Can God Hate?
Last night I got an email from a friend that teaches a college Sunday School class. He asked me a question that his students asked him: is God able to [tag]hate[/tag], as in hating [tag]sin[/tag]? I have a few thoughts on this, and some scripture that I want to share.
First, I think that God hates sin in the sense that sin is unable to exist in His presence. In a very real way God’s infinite holiness repels and dispels sin. Also, considering that it was for the payment of sin that God allowed His son to die the most brutal death imaginable, hate might be an appropriate word to describe the anguish that He felt.
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
-Psalm 45:7 (ESV)
- God rewards those that hate wickedness, so I would assume that He feels the same way.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
-Proverbs 8:13 (ESV)
- The fear of the Lord is also the beginning of [tag]wisdom[/tag], so those who are wise hate evil. I’m thinking that God is pretty wise…
There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
-Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
- Notice that these are all sin, and God hates them all.
What are your thoughts?
February 11th, 2007 at 9:01 am
the Bible also says that God HATES divorce. Several times in the Old Testament, we see mention of things God “detests”.
God is love. So everything that is of Him is love and He loves. But things that are in rebellion to His nature He must by definition hate and worthy of His wrath. Sinners, even in the New Testament, are called recipients of God’s wrath.
This should make us ponder two things. First of all, that we who are Christians have no reason to boast in anything but God and the cross where Christ nailed our condemnation and the Law to that tree and became the curse.
Second, we should realize the depth of His mercy.
This is why repentance is central to the Gospel. “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” It is God’s mercy and grace that we are able to repent at all through the way of the cross and resurrection paved by Christ.
Peace.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Excellent question, Can God Hate?
This subject came up in bible study last night so more research needs to be done on it.
what about verse in Malachi
Malachi 1:3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
What does it actually mean God hated Esau? God definitely hated his sin and disobedience so did He really hate Esau. Esau was wicked, bad, followed the ways of his father satan. Esau did not seek our and accept God’s grace. Can God really hate him, what does it really mean here? Marilyn