Answers
By BGEA Admin • February 8, 2022 • Topics: God, Sin
Q:
A woman who teaches a Bible study claims that “God is love” and that God is not capable of hating because He is perfect. I was taught that while God’s love has been demonstrated to all people, there are many things that He hates. Does the Bible speak of God’s hate?
A:
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
There’s a tendency for people to focus only on the love of God to the exclusion of the other side of God’s nature. God does love, but He also hates. One of the definitions of hate is “to despise” something. And God despises sin in every form.
The Bible records that God hates pride, murder, the plans of the wicked, liars, etc. (Proverbs 6) and God promises to judge sin with the fierceness of his wrath. Why? Because He so loves the world that He desires for us to live in obedience because His Word is truth and will provide for us His best.
God doesn’t take sin lightly. We live in an age when sin is winked at; where God is indulgent, softhearted, and tolerant of those who break His commandments. People find it difficult to believe that God hates anything, much less sin.
Years ago a book titled “Whatever Became of Sin?” correctly observed the absence of the concept of sin in our contemporary culture. Some people may be pretending that sin doesn’t exist, but sin is present all around us. When left unforgiven, sin sends men and women out into a timeless eternity in Hell; but God is not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to salvation in Him.
When we gladly receive God’s forgiveness, He restores our souls and brings peace and joy into our lives. For anyone readying these words today, give your heart in obedience to the loving Savior.
(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
