Sorry John-san, my wording should've been more precise:
This doctrine of "unconditional love" was not generally known when i was growing up in the 1960-70s. It is possible some "scholars" were already promoting it, but it was not generally known until the middle 1990s or so.

What i meant was in the SDA church. As far as i know, the term "unconditional love" was not used widely in SDA literature until around the middle '90s. It was in some material before then, but not general-speak.

Does anyone know if this doctrine is official SDA doctrine? I know it is here in Japan, but wondered about at the GC level?

Daniel

There is only one set of official doctrines for the church, that is the 27 fundamental beliefs. They are the same the world over.

I just quickly skimmed through them and they don't seem to directly deal with this issue. The term unconditional love doesn't occur. Unless I missed it in my quick perusal, but I don't think so.

Pastor Mike

I did a thorough search on the GC website last year, and could not find anything regarding unconditional love

However, the Japanese SDA Union official home page DID have a "unconditional love" blurb on it. It has since been removed

It is good to see that this doctrine has not been officially adopted, but it is very prevalent in official church publications such as the Review, Sabbath School lessons etc. etc.

I just read 10 minutes ago on an other thread that Mike-san found this forum thru Pastor O'Fill's forum, so i went to have a look. Somewhere i've heard the name, and even seen the website before, but never looked into it much. However, there is a very interesting article regarding this very issue: "unconditional love". I'm not sure how accurate it is fact wise, but what i read on this particular point seems to be right on:
Richard O'Fill's comments on unconditional love
BTW, welcome to MSDAOL Pastor Mike

Here is the section dealing with unconditional love from Pastor O'Ffill's sermon:

"Think of the term "unconditional love" for a moment, and let's walk through the concept. In the first place, God is love. To that extent God's love is unconditional because He was love before there was anyone to love. God's love is one of His attributes.

Is it true that God loves us unconditionally? The answer is Yes and No depending on our circumstances. We have said that God is love and, therefore, it would stand to reason that He loves us unconditionally. But this would not be because of who we are, rather who He is. Did you follow that? He does not love us unconditionally because we are such loving and lovable creatures but because He is all loving.

On the other hand, God's unconditional love is not expressed to us unconditionally, or else He would not have had to send His Son to die for us. That created a tremendously costly condition. So that I could understand this better, I took another look at the most important text of all, which is 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." This text spotlights the love of God, but seen up close, it is hardly what could be called unconditional love. The conditional aspects of the text are first, that Jesus would have to die, and second, that we would have to believe on Him.

The bottom line of the philosophies that are being tossed around these days even in the church is that God accepts us the way we are. The word "acceptance" then is connected with the term "unconditional love."

The impression is given that when you come to Christ you do not have to change. To be sure, we can't change until we do come to Him, but I greatly fear that the hidden agenda of the false gospel that is being preached in many places might be expressed in the words, "Keep the world, but give me Jesus."

We often hear the story of the Prodigal Son as an example of God's unconditional love. The point is made that the father accepted the boy just as he was. The truth is that he did not. He received the boy just as he was, but then he was quick to give him a bath and put clean clothes on him.

Though the love of God is unconditional because it is what He is, His love doesn't manifest itself to us without condition. We must understand this or we will miss the point of what the gospel is about. The fact is the love of God is unconditional, but it causes change in all who come to Him. If it does not, it is not the gospel but something like what Fromm taught." http://www.revivalsermons.org/sermons/broken_cisterns.shtml

I agree with this. Based on who God is His love is unconditional but there are conditions to our realizing, fully experiencing, receiving, and benefitting from this love.

God's love meets us where we are and radically transforms us. It puts self to death and implants the life of Christ in its place, so that it is no longer I but Christ. Christ's life being lived out in me brings me into perfect harmony with the law of God.

Pastor Mike

Well stated by Pastor O'Ffill. Thanks for the find, guys.

From the pastor's sermon,

"On the other hand, God's unconditional love is not expressed to us unconditionally, or else He would not have had to send His Son to die for us."

I'm having some trouble understanding this. The logic seems to be since God had to send His Son to die for us, this proves God's unconditional love is not expressed uncondionally. He goes on to say, "This text spotlights the love of God, but seen up close, it is hardly what could be called unconditional love. The conditional aspects of the text are first, that Jesus would have to die, and second, that we would have to believe on Him."

Saying that God's love is unconditional means there are no conditions placed on God that make Him love us. It was not necessary for Christ to die for us in order for God to love us, but God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. The above logic seems a bit confused to me.

A bit further he says, "Though the love of God is unconditional because it is what He is, His love doesn't manifest itself to us without condition. We must understand this or we will miss the point of what the gospel is about. The fact is the love of God is unconditional, but it causes change in all who come to Him. If it does not, it is not the gospel but something like what Fromm taught."

The last part of the paragraph is clear, and makes the main point I think he is trying to make. The first part is a bit unclear, and perhaps I'm being nit-picky, but it may be an important point worth discussing, so I'll go ahead and nit pick.

To manifest is to make an appearance or to be revealed. God manifests His love to all, without condition. Romans 1:19 points this out. However, whereas the manifestion itself is done without conditions, such manifestion imposes conditions on those upon whom it is manifested.

Mike went on to say, "Based on who God is His love is unconditional but there are conditions to our realizing, fully experiencing, receiving, and benefitting from this love.

God's love meets us where we are and radically transforms us. It puts self to death and implants the life of Christ in its place, so that it is no longer I but Christ. Christ's life being lived out in me brings me into perfect harmony with the law of God."

Amen!

Tom,

That was essentially my reaction too.

Tom

I have to catch a train for Tokyo in 30 minutes, so can't spend long here, but for a few quick takes on the article.... While admitting that there are phrases that could be worded better: "Is it true that God loves us unconditionally? The answer is Yes and No depending on our circumstances." (The answer is not yes AND no, but either yes OR no), one major point is clearly brought out - the term "unconditional love" is of recent origin, and has a meaning that is totally foreign to the Bible.

BTW, God does not just "allow" the wicked to die at the end, he physically, actively, burns them up. Re-read the flood story again to see how God actively destroys sometimes. No doubt it hurts him too, but he is going to deal with the sin problem once and for all in the near future. Let's get ready!