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
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
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
there were 94 million people. That did a Google search on John
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
Does not know God. For God is love first.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information, or you would like
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