Conditional Vs Unconditional Love of God

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”           - 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 

CONTRADICTION

You may have read this verse thousands of times before. 
Especially on wedding cards and forwarded messages and your WhatsApp groups.
You may have even tried applying these aspects of loving yourself
If not all, at least some of them.
And then you realize, you (all of humanity) are incapable of loving with all or even one of these qualities.
Then you realize that only God is qualified to love "unconditionally".

But is God's love really unconditional?

Especially, when the Bible quite blatantly talks about "reciprocation". 

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. -1 John 1:9

“If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons" - Deuteronomy 11:13

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands, (then) the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. - Deuteronomy 28:1

Have you noticed the 'If' and 'then' clauses in the verses? Aren't these conditions?
These are not mere assumptions by the authors. Some of these conditions are spoken by God himself.

If my people... humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, (then) I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

So what is this contradiction? is God's love unconditional or not?

 

COMPASSION

"Agape” is one of several Greek words for love. When the word “agape” is used in the Bible, it refers to a pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good.

The word "agape" is used 106 times throughout the New Testament, with the most use in the book of 1 John.

Agape love is a sacrificial love that unites and heals. It is the compassion of God that we see through the cross of Jesus Christ.

It is evident that God epitomised agape love, why do we still see suffering?

Why do we feel that God will punish us for our wrongs?
We know that God is 'long suffering', but He has a limit. Right?

Eventually, He is going to catch up and we'll pay one day for our 'deliberate sins'. Right?

COMBINATION

The important fact to know is that God’s unconditional love does not mean that everyone will be saved. Nor does it mean that God will never discipline His children. 

"For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one He accepts as his child" - Hebrews 12:6

This verse closes out a quotation from Proverbs 3:11–12.  "My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights"

God purposefully corrects us when we make mistakes, and places us in situations that we can use for spiritual development. We should see God's discipline—His "training"—as a sign that He is engaged in our lives and has a plan and purpose for us to fulfil.

So God's love is a gentle combination of affection and discipline. 

But does that construes as
'unconditional love'?

CONCLUSION

You know the answer to this one. 

Yes, God's love for us is standard, yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

THINK ABOUT THIS:
God knows that you are going to sin tomorrow.
Because we are humans.
Even you know you're going to commit some sin tomorrow.
As much as you want to not to. You will. We all will.

You don't know what sin you're going to commit.

But God does!

And when you ask God for his mercy, He will still bless you today knowing that you're going to be a sinner tomorrow. 

Now, THAT'S unconditional Love !!!

Always remember:

God’s love is a love that initiates;

It is never a response.

That is precisely what makes it unconditional.