God's love ... conditional or unconditional, or both?

[brb3]

The Gospels teach our discovery of God the Father is ‘conditioned’ upon our repentance of Old Testament Mosaic Law ‘infractions’ … and acceptance of Christ as Lord.

Yet, Christ taught the New Testament Beatific Laws have now become the ‘higher’ new covenant commandments that are ESSENTIAL for the Christian. These would seem to be UNCONDITIONAL ones. Turning the cheek when harmed unfairly by another, forgiving others FIRST … w/o regards to who is right on the matter at hand, loving ‘sinful’ neighbor enough to provide for their needs through charity, gifts, etc.

Many today are preaching ‘unconditional love’ as all that matters. That God’s love for us must be only unconditional [just as a mother’s parental love often is]. What is the Church’s position on nature of God’s Love ? How do we reconcile this ‘conditional’ dilemma … that people often use to reject the ‘conditional’ love aspects of Mosaic Law & Gospel message of Christ in scriptures ?

 

[NHInsider]

I think you are conflating God’s love with salvation.

God’s love is unconditional. He loves all His creatures. (“While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” etc)

But in order to enter fully into His loving presence, we have to accept that love and receive the grace He offers - and because He won’t force himself upon us, there are conditions for receiving and living in His love. He is grieved and angry when we fail to return His love or to love others.

'zat make sense?

 

[brb3]

I think you are conflating God’s love with salvation.

God’s love is unconditional. He loves all His creatures. (“While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” etc)

But in order to enter fully into His loving presence, we have to accept that love and receive the grace He offers - and because He won’t force himself upon us, there are conditions for receiving and living in His love. He is grieved and angry when we fail to return His love or to love others.

'zat make sense?

So … God’s love is unconditional, but our salvation is conditional ? Can we separate the two ? Do the scriptures allow us to separate his ‘salvation’ from his ‘loving nature’ ?

 

[clmowry]

God is not just perfect Love, He is also perfect Justice.

I’ll let somebody smarter than me figure out how to reconcile the two, but I think this applies to your “conditional or unconditional” question.

If seems to me that for many (atheists in particular) the two are irreconcilable.

For me it is pretty simple, part of loving your children is setting boundaries which will make the lives of all of your children better.

You can’t allow a child that refuses to live within those boundaries destroy the lives of your other children.

That doesn’t mean you don’t love them all.

Chuck

 

[Totterman]

Jesus,our Lords peace be whit You.
God loves us,what moore do we need?
Blessings,
Totterman

 

[JRKH]

So … God’s love is unconditional, but our salvation is conditional ? Can we separate the two ? Do the scriptures allow us to separate his ‘salvation’ from his ‘loving nature’ ?

God’s Love is unconditional, but our salvation is our response to that Love.

No matter how much a parent Loves their child, and no matter how much they desire their child to love them back, such Love cannot be forced.
Neither does God force us to Love Him.

Peace
James

 

[Will_B]

God’s love is unconditional
God’s love is a gift.

We have the choice of accepting his love or rejecting his love.

It’s like me loving you enough to give you A Million Dollars. (I don’t have a million to give, anyway)
It’s your choice to accept or reject that Million.

So, since His Love is much more valuable the A Million Dollars it would be foolish to reject it… Yet, many reject his Love.

 

[Gloria1]

God does not merely love. He is LOVE itself and everything He does flows from His Love. God’s Love is “Agape” Love. An unconditional Love.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

So … God’s love is unconditional, but our salvation is conditional ? Can we separate the two ? Do the scriptures allow us to separate his ‘salvation’ from his ‘loving nature’ ?

Here’s a condensed version of how I see things (got class in a few minutes, so may say more later):

God’s love for us in unconditional. But our love for him may not always be.

Salvation discusses whether or not we will be with God when we die, and if we reject God, we have made it impossible to be with him independent of his love for us. (God will not force himself on us.) Thus it is not as much that God sends us to Hell as that we send ourselves to Hell.

(Graces, sacraments, and such assist in/ enable us to love God etc.)

Hell results from a defect in the love of the creatures rather than the creator.

The 2 cents can be forwarded to the __ university math department.

 

[brb3]

God’s Love is “Agape” Love. An unconditional

QUOTE]

Is agape love ‘totally’ unconditional ? Can man/woman’s love for others rise to ‘agape’ levels?

 

[NHInsider]

Gloria1;7136547:

God’s Love is “Agape” Love. An unconditional

QUOTE]

Is agape love ‘totally’ unconditional ? Can man/woman’s love for others rise to ‘agape’ levels?

Only to the extent that we allow the Holy Spirit to love them through/in us. (JMHO, not Church teaching . . .)