1John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
**1John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. **
1John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
It god loved me first, why is his love conditional on me seeking it out
And if I don’t do as he demands, I will be punished
gods love is conditional on blind faith.
Your creation and continued existence is evidence of His first love for you. What's more, if you did not need to seek him out would you not quarrel with God for not letting you chose Him?
This one seems odd to be upset about, is it not loving for parents to punish their children for behavior they know will hurt them? How much more will God do the same?
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Accepting God's love is conditional, forced love is no love, but blind faith is not the faith of the Bible or the kind that pleases God.
Hebrews 11 1 NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
These verses were written long before anyone knew of atomic theory or had the recent James Web Telescope images, these are only a tiny sample of the multitude of physical evidences, but the greatest evidence is the Bible itself and what it teaches it goes contrary to every man's wicked heart but yet it is the most read and loved book ever produced. The story of God's love rings true in every heart that isn't hardened by the blind faith common in this world.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.