THE LOVE OF GOD PART 2

 

“During the last several decades a heresy regarding God’s love has surfaced. The heresy states that God’s love is unconditional. The heresy first started with humanist psychologists who invented the term. Unconditional love, they taught, is the love that parents ought to have for their children. Eventually, the term was adopted into Christian dialogue to describe God’s love. However, the term is never found in the scriptures. Rather, it is a classic example of mingling philosophies of men with scripture.”  (Bruce Satterfield, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 44: God Is Love, November 2, 2015)

This theory has been supported by the leaders of the Church for many years yet I still hear people at the pulpit expressing thanks that God loves them unconditionally. President Russell M. Nelson authored an article in the Church magazine entitled “Divine Love” back in 2003 in which he addressed this false definition of God’s love:

“While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. The word does not appear in the scriptures. On the other hand many verses affirm that the higher levels of the Father and the Son feel for each of us- and certain divine blessings stemming from that love – are conditional.” (Ensign, February 2003)

It would seem that this article was not persuasive enough so the message was repeated 13 years later in General Conference:

“There are many ways to describe and speak of divine love. One of the terms we hear often today is that God’s love is ‘unconditional’. While in one sense that is true, the descriptor unconditional appears nowhere in scripture. Rather, His love is described in scripture as ‘great and wonderful love’, ‘perfect love’, ‘redeeming love’ and ‘everlasting love’. These are better terms because the word unconditional can convey mistaken impressions about divine love, such as, God tolerates and excuses anything we do because His love is unconditional, or God makes no demands upon us because His love is unconditional, or all are saved in the heavenly kingdom of God because His love is unconditional. God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever, but what it means for each of us depends on how we respond to His love.”  (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love” October 2016 General Conference)

This is what we can find in scriptures that can illuminate our understanding of God’s love:

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:9-10)

“Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.” (D&C 6:20)

“….whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.” (1 John 2:5)

“…..if you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you…” (D&C 95:12)

God loves all His creations universally because God is love but there are degrees of His love individually. I learnt this through personal experience. I have two daughters. The oldest has been a dream to raise, the youngest took me to hell and back. I can honestly say that I feel different towards the younger daughter because she has caused me pain, stress, and worry. I still love her because she is my daughter and I would welcome her back into my life, but I give much more of myself to the daughter who returns my love with regard, respect and care. Love is a two-way street…..

One last thought: many of us suffer from mental health issues in this day and age and we tend to behave in ways that would help us cope with our condition and not necessarily in disregard of God. My hope is that we would turn to Him as a coping mechanism and thereby experience His divine love. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: As I have Loved You by Greg Olsen)