God Loves Sinners

Quote: 

Paul Washer is roughly quoted as saying that “many of the Christian beliefs of today’s culture are derived from the backs of Christian t-shirts instead of the Bible.”

Reflection:

I think that is oh so true in today’s world, especially in the up and coming generations. For example a predominantly illustrious quote found on t-shirts is “God hates the sin, but loves the sinner.” Now while that is not a false statement, it isn’t the complete truth either. Many non-believers seem to always ask “How can a loving God send someone to Hell?” The reasoning behind this statement is the un-Biblical notion that God is nothing but love so, He must forgive everyone no matter what. But God's attributes extend further than just love. God is Just, Holy, Pure, Righteous, Omniscient, True, Loving, Merciful, Gracious, and much more. If someone says that "God is only love", then he/she is not speaking of the God of the Bible (The True God).

Psalm 5:5 – “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you HATE all who do wrong.”

John 3:36 – “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's WRATH remains on him.”

We can understand through John 3:36 that God’s wrath abides upon the sinner. God’s wrath can be defined as ‘God’s anger and hatred for all things sinful’. So, clearly based on this scripture we can see that God’s hatred is upon the sinner. However contrary to what many people seem to believe, this truth that God hates sinners does not terminate the supplementary truth that God loves sinners. God is a God of Love and Wrath. He is a God of Mercy and Justice. God is a God of Truth and Grace.

Romans 5:8 - “But God demonstrates his own LOVE for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 3:16 - "For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God’s inexhaustible character and alike attributes there of, all seem to complement each other in such a glorious way that no man can reject His divine perfection. God hates sin, because God is Righteous and Holy. Also, God’s wrath and hatred are upon the sinner for the exact same reasons. However because of His loving and merciful nature, amidst our sinful condition, God loves us sinners as well. I would rephrase the popular slogan of Christianity to say more clearly and abundantly, “God hates the sin and loves the sinner, but also God’s wrath abides upon the sinner.”

+ Jakab +