If God loves us unconditionally, why do we have to follow His commandments and the Catholic catechism?
The simple answer is that God loves us...period. He loves us even as we sin. Through His great love for us, He continually and freely invites us into the fullness of a faith life rooted in grace and holiness. Why does it matter then, if we choose to follow His path if it’s merely an invitation? To answer this question we also need to explore the definition of love. By definition love actually means to “will the good of another for their own sake”. So, we can say that God unconditionally wills our good and it would be against His very nature to wish anything but our good.
Luke 11:11-13 states, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
God will always want us to be totally satisfied and He knows that the rules He lovingly set are what will ultimately bring us the most fulfillment. Our Creator has even paved the way to salvation by giving us the tools to get there through the channels of His sacraments. So, while God’s love is truly unconditional, humans are called to respond in love and obedience.
Imagine you were a parent and your child approached you and asked you to support them in doing something that you disagreed with. Then, when you said no, they said, “You told me you loved me unconditionally, but you really don’t if you don’t support me.”
The reality is that you didn’t want to support it because you were trying to help them on the path to their salvation and ultimate happiness. You, as their parent, know what is best for them and you asked your child to trust you and follow your rules because of this.
If we trust God with our life, then we should also trust God with our soul. We do this by following His teachings which have been handed down by Christ, Himself, to Saint Peter. These keys (teaching authority) were then passed through the unbroken succession of apostles (Bishops of Rome, Pope). Because of this direct line, it is the one, true Church and possesses the fullness of the faith. The commandments and the authority of the magisterium who interpret them are God’s own directives to lead others to a life rich in the fullness of the Truth. They are not meant to control us, but rather to protect human dignity and the fullness of His plan of salvation.
It is important to note that the Catholic Church recognizes the existence of elements of truth and grace outside its visible structure and the possibility of salvation for those unaware of the Gospel. See CCC847
God does love us unconditionally and, as such, will always invite us into the fullness of salvation and truth. We should respond by choosing to love Him through our obedience and acts of faith even if we don’t understand God’s ultimate plan.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for: the evidence of things not seen…Faith is a stable disposition of the spirit, through which eternal life takes root in us and reason is led to consent to what it does not see” — Benedict XVI, SS7