Those Whom God Hates By: Tom Russell
“Those Whom God Hates!” Is this a ridiculous concept? Many believe so. After all, we all know that God loves everyone, right? Have we not heard all of our lives, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner?” This is based on the wonderful passages which emphasize the love of God, of which the most famous is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” The hearts of Christians are also touched when they learn from Romans 5:8 that “while they were yet sinners Christ died for them.” Many other passages also speak to the power of God’s love for all such as Hebrews 2:9, 1 John 4:10, and Titus 2:11.
The word translated “love” in the aforementioned passages is the Greek word “agape” and it involves compassion and acting with fairness and justice towards others. It is undeniable that God has demonstrated this love for all. We find it beautifully stated in Psalms 139:13-16 that it was God who formed us in the wombs of our mothers, and in Acts 17:25 we learn that He gives us “life, breath, and everything.”
It is undeniable that God has loved all!
God expressed His love by giving “life and breath and everything” to Hitler, Stalin, Nancy Pelosi, Mother Teresa, the Apostle Paul, King David, and you and me. Then when we sinned He demonstrated His love by sending His Son, our Lord and King, to die on the cross that we, and all, might have the opportunity of salvation.
But, does God love all regardless of the circumstances?
On April 30, 1945 in the Fuhrerbunker located in Berlin, Hitler placed a Walther PPK pistol to his temple and took his life, unrepentant to the end. Did God still love him? Did God still love the recently deceased Illinois abortionist in whose home was found the trophy remains of over two thousand murdered children? What about those joyously celebrating legislation that legalizes taking the life of children up to the moment of birth and after? And on and on.
Some will argue that there is no limit to the love of God, but what does His word say?
Psalms 5:5-6 5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
Psalms 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Proverbs 6:16-19 16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
It is easy to understand how some in their appreciation for God find it hard to accept that there are those whom God hates, but He does and His word expresses this truth clearly. We see it in His destruction by flood of the entire human race with the exception of eight righteous souls. We see it in the destruction of rebellious nations, and empires from the earliest biblical record to the obliteration of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. which had been foretold by the Lord Himself in Matthew 24 and was alluded to throughout the New Testament.
In Hebrews 10:26-31 the prophet tells us concerning one who had been converted to Christ but then continues to “willfully sin” that “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgement” and that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!”
There are many other passages we could appeal to and more points that could be made, but the real question is does God hate us and should we be terrified of Him, and the answer is, “Yes!” IF we are content to be “lawless” and IF we are willfully pursuing sin! Our violation of His law will break us to pieces in this life, and serve to condemn us for the next.
These things need not be!
If prideful sin leads to lawlessness and incites God’s hatred, then the key to assuring His love is our humble submission to the good news of His Son, Jesus Christ. Living in the light of God’s Will is a far, far better place than being lost in the darkness and suffering His wrath.
“… The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.” Psalms 146:8
Please feel free to share if you have found the article helpful.