God’s Love–What It Is, and What It Isn’t–Part 4
Just as in the scientific world, with all their tests and experiments, must establish conditions in order to determine success and failure rates, so God’s love has conditions to test relationships to determine success and failure rates.
Some proponents of unconditional love claim that unconditional love is unselfish love. Conversely, they proclaim that all conditional love must be selfish. But this is not true. The test of truth in logical alone proves unconditional love is not unselfish love. For without any conditions, we cannot determine if unconditional love is unselfish or selfish. However, when we select the proper conditions, then we can see if one’s love is selfish or unselfish. Truthfully, unconditional love is selfish by its very nature, for it demands love without accountability or responsibility concerning the outcomes or results of deeds committed in the name of “unconditional love.”
God’s law, as the standard of righteousness and with all its conditions, contains all the criteria to help us distinguish between selfish love and unselfish love. Also, probationary time provides the test timeline by which righteousness and unrighteousness may be judged.
“When selfish love of the world enters the heart, spirituality dies. The very best antidote for love of the world is the outpouring of the Spirit of God. When the love of Christ takes full possession of the heart, we shall strive to follow the example of Him who for our sakes became poor, that through his poverty we might be made rich. When it becomes apparent that the Spirit of truth weakens the affections of its disciples from the world, and renders them self-sacrificing and benevolent, in order to save their fellow-men, the advocates of the truth will have a powerful influence upon their hearers.” (Ellen White, Vol. 3, Spirit of Prophecy, 284, emphasis added.)
“The principle of worldlings is to get all they can of the perishable things of this life. Selfish love of gain is the ruling principle in their lives. But the purest joy is not found in riches nor where covetousness is always craving, but where contentment reigns and where self-sacrificing love is the ruling principle. There are thousands who are passing their lives in indulgence and whose hearts are filled with repining. They are victims of selfishness and discontent in the vain effort to satisfy their minds with indulgence. But unhappiness is stamped upon their very countenances, and behind them is a desert, because their course is not fruitful in good works.
“In proportion as the love of Christ fills our hearts and controls our lives, covetousness, selfishness, and love of ease will be overcome, and it will be our pleasure to do the will of Christ, whose servants we claim to be. Our happiness will then be proportionate to our unselfish works, prompted by the love of Christ.” (Ellen White, Vol. 3, Testimonies, 382, emphasis added.)