmerised or intimidated by

Adolf Hitler, Barth refused to sign an oath of allegiance to

the Nazi leader. He was in turn forced to resign

from The Faculty of the University of Bonn.

Martha is also noted for writing the barmen Declaration where he

marshaled a host of scriptures to chastise Hitler and the Nazi

party for their move to subjugate all.

Professing German Christians to the fuhrer, he sent a personal

copy to Hitler. My favorite story though about

Barth took place during a series of lectures in Princeton New

Jersey, Someone at the end of that speech, they opened it up

to four question and answer. Period.

And someone asked him, dr. Barth what is the greatest

thought that has ever passed through your mind?

He paused for a several moments as he was obviously, giving

serious thought to how he would respond.

And of course, the audience was waiting for something very

profound something, to really at least attempt to sink their

teeth into. Then he raised his hand with

childlike Simplicity and said, Jesus loves me.

This I know for the Bible tells me so bars.

Brilliant Simplicity in capsule eights, the core of the Gospel

message. We've sung about it already.

The gospel means, of course, good news.

And what better news is there than as the Apostle John writes

in first John chapter 4 twice God is and this morning all

1 John 4 · chapter mention

professing Christians, unite on this truth but a related

question, brings considerable controversy.

Is God's love. Unconditional does God love

unconditionally this morning. That's the topic that we like to

explore and I ask you this morning to reserve judgment on

this question until we have had time to look at the relevant

scriptures. Let's Place, love, God is love

back in its original context. I'm reading from first, John

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 starting with verse 7. Beloved let us love one.

Another for love is of God. And every one that loveth is

born of God and knoweth, God, he that loveth not knoweth, not God

for God is love in. This was manifested the love of

God toward us because that God sent his only begotten son into

the world that we might live through him.

Herein is love not that, we loved God, but that he loved us

and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God. So, loved us, we ought also to

love one another. No man has seen God at any time.

If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is

perfected in US. Hereby know we that we dwell in

him, and he in us because he had given us of his spirit.

And we have seen and do testify that the father sent the son to

be the savior of the world whosoever shall confess.

That Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him.

And he in God, we have known and believed the love that God hath

to us. Is God is love.

And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

God is love but does God love us?

Unconditionally and what is unconditional love?

We first need to understand what love is.

Well, I so appreciate bar simple summary of Christianity.

It is possible when we over simple mock simplify matters

that we can produce misunderstandings, Since God is

love and eighty percent of people in the United States

claim to be Christians. Then surely America understands.

Love knows all about love. No, not even close.

You may remember about 10 years ago.

After seeing Florida Gator quarterback.

Tim Tebow wearing eye black with John 3:16 written on it that

John 3:16

there were 94 million people. That did a Google search on John

John 3:16

3:16. Why do you think they did that?

Because they had no idea what it was, it was and is the most

famous New Testament scripture for God.

So loved the world that he gave his only begotten, son, that

whosoever believes in Him. Should not perish, but have

everlasting life. A young man wrote to his

girlfriend sweetheart. If this world was as hot as the

Sahara Desert, I would crawl on my knees for the burning sand to

come to you. If the world would be like the,

an Atlantic Ocean, I would swim through shark-infested Waters to

come to you. I would fight the most fiercest

Dragon to be by your side. And I'll see you on Thursday if

it doesn't rain. Do we understand?

Love psychiatrists em, Scott Peck to find love in his book.

The Road Less Traveled as the will to extend oneself for the

purpose of nurturing. One's own, or another's

spiritual growth. International Standard Bible

encyclopedia has for love. Love.

Whether used of God or man is in Earnest and anxious desire for

And an active and beneficent interest in the well-being of

the one love. More simply put love is active

concern for the welfare of another.

This, of course is different far.

Different than the prevalent notion that love is merely a

warm positive emotion. Towards somebody that makes me

feel good. When genuine love is present, it

demands, positive behavior. It affects how we act and

interact toward others and it is not dependent on whether or not

that individual has generated positive emotions.

In this respect, love by definition is unconditional.

You see, Bible love does not depend on the worthiness of the

recipients and aren't you thankful for that?

