Unconditional Within and Without

Is it possible for human beings to love unconditionally? The question was raised, and for me, it's a difficult concept. I have to say that my thinking is probably colored by personal bias. If I exclude my wife from this answer, I then think of my unsaved best friend. He doesn't know Jesus, and I want very badly for him to spend eternity with God. He is also worldly, but I know that he loves me, and I him. I also know that he could hate me and turn away from me and I would still love him and want him to have eternal life. I'm sure though, that there are things heinous enough that he could do that would motivate me to take my love from him, but I don't know that for sure. Even at that, I would still want him to be saved.

Having said that, I have a slight problem with the words "unconditional" and "love" being paired with one another, because I don't think that combination can be found anywhere in Scripture. I also have an objection to the way the term has been oh so popularized in pop psychology, and even from the pulpit of some churches, even though it would be impossible to Biblically define it. It's hinted at (strongly) in the emergent church movement because that entity is moving fast toward universalism, and people just seem to accept it, but it really can't be backed up.

The term "unconditional love" is often times confused or interchangeably used with "unconditional acceptance," and that's a short phrase that gives me long pause. The disciplinary doctrines of the church within the Bible do not allow us to unconditionally accept someone in the church to profess to be a convert to Jesus and yet live a sinful lifestyle in defiance of Him.

Admittedly, following the disciplinary instructions in Matthew 18:15-20 for example, are done in love with an eye toward bringing the openly defiant and sinning person back to the church, but therein lies the little catch. There are conditions within that love, and we are supposed to be imitating God. If we're going to do that, then we have to decide whether or not it's true that God Himself loves people unconditionally.

Referring to the sinful inhabitants of the earth, the Bible tells us that, "....God so loved the world.." (John 3:16) and also that he hates sin, and condemns sinners to hell, so I guess that a little bit of clarification is required for me to answer this question to my satisfaction. If the concept of "unconditional love" means that love can persist despite what is done to a person then I agree it is probably possible among men. But, contained within that love are responsibilities that cannot go unacknowledged.
I believe of course that God is our best example. I believe His love persists for a disobedient mankind, but that because He is just, and because He loves persistently and consistently, He cannot allow the consequences of sin for the defiant sinner to go unpunished. Someone might be asking, "How could a loving God condemn sinners to hell?" Let me answer that in three parts.

1) Hell wasn't made for man. (Matthew 25:41)

2) God doesn't want anyone to go to Hell, He wants them to live. ( 2 Peter 3:9)

3) Free will places the burden of where man spends his eternity squarely on man's own shoulders, and it is the goodness of God which leads men to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

So, we know that we weren't made for hell. We know that God loves us, despite which spiritual choice we make in this life, either to spend eternity with Him, or in that politically incorrect place known as Hell. I believe these are the things that are in view for us in the whole of Scripture in regards to unconditional love. We love, unconditionally, knowing that the God of grace is just.