Does God Hate Sinners? Part 1 Series

“For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest.” (Psalm 5:4-6 NIV)

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms for emphasis or effect. Jesus said, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39 NIV)

Parable

A parable is a brief story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Jesus told the Parable of the Prodigal Son to teach about God’s forgiveness and the restoration of the repentant sinner (Luke 15:11-32)

Personification

Personification is the act of attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or abstract concepts, which adds depth and relatability to biblical passages.

“Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?” (Proverbs 8:1)

This personification animates wisdom, depicting it as an active and compelling force that calls and invites people to embrace its guidance and insights.

Rhetoric and Exaggeration

The principles of rhetoric and exaggeration are typically found in ancient inscriptions and writings, and their purpose needs to be understood when the language used seems embellished and absurd.

“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!” (Luke 13:27 NIV)

God hates ‘all’ because they are “evildoers.” Yet, He also loves them, which appears to be a contradiction. However, ancient Semitic people understood exactly how love/hate statements were intended according to their language traditions.

The linguistic expression of hatred is intentionally strong as an exaggerated expression of moral antipathy, and there is no idea of malice implied (See Matthew 6:24; Luke 14:26). The word ‘love’ is also used as a linguistic exaggeration, common to Hebrews of the time, but is an expression of preference which does not necessarily imply a visceral emotional reaction.

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” (2 Corinthians 5:14 NIV)

Every person on the planet is dead in sin. However, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” because of His limitless and great love (Romans 5:6 NIV).

The grace of God is “poured out” “abundantly” and comes from the Greek word “huperpleonazó,” which means to ‘super abound.’ The love of God extends far beyond human understanding and comprehension, because it transcends all imposed emotional limitations. God's goodness and love are exponentially beyond what is merely good or loving; even His hate is far greater than any evil that proceeds from a person's heart. God’s grace is based on a love that cannot be contained, so it overflows and exceeds any perceived limit.

The Bible makes it clear that the expression of ‘hate’ for the sinner by God means He does not favor the sinner to remain in sin, so He destroys the sinner by creating a new person when they repent of their sin and receives Jesus as Lord and Savior (See 2 Corinthians 5:17). When the Triune God chose to send Jesus to redeem every human being and save them from sin, it was the ultimate act of hatred and rejection of sin.