GOD'S EVERLASTING LOVE JESUS SPEAKS OF GOD'S LOVE The grand Expositor of God is the Lord Jesus Himself. If anyone can speak with clarity on the matter of God and His love, it is the Son of God, the appointed Savior of the world. He gives no hint that the love of God is "unconditional," or is focused toward everyone in general, or is consistently toward people regardless of what they do. PAST TENSE: "LOVED" Jesus also referred to the Father's love in the past tense – a love perfected BEFORE it is experienced by us. THE APOSTLES DID THE SAME 1. "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who HAS LOVED US and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace " (2 Thess 2:16). – Tomorrow:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39, NKJV)
". . . the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
There is much talk these days about God's "unconditional love" – even though such terminology is never used in the Word of God. The phrase "unconditional love" is actually psychological jargon that has been foisted upon the church as though it came from the Lord of glory. But it has no substance in Scripture. It may sell books and intrigue audiences, but simply does not represent the mind of the Lord.
I believe I know what honest people are trying to say by employing such language. However when they use such flippant speech, they do not do well. At best, they are trying to say that the love of God can reach us where we are, and that life is never hopeless if we will believe on Christ and trust in Him. It is far better to speak of God's love in the words of our text, namely that nothing is able to separate us from it. That, of course, presumes that the individual is in that love – i.e., keeping themselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21).
The primary condition of God's love is stated in our text: "which is IN Christ Jesus." If you remove the Lord Jesus Christ from the picture, Divine love goes with Him. The words "God loves" appear only two times in any major translation of Scripture. The first applies to Israel, upon whom His love was placed (Deut 23:5). The second is applied to "a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). The words "the Lord loves" are mentioned eight times in Scripture. (1) "The Lord loves HIS PEOPLE" (2 Chron 2:11). (2) "The Lord loves JUSTICE" (Psa 37:28). (3) "The Lord loves THE GATES OF ZION" (Psa 87:2). (4) "The Lord loves THE RIGHTEOUS" (Psa 146:8). "For WHOM the Lord loves He reproves" (Prov 3:12). "The Lord loves HIM" (Jacob, Isa 48:14). "The Lord loves THE SONS OF ISRAEL" (Hos 3:1).
None of the above texts are general, and all of them are selective. None of them suggest God's love is unconditional, or that it is directed toward everyone. They do, however, confirm how the Holy Spirit has used these words.
1. "For the Father Himself loves you, BECAUSE you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God." (John 16:27)
2. "The Father loves THE SON, and has given all things into His hand." (John 3:35)
3. "For the Father loves THE SON, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel " (John 5:20).
4. "Therefore My Father loves Me, BECAUSE I lay down My life that I may take it again" (John 10:17).
5. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And HE WHO LOVES ME will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)
6. "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone LOVES ME, he will KEEP MY WORD; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'" (John 14:23)
1. "For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
2. "As the Father LOVED ME, I also have loved you; abide in My love." (John 15:9)
3. "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You LOVED ME before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24)
2. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He LOVED US." (Eph 2:4)
3. "In this 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 also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:10-11)
While the love of God is directed toward all people IN Christ Jesus (which is a condition), we are to understand it to be active in, or personally experienced by, only those who are in Christ. His "great love" made abundant provision for us "when we were enemies," but that love was FOCUSED upon the Lord Jesus Himself. It is only as we are "in Him" that we can experience that love.
Apart from Jesus Christ, people can, indeed, be separated from the love of God. In fact, that will be the ultimate portion of all who refuse to believe the record God had given of His Son (1 John 5:10-11). If God's love was unconditional, there would be no condemnation, no hell, and no everlasting exclusion from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power (2 Thess 1:9).
God is specific on this matter. It is His Son in whom He is "well pleased" (Matt 3:17; 17:52 Pet 1:17), and upon whom His love rests in a most unique way. Even then, Jesus affirmed the Father loved Him BECAUSE He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:17). God's love for Christ is so strong that He loves us BECAUSE we love Christ, believing He came from God (John 16:27). God "WILL love" any person who loves Christ (John 14:21,23).
This is why God's love is said to be "in Christ Jesus." He does not love us in a sentimental and tolerating sort of way, for such love is not strong and does not change the individual. However, because His love for us is "in Christ Jesus our Lord," it is consistent, protective, and effective. Those who have faith in the Son and abide in His love will find there is no opposing force that can neutralize or void that love. It is invincible. It is both strong and gentle, firm and tender. But it IS conditional. It simply cannot be experienced outside of Jesus Christ, or apart from faith.
PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus Christ I thank You that the conditions you require for the experience of Your great love can be thoroughly, willingly, and satisfactorily met in the Your Son.