There is a growing belief that God does not need to punish people for sin and that His just wrath is directed specifically against all the ungodly behavior and unrighteousness of humanity that is damaging them, hurting them, causing them to sin against each other, and anything that is contrary to His nature. Some believe that Jesus became sin, rather than becoming a sin sacrifice, and paying the penalty by taking upon Himself the punishment of God’s wrath against sin.
How can a person reconcile the verses in the Bible that seem to suggest that God hates sinners, but loves them at the same time? Love and hate are actions verbs. It is important to understand the ancient principles of such things as rhetoric, exaggeration, hyperbole and figures of speech such as “metonymy” which is defined as: “A figure by which one name or noun is used instead of another, to which it stands in a certain relation.” (Bullinger, E.W (1898) Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker)
When a person applies these principles when studying Scripture, they will see that the original meaning is not a contradiction of other verses in the Bible such as God “hating sinners” because they will see that the word “sinner” is put in place of the word “sin.” Or, when they read a Scripture that says God hates “a false witness who pours out lies” (Prov 6:19 NIV), they will understand that God hates the lies, and the one who is doing the lying (the cause) is put in place of the lies (the effect).
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8-9 NIV)
Christians cannot attribute their personal emotional psychology that comes from the pride of the human heart to the Word of God. That is making their thoughts to be God's thoughts, and their ways, His ways. The Bible says the heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9 NIV).
The root of all sin is pride. Idolatry is the worship of anything other than God. Pride is fundamentally the worship of self. Every sin emanates from pride. It is what keeps a person from experiencing all that God has for them. It caused Adam and Eve to be cast out of the Garden of Eden. It caused satan to be cast out of Heaven, and it will keep the Christian from entering into deep intimacy with eternal Love Himself. When a person admits they are a sinner and receives Jesus into their heart as their personal Lord and Savior, the gates of Heaven are opened to them as they become a Born-Again child of God.
Christians are admonished by Jesus to: "Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31 NIV). Thinking one’s self to be better than another for any reason is pride. Too often Christians are seen casting stones towards those who have sinned when EVERYONE has sinned! Christians are just “saved” sinners but still a sinner none the less. Jesus asked a provocative question and gave a biting rebuke to those who judged others:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matt 7:3-5 NIV)
When people use "hate" Scriptures from the Bible to share the Gospel message with others they are showing “contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience” because they don’t understand that it is not anger and hatred but in fact “God's kindness” that will lead them to repentance” (Rom 2:4 NIV).
The Cross is the plan of God from before the foundation of the world to redeem humanity from being lost and remaining in the grip of the enemy and their own sinfulness. There is no hope for anyone apart from the Cross.
Contrary to much humanistic teaching on the subject, the just wrath of God is not some sort of divine child abuse or an angry, vindictive, temper tantrum of a deity who did not get their way so that fire and brimstone must be poured out as punishment on a wicked world. Rather, it is God’s reaction and resistance towards sin. Bad things happen because the Earth is under a curse as a result of the inherited sin nature being passed down to every generation in the Fall.
It is an absolute truth that God is love, but His love is not some sentimental, touchy-feely emotional infatuation that tolerates evil so that all people can just get along with each other. It is also the absolute truth that God desires to give only the best to His people. He clearly is not the author of pain, or sorrow, or suffering, or sickness.
Understanding the nature of God’s love reveals that He gets angry at those who do things against others (including Himself) that hurt or cause suffering (See Matt 21:12; Mark 1:15; John 2:15). Jesus is Creator God, Lord of the Universe, and absolutely holy and just. He cannot look upon ANY sin no matter how ‘tiny’ or ‘huge’ it may be. A little ‘white’ lie is just as egregious to God as a bold and vindictive hurtful lie.
Because God is love, He does not delight in executing His wrath on sin. The Bible reveals that the just wrath of God is actually an expression of His love (See Jer 10:24; Ezek 23:1; Amos 3:2). It is always regarded as the natural manifestation of the holy and righteous nature of God, and His just and righteous indignation against sin, and the sinner, because of their transgression. It must be maintained under all circumstances and at all costs (See 1 Peter 1:17; Heb 10:29; Num 11:1-10; Deut 29:27; 2 Sam 6:7; Isa 5:25; 42:25; Jer 44:6; Ps 79:6)
The Bible says that there is only one thing that can save a sinner from the outpouring of God’s righteous anger against sin, and that is placing their wholehearted trust in Christ Jesus:
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36 NKJV)
Holy Spirit, through the writer of the Book of Hebrews, gives a startling warning:
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Heb 6:4-6 NIV- emphasis mine)
The Bible says that all human beings are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3 NIV). The eternal truth of God is that those who continually reject Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord of the universe:
“are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil…” (Rom 2:5-9 NIV -See also John 3:36; Rom 1:16-18; 5:9)
Jesus gave a frightful warning to those who would reject Him – “be afraid of the”…“One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28-29 NIV). However, those who place their Trusting-Faith in Jesus are “justified by His blood” and “shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom 5:9 NIV). The ultimate magnitude of God’s love is manifested in the Cross where Jesus experienced wrath on behalf of every person that has, is now, or will ever live in this world.
Exceedingly Abundant Love
“And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim 1:14-17 NKJV)
God’s saving grace is “exceedingly abundant” which is translated from the Greek word “huperpleonazo” which means to "superabound,” to “abound exceedingly" (Vines). The love of God goes way beyond our understanding and comprehension as it overflows beyond all human imposed emotional restrictions.
You may have heard that the Bible shows a mad and angry God, but as someone has said; ‘He is not mad at you, He is madly in love with you!’
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” (Col 3:12-15 NLT)
I am convinced that the primary way to attract the lost is to become ATTRACTIVE - having the sweet fragrance of Jesus - an aroma that they will seek out and yearn for nothing else ever again once they experience His presence. Christians are to be reflections of His mercy in how they appear to the world. They are the Jesus most people will ever know!
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Cor 2:14-16 RSV)
If Christians are going to reach spiritual seekers they must be willing to be broken and spilled out. They must earnestly desire to be shattered upon the Rock and emptied of self so that God might fill them up, over and over again, each time He chooses to pour them out.
God set the example of how we are to behave towards others. Jesus spoke against the religious leaders of the day who taught “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy” and turned it upside down when He commanded Christians to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44-NIV). The “fruit of the Spirit” is love - not hate! (Gal 5:22 NIV) Jesus also commanded Christians to “love” their enemies and do good” to those who hate them - not hate their enemies (Luke 6:27 NIV). God is not exempt from His own commands, and He has never changed (Mal 3:6). The God of the Bible is the “God of love and peace” - not hate (2 Cor 13:11 NIV).
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:4-8 NIV)
