It has been said that God hates
the sin, but he loves the sinner. Is this true? By Charles Naylor
What is God's attitude toward unregenerate man? It has been
said that God hates the sin, but he loves the sinner. Is this
true? Let us hear the voice of inspiration.
You hate all workers of iniquity. The Lord abhors murderers and
deceitful men. Psalm 5 verses 5 to 6. Does that express an attitude
of love on God's part? Again we read, The Lord examines
the righteous, but the wicked, and those who love violence his
soul hates. On the wicked he will rain fiery
coals and burning sulfur. A scorching wind will be their
lot. Psalm 11 verses 5 to 6 Because
they did all these things, I abhorred them. Leviticus 20 verse 23 I
will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars,
and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols,
and I will abhor you." Leviticus 26 verse 30. And when the Lord
saw it, he abhorred them. Deuteronomy 32 verse 39. We read further, God is angry
with the wicked every day. Psalm 7 verse 11. The Lord detests
all the proud of heart. Be sure of this. They will not
go unpunished. Proverbs 16 verse 5 God is not
so meek and indulgent that nothing will arouse his indignation.
He hates all that is sinful. He could not love righteousness
without hating iniquity. He could not love the righteous
without hating the wicked. To love both would be to abolish
all moral distinctions. Of the impenitent sinner it is
said, the wrath of God abides on him. John 3 verse 36 It is
only sin that renders him hateful, but man is responsible for his
state of sinfulness and chooses evil. Therefore to deal with
the sin, God must deal with the man. Not only does God hate man's
sin, every sinful word, thought, and deed, but He also hates every
evil desire. The natural man loves evil. That
love of evil, which is a part of his nature, God abhors. All desire that runs out after
impurity, or for that which is unholy, merits and excites God's
indignation and abhorrence. Every evil ambition that arises
in his soul repels God. Every evil disposition, every
evil feeling, hatred, envy, malice, revenge, selfishness, pride,
jealousy, deceit, hypocrisy, and all the long catalogue of
evil things, of which man's heart is the source, are obnoxious
to God. All tendency to oppose the will
of God and all rebellion at His providences can only excite hatred
in God. God can love only what is pure
and holy. All else He hates and must hate
with all the strength of His righteous character.