Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Does God Hate?

January 11, 2011


Does God Hate?


In the world today most people believe God loves everyone. The object of this study is to discover the biblical truth concerning the subject. If God hates, who does he hate? The scriptures plainly say God hates all worker’s of iniquity. Many people will argue, “God doesn’t hate the sinner, but the sin” but the scripture says he hates the sinner.

Psalm 5:5

“The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

God could have said he hated the sin, but he didn’t. It is obvious God hates sin, as the scriptures declare also,

Proverb 6:16-19

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

If we are to interpret Psalm 5:5 as sin, rather than sinners, how do we then interpret the above passage? (Psalm 6) It is the “worker” (man) of “iniquity” (sin) that is hated in Psalm 5, not the sin itself. The scripture is clear.

King David declared,

Psalm 139:22

“I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”

How can “hate” be perfect? Does this mean there are different kinds of hate? Yes! Some hate is godly, and some isn’t. For instance, the hate of the ungodly is ungodly (unrighteous). But the hate of the godly, is godly (righteous).

Proverbs 13:5

“A righteous [man] hateth lying: but a wicked [man] is loathsome, and cometh to shame.”

Psalm 97:10

“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked”

Proverbs 8:13

“The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”

Psalm 26:5

“I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked”

Is a wicked man not evil? Is the congregation of evil doers not men? What makes up the congregation at your Church? The above verse list the attributes of evil men (Proverbs 8:13). Without man, these things could not exist. These attributes are merely inanimate without man giving power to them. Men make use of these things.

Wicked men hate also. But their hate is ungodly (unrighteous). They hate God, as well as his followers.

Proverbs 8:36

“But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.”

Leviticus 26:15

“And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, [but] that ye break my covenant:”

Wicked men despise God’s judgment. They despise his covenant, and refuse to keep it. And they hate those who do. Jesus said,

Matthew 10:22

“And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Note that here Christ uses the word “all” men. Does this mean every last man who ever lives will hate his followers? No! Of course not. Those who hate God will hate you, but those who are your brother/sister will love you. This word “all” is a reference to men from every nation. It’s a general statement.

In the scriptures we read of Jonah and the whale. But what is the underlying message to this story? We know that Christ used Jonah as an example of how long he would be in the grave, but what about the rest of the story?

Jonah was called by God to perform a command he had given him. Jonah refused.

Jonah 1:2

“1Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

2But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”

Jonah was set on disobeying God. Little did Jonah know what God had in store for such a brazen act of disobedience. We won’t get into much of this story, as isn’t needful to make our point. Why did Jonah do such a thing? I mean, a prophet of God refusing to obey is unheard of.

It was only after being rebuked by God that Jonah obeyed him.

Jonah 3:2-4

“2Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

The people then repented.

Jonah 3:5

“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”

And God saw it, and repented of destroying them.

Jonah 3:10

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Now Jonah has completed the task, and yet the story continues. Usually this is where the story ends in church houses. God has a message for us which most do not see.

Jonah 4:1-2

“1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

2And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil”

Jonah knew God was gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. He knew God would afford these people the opportunity to repent. Thus, he refused to go in the beginning. Jonah also knew the people of Nineveh were wicked; he wanted them destroyed, not spared.

But God rebuked Jonah for his unrighteous anger towards God for not destroying Nineveh. Jonah finds himself a shady spot and sits and waits to see what will happen to the city.

Jonah 4:5

“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.”

But God cause the gourd he used to wither and die, and once again Jonah is angry.

Jonah 4:6-8

“6And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

7But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

8And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.”

God then explains to Jonah that he had raised up all these people, and yet Jonah had more concern for the life of the gourd than for all the souls living in Nineveh.

Jonah 4:9-11

“9And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

10Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

11And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?”

As Christians should we have the same attitude Jonah had? Absolutely not! God has obviously got concern for the welfare of these people, and so should we.

Christ told his disciples to preach the gospel to every creature. Jonah refused to do so because his heart wasn’t right. God is kind to everyone. Nevertheless, not every man/woman will repent. He never punishes any people without giving warning first. Throughout the scriptures we see this example of him warning those he is about to pour his wrath out on. From the time of the flood to the very end when he will destroy this very world we live in.

God told Ezekiel,

Ezekiel 3:18-21

“18When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

21Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.”

If we (the church) refuse to warn wicked men of the impending doom to come, God will hold us accountable for their demise (death). It is our duty, as Christ told the disciples, to preach the gospel to every creature. And we will comply. Jonah taught us the lesson that God is merciful and compassionate even with those he hates. This is the love we are to have for our enemies. Jesus said,

Luke 6:35

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.”

