Understanding the Complexity of God’s Love and Hate: As a Model for the Believer Romans 12:9

Let love be without dissimulation. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. cleave to that which is good.

Good and Evil Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to that which is good. Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to that which is good. Evil and good are not relative values depending on cultural norms.

Romans 12:9 Part I Let love be without dissimulation. Let love be without dissimulation. Love must be without hypocrisy. Love must be without hypocrisy. Let love be genuine. Let love be genuine.

Romans 12:9 Part II Abhor that which is evil; Abhor that which is evil; – Abhor what is evil – Detest evil – Hate evil – Regard it with extreme repugnance Part III cleave to that which is good. cleave to that which is good.

Two Questions Does God hate? What (who) does God hate?

God for God is love (1 John 4:8). for God is love (1 John 4:8). God is just (Deut 32:4). God is just (Deut 32:4). There is none as Holy as the Lord (1 Sa. 2:2). There is none as Holy as the Lord (1 Sa. 2:2). “God is love” He is not Hate! Yet He Hates.

Expectation #1 Love [God, others and ideas] without hypocrisy. Love [God, others and ideas] without hypocrisy. Expectation #2 Abhor [anything or anyone] that is evil. Abhor [anything or anyone] that is evil.

Thesis Understanding the complexity of how God both loves and hates sinners is absolutely necessary to be His ambassador. Understanding the complexity of how God both loves and hates sinners is absolutely necessary to be His ambassador. Learning more about this will help me understand how I am to love without hypocrisy and hate what is evil. Learning more about this will help me understand how I am to love without hypocrisy and hate what is evil.

But You Say: Pastor, God hates the “sin” and loves the “sinner” that’s my understanding.

David’s Perfect Hatred Psalms 139:19-22 Psalms 139:19-22 – Perfect hatred agrees with God’s perspective on evil and evil people. – Perfect hatred hates in the same way God hates and loves in the same way God loves. – Perfect hatred is not a malicious attitude.

God Hates Proverbs 6:16-19

That Which God Hates 1.Haughty eyes (proud look) 2.Lying tongue 3.Hands that shed innocent blood 4.A heart that devises wicked plans 5.Feet that run to evil 6.A false witness who lies 7.One who discord among brothers

Or you say: I just want to love what God loves—I don’t want to hate—I want to be a loving person.

Fact God hates because of His Perfect Love.

God Loves Children Therefore, God must Hate Abortion

God Loves Marriage Therefore, God Hates Divorce

Question What happens when the “sinner” becomes so associated with the “sin” that you cannot draw a distinction between the sin and sinner?

God Hates Evil Genesis 6:5 Genesis 6:5 – And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, – and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: – pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. and the froward mouth, do I hate. – [perverse speech]

Evil Plans Plans Worldviews Worldviews Desires Desires Conduct Conduct Ideas Ideas Behavior Behavior Minds Minds Decisions/Choices Decisions/Choices Intentions Intentions Thoughts Thoughts Actions Actions Culture Culture Businesses Businesses (even) People (even) People

God’s Love is NOT Unlimited Hosea 9:15 Hosea 9:15 – All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: At that point; at that stage Not just their sin!

Fact Man’s sin can lock him into an irrevocable course of action where God no longer loves him: Man’s sin can lock him into an irrevocable course of action where God no longer loves him: – Pharaoh Hardened his own heart Hardened his own heart The Lord God hardened his heart The Lord God hardened his heart – Judas Iscariot John 13:27 John 13:27

God’s Love is NOT Unlimited Hosea 9:15 Hosea 9:15 – All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: – for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, – I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.

Fact I am not God; therefore, I can not say, “I will love them no more.” BUT God can!

I Disagree with YOU! What is hell? It is the complete and total absence of God’s love.

Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, However, I will not pretend to have a tender affectionate love, endearment, or a brotherly love toward those who are evil—my love will be a desire for them to repent and come to faith in Christ. How will you love them? I will love them as image-bearers of God and as souls that Christ died to redeem.