In fact the people of God are commanded in Matthew 5:44, To

Matthew 5:44

love our enemies, to bless those who curse us to do good to

those, who hate us. And to pray, for those who

spitefully use us and persecute us, notice what Jesus adds in

verse 46. He says, for if you love those

who love you, What reward have you in other words, he is saying

big deal. Do not even the tax collectors,

do the same, the Apostle Paul summarize this demonstration of

love and Romans 5:10 when it wrote for if when we were

Romans 5:10

enemies. Every last one of us have been

there. If we're Christians forever,

when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the

death of his son, much more having been Reconciled.

We shall be saved by his life. Going back.

A few verses. The same truth is articulated in

Romans 5 verse 64. When we were still without

Strength In Due Time, Christ died for the ungodly for

scarcely for a righteous man. Will one die yet, Perhaps for a

good man, someone would even Dare To Die.

But God, demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were

still sinners Christ died for us, God is love o'the.

How thankful we should all be for that.

Certainly the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have shown

Unconditional Love by giving so much of themselves for us to

provide the Plan of Salvation. The Apostle Peter further

confirms God's patience and unconditional love and second

2 Peter 3:9

Peter 3 verse 9 when he says the Lord is not slack concerning his

promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering

toward us not willing that any should perish but that all

should come to repentance. and those of us, who have loved

ones, who have never become Christians or who have become

Christians, but for whatever reason have wandered out into

the world, Well, we're counting on the truth of the scripture,

not willing that any should perish, but that all should come

to repentance Jesus attitude toward his enemies as he endured

such cruelty on the cross sets the bar so high.

Remember what he cried out, and Luke 23:34 father Forgive them.

Luke 23:34

For they know not what they do so we too should demonstrate

this kind of unconditional love towards others.

A mother's love for her baby. Does not demand that's it.

Now. No crying no slobbering.

And no more dirty diapers. What this love doesn't do that.

Our love for our children is not demanded.

On them is not dependent rather on them.

Always smiling. Always eating their broccoli

hitting home runs or always getting straight A's.

We love our sons and our daughters and we love them.

No matter what we show ongoing active concern for their

welfare, despite their weaknesses, their flaws, and

their failures. And we do that because We know

that's what we've gotten from God.

I like what 1st Corinthians 13 verse 8 says in this context.

Love never fails. Never the Bible word.

Love is not like the fickle romantic love that people talk

about falling into or falling out of so much today.

True love the love. The Bible talks about is

enduring. It can't be defeated.

It can't be destroyed. Our love for our spouse does not

dissipate It does not disappear. When they become sick.

When they lose their job, when they lose their temper.

When they wrecked the car, we still love them.

We keep showing active concern for their welfare.

Our love for one, another does not depend on perfect Church,

attendance, Perfect Pitch, attentive listening or

consistent. Kindness that by far, is our

preference. That's what we hope for.

That's what we look for, but our love for One another does not

depend on those things, we continue to promote their best

interest. Are we thankful for the image of

the father who welcomes home? The Prodigal Son?

After he spent time in the Hog Pen of sin.

I'm talking about the love of God, this morning.

This is the love that we need. That's the love that every one

of us needs. While we talk about the phrase

unconditional love. That phrase itself cannot be

found in the scriptures but that idea is strongly supported from

what we read about in the Bible again though it's it is possible

to misunderstand and misapply the love of God, by removing it

from the overall Biblical context of God's nature.

Certainly the greatest aspect of God's nature of his character.

Is his love and that's why we sing about it.

That's what we talked about it. That's what we preach about it.

because it is so meaningful because we need it, so

desperately the biblical tea that many people have though in

evaluating what a loving God, Can do and cannot do what a

loving God does. And does not do can be per, can

be traced perhaps to being unaware or forgetful of the

other aspects of God's nature? Yes, God is love, but there is

more to God. Then just love all we bask in

the beauty of God's love is Mercy and Grace.

As we've sung about this morning, we must also remember

that the god of the Bible is Holy think about Isaiah 6.

Holy holy holy that's God, he's holy.

And he is just Jehovah. God, he does not ignore

Rebellion. He loves us while we're in

Rebellion, but he does not ignore it.

