This is in answer to comments made by Kevin Lough recently (Jan. 21, 2015) about God’s love being unconditional.
The authority of what we say, when talking about God, has to be found in God’s word, the Bible. Kevin did not quote a scripture to provide foundation for his statement that God’s love is unconditional.
In John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’’ In this verse the condition for not going to hell (perish means going to hell) is that you believe in Jesus as your personal Saviour; and that same condition of believing in Jesus leads you to salvation; and the eternal love of God abiding upon you in the future eternity.
In John 3:36, “he that believeth on the Son (Jesus is the Son of God) hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.’’ Here again you and I and all mankind, before we believed in Jesus, were living in sin.
The Bible says we are born again by the word of God; which tells us to repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the one who paid for your sins on the cross. Here again you have man’s fate hanging on the condition of believing in Jesus and receiving God’s love and righteousness; or not believing Jesus as your Saviour and have the wrath of God impact you throughout eternity.
I do not think you can construe the wrath of God on an individual as love. The Bible says the whole world lies in wickedness and he that is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. All of mankind born into this world has a sinful nature and must receive Jesus to be saved; and that is why the gospel is preached to mankind.
It is true the love of God is extended to all men through Jesus Christ by His word the Bible; and God has given us the freedom to choose salvation through Jesus Christ or continue in sin and go to hell.
Also, any nation that is not foundationed on Jesus Christ and His word the Bible will go corrupt; and will become a place of death and destruction.
Victor Bloomquist
Brush Prairie
