I have met many Christians who think that God will only love you if you first meet His condition(s). Many will say God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life ... but then turn around and say "now meet these conditions". But a conditional love is the very biblical definition of being a respecter of persons. Have a good look in the Bible what respecter of persons means. It is when you think you can get something out of a person you give him a seat of honor etc..
The God of the Bible, on the other hand, is a God who unconditionally loves more ill-deserving people than any man can count. Unconditional by definition means He is not a respecter of persons. There is nothing in us worthy, only ill-deserving, but he loved us anyhow, even before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:4,5) and sent His Son to redeem us.
God indeed gives everyone in the world conditions ... but men are so wrapped up in themselves, captive to sin, that no one can or will meet them (dead in sin Eph 2:1). So in pity, mercy and love, Jesus comes and meets the conditions for us, doing for us what we are unable to do for ourselves (Eph 2:5).. Jesus meets the condition for us not because we first loved him but because He first loved us sinners,. (1 John 4:19; Romans 5:8)
Does God love the non-elect?
The Bible has a multi-faceted answer to this question which goes well beyond a short discussion, but suffice to say, God obviously has a particular unconditional love only for his elect that he does not for the non-elect. But much of the Bible also shows God's care and love for everyone in many and varying ways... so it is not a simple yes or no ... but if one is asking does he have an "unconditional love" for the non-elect, the answer certainly is no (Romans 9:13) -- or else everyone would be saved since unconditional would imply that all conditions are already fulfilled and all sins have been paid for, including the sin of unbelief.
Take confort that God answers prayer and saves those we preach to. And spare no effort at getting the word out to all people ... for it is not up to us to try to determine who are elect. So let us implore all sinners to repent and believe the gospel since only those who, by the grace of God, believe will be saved.
Related Essays
The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D. A. Carson
The Love of God and the Non-Elect by John MacArthur
Is God's Love Unconditional? by John Piper
|Parental Love as Metaphor for Divine-Human Love by Richard D Patterson
Electing Love by Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Election: God's Unchanging Love For His People by Steven Fernandez
The Love of God by A. W. Pink
Jacob and Esau by C. H Spurgeon
Does God the Father Love You Because of Jesus? by Nick Batzig
Is God’s Love Unconditional? by John Samson