And if we do, not leave eventually leave and abandon

that Rebellion. we'll pay the ultimate cost, Romans 11, verse

Romans 11:22

22 teaches, therefore, consider the goodness and the severity of

God, on those who fell severity but toward you goodness, if you

continue in his goodness, Otherwise you also will be cut

off. In other words, God's love does

not eliminate his Holiness and God's mercy does not eradicate

his Justice and God's. Grace does not exterminate his

severity. God's patience does not

evaporate the law of sowing and reaping despite the amazing love

we witness through God, allowing the Incarnation The humiliation

and crucifixion of his son. Jesus.

We must also be aware that the suffering that Jesus endured in

itself was a warning about the tremendous price that must be

paid. For the heinousness of sin, the

Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6, verse 23, the wages of sin.

Romans 6:23

His death. But the gift of God is eternal

life in Christ. Jesus.

Our lord God offers us this tremendous gift of eternal life.

In spite of our failure, to completely avoid sin.

So if we look to Jesus, If we live for Jesus in that way, love

Jesus. If we walk in the light as he is

in the light first, John 1 verse 7, then he will credit the sin

John 1:7

payment he made on the cross to our personal account.

If however, we snub the Son of God and we walk away from God's

love. How can we be surprised?

And how can we complain about spending eternity?

Without God and his love. Consider the biblical Simplicity

of Cs Lewis's summary. He says, either we say by our

lives that I will be done. Or God. will say to us on that

final day, the high will be done.

We're too often oblivious to the benefits of God's generosity

that are inherent simply in his very presence.

While man forfeited, the grace associated with God's presence,

in such a special way in the garden, all mankind, still

receives the Bounty of God's goodness through.

The influence of God on Earth. Jesus tells us in Matthew

Matthew 5:45

chapter 5, verse 45, that God makes his sun rise on the evil,

and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

And so those today who want nothing to do with God, those

who Curse God, those who have nothing good to say about God.

They still are influenced by the effects of God in this world and

so many people failed to take that into consideration.

Another difficulty along these lines.

We tend to equate unconditional love with unconditional

salvation. I know I've done that in the

past. I've heard of other brothers

that I highly respect of equating the two.

But listen, this morning, he didn't understand, unconditional

love, and unconditional salvation are not the same thing

again, but God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while

we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Jesus Christ. Did for every single human being

That Ever Walked on the planet, But not every single human being

will be saved. If unconditional love can be

equated with unconditional salvation, then God does not

love everyone unconditionally because God does not save

everyone. Unconditionally even scriptures

that teach God is love seemed to hint that God's love remaining

constant throughout. Eternity depends on are

receiving and abiding in that love.

First John 4 verse 8 he who does not love.

1 John 4:8

Does not know God. For God is love first.

1 John 4:16

John 4:16 God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and

God in him. See the qualifications there?

As long as we live God's love for us is unconditional in the

sense, that no matter what we do, no matter what we've done,

no matter where we've been his arms are extended, and they're

welcoming us back. It will only come to him or

returned to him from the far country.

At the same time, please understand that salvation is

conditional. We do not determine the terms of

Salvation. God does that consider some of

the scriptures that detail requirements for salvation?

Matthew 18, verse 3 assuredly, I say to you unless, Unless you

Matthew 18:3

were converted and become as Little Children, You Will by no

means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 14:26. If anyone comes to me and does

Luke 14:26

not hate his father and mother wife and children brothers and

sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

You can't even get started unless we get to the point where

there is no one on the planet. Underpants.

Other children, not even our spouse unless God is higher.

Unless our love for God, is stronger than any of them.

We cannot be his disciple. And sometimes that means we have

to make some hard decisions. John 3 verse 5.

John 3:5

Jesus says most assuredly I say to you.

Unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the

kingdom of God. Even after we've been saved our

ultimate acceptance by God. Is conditional and most of the

scriptures that were about to read you, find a little word.

If setting off, incontrovertible e, the absolute necessity of the

qualification, John 14:23, if anyone Loves Me, Jesus says, he

John 14:23

will keep my word and my father will love him, and we will come

to him and make our home with him.

And so, when we opted, not to keep the word of Christ, what

have we done? We forfeited the guarantee Jesus

makes similar statements about the importance of abiding or

remaining in him in the next chapter verse 6.

If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and

is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire.

