Viewpoint:

Is God's Love Unconditional (Part One)

by Tim Endecott

Unconditional. The word itself stirs emotions in me. Have you ever bought something with an unconditional money-back guarantee? I have.

As I set the item on the service counter, the lady asks, "May I help you?"

"Yes," I reply. "I'm here to return this and get my money back."

She notes the item's less-than-perfect condition and asks, "What's wrong with it?"

I explain that my son left it in the rain once. Then I forgot it on the tailgate of my pickup, and it fell on the road. But none of that matters because of the guarantee. I show the lady again the card from my wallet, with "Unconditional Money-Back Guarantee" in bold print at the top.

She then says something that tells me this is not going to turn out my way. "Sir, you need to read the rest of the card—the 'Terms and Conditions.' See, there at the bottom in fine print."

I would reach for my glasses, but it won't do any good. When someone says "fine print," it never seems to be good news. So my unconditional money-back guarantee has conditions after all. Suddenly, I remember the "bumper-to-bumper" warranty on a car I once bought. It really wasn't bumper-to-bumper, but that's a different story.

Considering God's love, I'm feeling a bit of the same skepticism. I've listened to several messages about unconditional love, and I've preached a few myself. But I can hardly believe that the Creator could love me that way. I need to recheck some fine print.

Most of us can think of someone we love unconditionally: our parents, our spouse, our children. Usually, those people love us the same way. But before we start thinking that makes us pretty special, read this: "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them" (Luke 6:32).

What about the person who doesn't love us? Just for a moment, think of one person you know who does not like you, and ask yourself if you feel the same way

about him. Now compare this: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

If God's love were as fickle as ours, we might wonder whether He still loves us when we mess up. But God does not love His creation one day and then quit the next. His love is not dependent upon our conduct. This unconditional love of God is reported from Genesis to Revelation, like this verse in Jeremiah: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you" (31:3).

The death of Jesus Christ was no accident. Jesus did not die because religious leaders decided to crucify Him or because Pilate chose not to stop it. He was killed because He willingly laid down His life and because it pleased the Father to have Him killed. Imagine! Our Father in heaven was pleased to bruise to death His only begotten Son (Isaiah 53:10).

Read this closely: The greatest example of God's wrath was seen when He allowed His Son to die on the cross. It took Christ's death to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. And the greatest example of God's love was seen when He allowed His Son to die on the cross. It took Christ's death to show us just how much God loves us.

Our heavenly Father knew that by permitting His Son to die, many sons would be brought to glory. He had you and me in His heart when Christ was killed. If that isn't unconditional love!

The difference between the fine print on my unconditional money-back guarantee card and that in God's Word is that the fine print on my card makes the guarantee worth less—almost worthless. The fine print in the Word of God makes His unconditional love even more marvelous and reassuring.

I still get a little skeptical at times, but His love is still working on me.

Tim Endecott serves with the Church of God, 7th Day in Marion, Iowa, and as superintendent of the Central District.

TSS

May - June 2005 The Sabbath Sentinel