Application I hate everything about radical Islamic fundamentalism—I hate what they do, stand for and who they are! I hate everything about radical Islamic fundamentalism—I hate what they do, stand for and who they are! However, as image-bearers of God I MUST love them and pray that the power of the gospel will radically change their lives and I know that I am NOT permitted to withhold grace and mercy. However, as image-bearers of God I MUST love them and pray that the power of the gospel will radically change their lives and I know that I am NOT permitted to withhold grace and mercy.

Question Can a sinner cross a line where love (grace) is NO longer available? Can a sinner cross a line where love (grace) is NO longer available?

Turn to the New Testament Hebrews 10:26-31 Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter

V. 26—forgiveness is no longer possible V. 26—forgiveness is no longer possible V. 27—if God has nothing but love for the sinner what is there to fear? V. 27—if God has nothing but love for the sinner what is there to fear? V. 28—dying w/o mercy is the same as no longer experiencing the love of God V. 28—dying w/o mercy is the same as no longer experiencing the love of God V. 29—this is the continual refusal to accept God’s love through Christ individually in salvation V. 29—this is the continual refusal to accept God’s love through Christ individually in salvation V. 30—you do not execute vengeance upon people you love V. 30—you do not execute vengeance upon people you love V. 31—why is that people no longer fear God? V. 31—why is that people no longer fear God?

Fact You don’t store up vengeance and wrath for those whom you love. ( see Romans 2:5 )

Psalm 5:5-6 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing [lies]: Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing [lies]: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Question If God is Love, and He is, where does His hatred and wrath come from?

God’s Hate and Wrath Is always in reaction to SIN external to Himself and comes from His Love and Holiness.

Righteous Indignation Scenario Scenario – When a group of image-bearers is executing genocide against another group of image- bearer. – God’s Love for the victim and His Holiness require that He hate those executing the genocide. – Yet His love may extend grace.

Righteous Indignation Scenario #2 Scenario #2 – A small child is abducted and brutally molested and assaulted by a wicked man. I abhor evil and this is evil. So I will be filled with a storm of hate and my love will be without hypocrisy.

Application Psalm 97:10 Psalm 97:10 – Ye that love the LORD, – hate evil: You can’t love without hypocrisy, if you don’t hate what God hates.

Leviticus 20:23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. At this point the people are so associated with their sin that God abhors them.

Ps 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth. but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth. The L ORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. The L ORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Application Q: Why is this so important? A: Why in the world would the sinner repent if he believed there was nothing but love for him from God?

God Loves You When we look at the sinner and say, “God loves you!” What does that mean? It is means: When we look at the sinner and say, “God loves you!” What does that mean? It is means: – God is extending to you an opportunity to receive forgiveness and be saved from your sin through repentance toward God and faith in Christ. It does not mean a complete absence of hate or wrath! It does not mean a complete absence of hate or wrath!

Fact God cannot punish sin without punishing a created being. God cannot punish sin without punishing a created being. – God does NOT separate sin from the sinner in order to love the one and hate the other. You say, “I don’t agree with you.

My Response If God can separate sin from the sinner and pour out His Wrath out on the sin without sinner— why didn’t He do it with His only begotten Son on the cross?

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Why?

Jesus Said I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32 God’s love never turns a blind eye to SIN!

John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Forgiveness Holiness

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? It is God’s grace that gives the sinner another day to repent.

Amazing God God’s grace and mercy extends even to whose who He hates.

God’s Love for Sinners God’s love for sinners should never be understood as an endorsement of who the sinner has become because of the fall of man or personal depravity God’s love for sinners should never be understood as an endorsement of who the sinner has become because of the fall of man or personal depravity But an offer of grace, mercy and forgiveness though the atonement of Jesus Christ. But an offer of grace, mercy and forgiveness though the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Love & Hate The Holiness and Justice of God does NOT permit God to suppress his hatred toward rebel image-bearers; yet His great love offers kindness and forbearance. The Holiness and Justice of God does NOT permit God to suppress his hatred toward rebel image-bearers; yet His great love offers kindness and forbearance. Likewise His Holiness and Justice does not permit him to ignore sin in born-again image- bearers; therefore, He chastises those who He loves. Likewise His Holiness and Justice does not permit him to ignore sin in born-again image- bearers; therefore, He chastises those who He loves.

Please Turn to Hebrews 12:5-8

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.