Conditional Love?
Is the Love of God Conditional?
A local pastor pointed out a verse recently and it gave me pause. The verse was John 16:27, which says, “the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. (NASB 2020)
I was surprised, stunned really, and a little frightened, at the word “because.” God Loves me. I know He does. What’s more, God Loves ALL people. I know He does. He says so in the most famous verse in the Bible. A verse inspired by the same Holy Spirit and written by the same Apostle as this verse that appears to place conditions on God’s Love. John 3:16 makes it clear that God Loves the world. He Loves everyone.
Of course, I immediately began looking this verse up in every translation I had available to me. I was surprised to find that every single one of them used the conditional word “because.” Clearly “because” was intended. Then it dawned on me (that’s one of the ways Holy Spirit speaks) that maybe I should have a look at the word “love.” Here’s the glorious truth I discovered.
In 1 John 4:8 and 16 we are told that God is Love. The Greek word for Love here is (agape’), the self-giving Love that comes only from God.
Here in John 16:27 a different Greek word is used. In this verse, the word is (phileo), and that is very important. This is not the same kind of love. This love is the sort we have for family members and dear friends.
Thinking about that definition, I was reminded of another passage. Jumping to John 15:14-15 we find this, “You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (NASB 2020)
This, in turn, reminded me of James 2:23 where we are told, “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called a friend of God.” (NASB 2020)
The Greek word translated “friend” in these passages is (philo). Beloved friends (philos), belief, faith in the Lord Jesus, changes us profoundly.
When, by faith, we agree to be reconciled with God, we go from being enemies of God who are at enmity with Him to being friends of God in mutually Loving relationship with Him.
God Loves everyone, but He does not force relationship on anyone (see John 3:18, 36).
God Loves everyone, but anyone who does not want to be reconciled to Him remains at enmity with Him, an enemy of God (see Romans 8:7, Colossians 1:21).
All who agree to be reconciled to Him become His dearly beloved (phileo) friends. God (agape’) Loves you. What’s more, God likes you very much. He enjoys you and is endeared to you. He Loves (agape’) you, He loves (phileo) you, and He can’t get enough of you.
