By Rev. Joda Collins
The short answer to that brief question is, no! That answer begs the question, "Then why does the Bible state that God loves the sinner, but he hates their sin." Surprise! The Bible does not state that. "God loves the sinner but hates their sin," is a compound sentence (a sentence with two different thoughts linked together with a word such as "and," "but," "or," or "therefore." When a compound sentence is expressed in two sentences the two thoughts are easier to work with. "God loves the sinner." And, "God hates the sinner's sin."
The second thought (God hates the sinner's sin) is true and it is true 100% of the time. It is, therefore, an absolute truth. For example, "darkness is dark" is an absolute truth, therefore, we can interject the word "always" into the sentence and make it "darkness is always dark." Likewise, "God ALWAYS hates the sinner's sin." The cross of Christ is evidence that God ALWAYS hates sinner's sins. Jesus died for every sin of every sinner. God always hates sin.
However, "God loves the sinner" is not an absolute truth. God does not always love every sinner. Just because human beings are made in the image of God and are God's creation does not mean God loves every human being. Human being are created just lower than the angels. Angels are God's creation, too. And, they are a superior creation. Human beings are not "lower" than the angels because humanity fell into sin. Humanity was created lower than the angles (Psalms 8:5), Before the fall, Adam and Eve were lower than the angels!
If God loves his created beings simply because they are His created beings, but hates only their sin, then God is in love with Satan. Satan is a God-created being. Satan sinned. Does God love Satan, but only hates Satan's sin? Or, does God hate Satan and Satan's sin?
What about John 3:16? Doesn't John 3:16 state that "God so loved everyone in the world that he gave his only begotten Son..." No, it does not. John 3:16 states that "God so loved the world that he gave...." For example, if I say that "I love ice cream and I love chocolate" does that mean that I love every flavor of ice cream and every form and flavor of chocolate? It does not. If God loves everyone, then all roads must lead to heaven, all faiths must be of God and all people must be saved.
We know that Jesus loved some more than he loved others. For example, Mary, Martha, Lazarus and the Apostle John. What can't God love some more than others, love some and not love others, and love some and hate others?
Sure, there are a lot of verses that state God loves and God is love, but none of those verses preclude the option of God to hate. It is customary for some people, when faced with a Bible truth (or verse) to say, "Yea, but what about my verse which states something different! My verse is better than your verse!" I am not sure if such a person is just ignorant (uninformed) are genuinely stupid (unable to learn). I can come up with some verses that states God hates, but that does not mean he hates everyone! Others can quote some verses that state God loves, but that does not mean God loves everyone. It is a long theological road to blend all of those verses together into a cohesive unit and discover who God loves, when and why and who God hates, when and why.
The person who says to you, "You have your verses and I have mine, but I like mine better" is a spiritual con-man; a doofus -- a theological sloth. A biblical "dud." Such people just search the Scripture to find verses that support their personal opinions not to seek God's truth. They are a waste of time and energy to engage in conversation, usually, of any and all kind.
Rev. Joda Collins
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/jodacollins
I make no claim that anyone else agrees with me.
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