And they are burned verse 10. If you keep my Commandments, you

will abide in my love. Just as I could kept my father's

Commandments and abide in his love throughout the Epistles,

the Apostle Paul. All opposed this same principle.

First Corinthians 15 verse 2. He speaks of the Gospel by which

1 Corinthians 15:2

also, ye are saved. If you hold fast the word, which

I preached to you, unless ye have believed in vain second,

Timothy 2 verse 5. And also, if anyone competes in

athletics, he is not crowned, unless he competes, according to

the rules. Of course, God is not concerned

about the Olympics. The analogy is met here by the

inspiration of the Holy Spirit to teach us about salvation

being conditional. It would be hard to find a Bible

passage that is more clear on meeting conditions to retain our

relationship with Christ. Then James chapter 5, verse 19

James 5:19

and 20 Brethren. If anyone among you wanders from

the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that, he who

turns a sinner from the error of his way, will save a soul from

death and cover a multitude of sins.

This morning, there is no doubt, he's there.

That God loves you. There can be no doubt God.

Loves you. Even more than your mama does,

that's hard to Fathom. But it's the truth, consider the

words of a nearly thousand-year-old poem.

Put the song by Frederick. Layman the third verse of this

song, could we, with ink the ocean fill and where the Skies

of parchment made where every stalk on earth a quill.

And every man ascribed by trade to write the love of God, above

would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the

whole those stress from Sky to Sky.

The father never stopped, loving the prodigal.

But neither did he force himself on the prodigal?

The state of the prodigal always resolve revolves around his

choices. The real issue.

The question weighing in the balances, is this?

Do I love God back? Do I love God?

More than the world do I love God?

More than all that? His Nemesis can offer me.

No difference really between Jesus and Satan.

Satan offers you things. Jesus offers himself.

We just have to make the choice. As Paula died.

So long ago, which one will it be?

Which one will you choose Elizabeth Barrett?

The oldest of 12 children who lived in the early 1800s,

perform remarkable Feats of Brilliance as a child and young

adulthood without any formal education amazing to read, how

the by age, she learned to read Homer in the original Greek and

when she was a teenager, she was reading the Hebrew scriptures.

Is Elizabeth though is most known for her poetry.

One of her most famous lines is, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways. Some of you is young, people may

think from time to time that you have controlling parents.

You ain't seen nothing. Elizabeth Barrett.

The oldest of 12 children was told by her father as were her.

Other siblings. You may never get married.

You are forbidden from Mary. One day, they'll later in life.

Elizabeth Barrett met Robert Browning and even though she was

in poor health, he loved her. They fell in love and despite

her father's orders his command, she married him.

But in his anger and frustration her father refused to ever see

her again. Elizabeth nourished her Broken

Heart by writing impassioned letters to her father love

letters pleading with him as the father that she held.

So dear that she would take him back that she would come, that

he would come and visit her, that everything could be like it

was And once again, there was no response, the years wore on

still no response. Finally, a year before her

father's death, she received a box in the mail from her father.

Her excitement soon turned to anguish and she opened up that

box. She discovered In it was every

letter she had ever written. Unopened.

Have you ever heard of a more tragic story of unrequited love.

But this morning, there is something more tragic, if You

have or have not read. The story and these letters of

love that God has written to you and then can still go on in your

life without returning that love without showing God.

How much love and appreciation you have for him by abiding in

his love and living for him and settling instead for the things.

The Satan has to offer. as we bring our lesson to a close this

morning understand and remember that God's love is

unconditional, he will always love you no matter what but also

understand that salvation Is not unconditional.

He will not force himself on you this morning.

Won't you turn to God? Or turn back to God, if not

obeyed the gospel, once you do so believing, that Jesus Christ

is the Son of God. Once you repent of your sins

once you confess before men, I believe that Jesus Christ is the

Son of God. Won't you be immersed in the

watery grave of baptism? Become a child of God, turn to

him, run to him. Maybe this morning, there's

someone here, who is a Christian?

But there's something that's not right in your life.

You're holding back, you're not giving God everything you have.

Maybe there's someone in your life.

That you're loving more than God.

You need to give him everything. You need to turn it all over to

him. He'd to come to him.

There's sin in your life. What you?

Repent of it once you confess it pray with you and for you.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

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