Love Unconditional

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:43-48, NASB).

Jesus Christ points out that even sinful people know how to treat the objects of their love. Each person has been endowed with some capacity to love. All can reciprocate kindness to our fellowman.
Christ also points us to the true standard of love The Heavenly Father, who has an incomprehensible love that extends to all people. He sends rain both the righteous and the unrighteous.

The demonstration of divine love is found in God the Father sending God the Son to die upon the cross for sinners, so that those who believe can receive eternal life (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). It is the unconditional love of God demonstrated through the person and work of Jesus Christ that becomes the rule for the Christian’s expression of love (1 John 4:7-11). They are to love their enemies (Matt. 5:43-44).

It is sin that has diminished our capacity to love.

We renounce God.

Live our own way.

Self-centered.

Love our own…destroy our enemies…

Some might move beyond this in reciprocating acts of kindness. “You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours.” But God’s love—the true standard—is unconditional. It is a love for all whether sinners or saints. This is the kind of divine love God’s people are to express. And it is through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit that enables a person to develop their capacity to love (Gal. 5:16-25; 2 Cor. 3:12-17), and there is yet still the ultimate perfection that comes at the glorious resurrection (1 John 3:2-3).