An open response to Richard Beck and his article, “Rethinking God’s Unconditional Love” as featured on http://www.churchleaders.com.

Read the article first by clicking on the linked title.

His love _is_ unconditional, we all live within it. But grace comes _through_ that love when we receive grace in faith: this must be done in Christ. Do not confuse love for grace. I believe that is the main distinction lacking in the article.
John 3:16 honestly says it all.

“For God so _loved_ (agape, unconditionally loved) the world, that He sent His only begotten Son, ___that whoever believes in Him___ should not perish but have eternal life.” There is love, and by it grace comes through faith in Christ (Romans 4:16.) It is God’s desire that all would come to faith, He does not rejoice when the wicked perish (Ezekiel 18:21-32) but we are not universally saved by His unconditional love (Matthew 7:13-14.) All of us who have sinned (Romans 3:23) must repent and receive that grace by faith in His love, baptized into His death so we may live with Him. (Luke 13:22-30; Acts 2:36-41; Romans 6)

Take the full counsel of Scripture, even when you are talking about just one aspect of God’s character. His love is unconditional, no doubt about it, and we are to love everyone accordingly as we follow our Great Commission to ‘go & make disciples.’ No one gets left out or left behind, all (peoples/nations/individuals) are loved equally. All. And all are to be taught according to the truth with which we have been entrusted (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.)

I appreciate the desire to clarify the enormity of God’s love, but so many people interchangeably use ‘love’ and ‘grace’ when all live under God’s loving care while not all will receive His grace. Love universally given? For His glory, yes! Grace universally received? Unfortunately, no. That is why we need to go to all nations and tell them the good news of Christ.