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Church history records a
variety of strongly-held positions on this
question. Some have said that God loves all
mankind equally. Others have said that God only
loves His elect. Still others have said that God
loves all men, but loves believers in a special
way. What is the truth?
In the final analysis, we must
be careful to say what Scripture says about the
love of God and His attitude toward sin — no
more, but also no less. And on the authority of
Scripture, we must conclude that it is accurate
to say that God loves sinners, but hates sin —
but also that those who persist in their sin
will personally experience the eternal wrath of
God.
"While We Were Still Sinners"
Romans 5:8 alone is a sufficient
basis for the assertion that God does indeed
love sinners: "God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us." If God did not love
sinners, He would not have sent His Son to die
for them. But it is important to explain
further.
Scripture teaches the general
love of God for all His creatures, which is
based in His goodness toward all (Psalm 36:6,
104:21, 145:9, 15-16; Matthew 5:45, 6:26, 19:17;
Luke 6:35; Acts 14:17). Love is one of God’s
essential attributes (1 John 4:8, 16). From
these and other Scriptures it is clear that God
does not withdraw His love completely from His
creatures, even in their fallen state.
Examples of God's Love for Sinners
Scripture teaches the love of God
toward sinners throughout its pages. In the Old
Testament, we see that God loved the nation of
Israel, and specifically the generation that He
brought out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:7-8, Hosea
11:1), despite the fact that this same
generation died in the wilderness in unbelief
(Hebrews 3:15-4:11). God loved Israel even when
they were worshipping the Baals (Hosea 1:1-4),
and His enduring mercy (Psalm 106:1) was shown
in His deliverance (44-46), despite the fact
that His wrath was kindled against them because
of their sin (40-43).
In the New
Testament, we see that
Jesus loved (hegapesen,
from agapao) the rich young ruler (Mark
10:21) although there is no indication that this
young man received Christ but rather that he
remained lost in his self-righteousness. And the
Apostle Paul tells us that God demonstrated His
love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners (Romans 5:8), and while we were enemies
(5:10), Christ died for us.
God's Love and God's Wrath: Truths in Balance
Scripture is also clear in
teaching that God hates sin. He hated the sin of
Israel even to the point of abhorring her (Psalm
78:59). God pours out His wrath upon the
unrighteous because they are by nature
unrighteous, and steadfastly remain in unbelief
(Romans 1:18-3:20, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 2 Peter
2:12-13).
Scripture also makes it clear
that the holy God hates sinners with righteous
hatred because of their sin (Psalm 5:5-6,
11:5-7, 45:7 [which speaks of Christ, cf.
Hebrews 1:9], Proverbs 6:16-19, Jeremiah
44:1-14, Revelation 2:15), and that God's holy
wrath is presently upon the unbeliever (John
3:36, Romans 1:18, Ephesians 5:6).
But Scripture also makes it clear
that one of the attributes of God’s goodness is
His sovereign mercy and compassion (Exodus
33:19). Out of all the people of the nation of
Israel that God says He loved, God set His
special love upon His elect of that nation, and
on His elect in all periods of history including
both Jews and Gentiles (Malachi 1:1-3, as
explained in Romans 9:6-29). This special love
of God was manifested (ephanerothe,
revealed by demonstration)
in sending Jesus Christ into the world to die
for sinners (1 John 4:9). God manifested this love
while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).
Those who are saved, as the
objects of God’s special redeeming love (1 John
4:10), are no longer the objects of God’s holy
wrath (Ephesians 2:3-4). But those who persist
in unbelief and do not come to Christ for
salvation will personally experience the hatred
and wrath of God for eternity in the Lake of
Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Flee From the Wrath to Come
The message of the Gospel is
this: Flee from the wrath to come by taking
refuge in the love of God now. Only Jesus
Christ, who is the visible manifestation of the
love of God, can redeem sinners from the wrath
to come (John 14:6, Romans 5:9, 1 Thessalonians
1:10). "God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting
life....He who believes in Him is not condemned;
but he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God....He who
believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he
who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:16,
18, 36).
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