Worldly Love Versus Godly Love Part 4: A Loving God That Demands Truth and Justice

Through the blood of Jesus Christ all enmity between God and man is dissolved, all sin is removed, and all things are made new. Thank you, Jesus, that you give us a new nature and the ability to love righteousness, seek holiness, and hate the wickedness that kills, steals and destroys.

Those who love must also hate. Not with the definition of the word hate from the world but from a God perspective. A godly hate of sin and wickedness free from sin, malice, unforgiveness and unrighteousness. You are encouraged to love one another, keep short records of wrongs, and forgive others, not harboring bitterness or anger in your hearts.  If you love what is good, beneficial, and honorable you must then hate what is evil, harmful, and deplorable. If you truly love holiness and righteousness, then you hate wickedness and sin.

You are defined by the things you love as well as the things you loathe. If this is true for you made in God’s image, then it is also true for God. For God to love He must also hate. The Bible clearly says God both loves sinners and hates sinners.

One of the problems is that many think love and hate are mutually exclusive categories. You think God cannot both love AND hate sinners at the same time, but that is not true. God’s love includes hate.

The Bible tells us of many things and even people that God hates:

“You hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty
and deceitful man” (Psalm 5:5-6).

“The Lord . . . hates the wicked and the one who loves violence” (Psalm 11:5).

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech” (2 Proverbs 8:13).

“You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Psalm 45:7).

“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10).

“I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law” (Psalm 129:163).

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10 NIV).
In the first fifty Psalms alone, we are told fourteen times that God hates the sinner, that His wrath is on the liar, and so forth.

In America, we have been indoctrinated in the theology of self-esteem to the point that most Christians don’t really view themselves as sinner’s worthy of divine wrath. Ignorance of the Scriptures, religious liberalism, humanism, and evangelical compromise have all worked to create a faulty understanding of God’s real and complete character.

When you watch alternative news and see Christians lined up and shot for their faith how do you think God reacts to the carnage? Does His have a warm, fuzzy, and loving feeling? Isn’t God fiercely angry with them? A God of love feels wrath when people rebel against Him and perpetrate extreme evil. God isn’t wrathful despite of His being love; God is wrathful because He is love. He is a God that desires mercy, and to extend His love and grace to all who will receive it. However, you and I have a choice and God must also respond with Truth and Justice in line with the fulness of His character.

You must remember that God’s hate is altogether unlike ours. There is no malice, spite, ego, vengeful, and nothing self-serving. His hatred is pure, tempered, excellent, and righteous.

We must use caution when speaking of God’s hating of sinners and understand the full measure of the Word or it can be dangerous and easily misconstrued. God forbid that anything detracts from the Truth of the great news and the gospel that “(He) so loved the world” (John 3:16).

At the same time, you need to take care that you do not dispense with a Truth from the Bible that is simply counter-intuitive to your limited understanding. The Bible doesn’t say what you expect it to say—especially when it comes to love and hate.

The gospel is bittersweet. You are more sinful and flawed than you ever imagined or allowed yourself to ponder without self-hatred (which is more sin).  Yet, in Jesus Christ you are more loved, accepted, and cherished than you ever dared hope. Praise God for His perfect character.