God was kind to the people of Nineveh in the manner that he sent someone to warn them of the consequences of their sins. These people represent the people of the world. That is how God loves them. He warns them of the consequences of their sin through his Church (prophets). He hates them, but he still warns even his enemies of their doom. Paul said concerning Christ dying for sins,

Romans 5:7-8

“7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Paul speaks of how profound it is that Christ died for “us” while we we’re yet “sinners.” He didn’t die for anyone but his Church (Israel). He only loves those whom he died for. Yet God is kind enough to warn sinners of the consequences of their sin, in order to give them the opportunity to repent, as he did in Nineveh, the world right before the flood, Babylon and too many nations to mention.

This is the love God commands from his Church towards their enemy. The Jews understood they were to hate their enemy. Jesus addressed that. But they didn’t understand the concept of love. Speaking of love John writes,

1John 5:3

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

Jonah refused and so did Israel, to love their enemies. Thus, Christ told them to love them. This didn’t contradict what David wrote in Psalms. Christ also told us to hate. Christ says in Luke 14,

Luke 14:26

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Does this mean we are to hate everyone? No! Remember Christ also said,

Matthew 10:34-37

“34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Christ came to “divide” households, not unite them. If you aren’t willing to give up your mother, father, husband, wife, brother, son, daughter, sister or even your own life, you cannot be his disciple. You don’t deserve it. We should hate them in the sense that we do not allow them to come between us and God. The thing is sometimes this means we must disassociate with them and most people are unwilling to do this, especially with their family. Nevertheless, the scripture declare you must to be a true disciple of Christ. The word declares,


Proverbs 28:4


"They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them"


By forsaking God's law we praise the wicked in their actions. If we keep the law we will be made the enemies of those ver same wicked, Just as Christ said, and they will hate us. Thus, we must not become unequally yoked with unbelievers in forsaking God's law.

Paul spoke of being unequally yoked saying,

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

“14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Does this mean we stop doing good to them? No! Do we stop loving them? No! We simply don’t, as Peter said,

1 Peter 4:3-4

“3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

4Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:”

As Peter says, we shouldn’t run with them in their wickedness. I know many people today who claim to be Christian and have friends and family who they refuse to rebuke for their sins or to disassociate with. Paul writes,

1 Corinthians 15:33

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (KJV)

Or as the NLT translates it,

“Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character." (NLT)

If you run with those who are wicked, what will become of you. Paul says you’ll be corrupted. What does the house of God have to do with the house of idols? As Paul says, “ye are the temple of God” (God’s house). Those who are of the world are houses of idolatry. You should separate from them. Thus hating them and showing them your contempt for their behavior, which will in turn cause them to hate you, as Christ noted “you will be hated of all men.”

People simply don’t understand love versus hate. It isn’t merely a human emotion, but rather an act of righteousness when applied in ones life biblically. God has nothing to do with wicked men, neither should we. The only association we are told to have with them is to warn them of the consequences of their sin. Besides, why would I want to befriend someone who doesn’t believe in my God. Or, why would I want to befriend someone whose works (lifestyle) I abhor? It doesn’t make any common sense to do so. It defies nature. Do lions and lambs lie down together? Paul even warns the Church about those on the inside who refuse to obey God,

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

“6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”

Paul is rebuking this Church for not throwing out the man who had been sleeping with his father’s wife (verses1-5). Paul admonishes them by telling them, this mans leaven (behavior) will get into everyone if he’s not rebuked and corrected (loved). Thus, he must be thrown out of the Church (disassociated with) at least for a time, as a form of punishment, in order to put the fear of God into him; in order that this man would eventually repent of this grievous sin. Disobedience must be corrected swiftly. Throughout the scriptures we see Christ admonishing the disciples to “love” one another. This love is rebuking each other when necessary. If we don’t do this, we will fall away from God. This love is also tender affection for one another. We have not this same love for the wicked, as they are our enemies.

John 13:34-35

“34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

This is how the world will know we are Christ disciples, when we have love one for another. Now, does this mean that the wicked who love one another are Christ disciples? After all, they do in fact love each other, right? Christ said,

Matthew 5:47

“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?”

Even the publicans (sinners) greet one another on the street. Christ here is admonishing his Church to greet the sinner. The Jews wouldn’t even touch a sinner. Hence, the Pharisee said to himself,

Luke 7:39

“Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.”

And they wouldn’t speak to them either. Hence, the Samaritan women at the well said,

John 4:9

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans”

Jesus is telling Jews to be better than such a people who refuse to touch or speak with people considered sinners. This doesn’t mean to make friends with them, but to be kind to them as God is. The word says concerning friendship with the world,

James 4:4

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”

Being friends to the world makes us God’s enemies.

The love spoken of here is as the love Christ showed his disciples. Christ says, “as I have loved you, love one another.” How then did Christ show them love, other than the obvious of dying for them? He rebuked them when wrong, he taught them truth. John tells us (1 John 5:3), as we have already shown, that love is doing what God commands. And, as we have already shown, God commands us to warn the wicked (Ezekiel 3:18-21, Jonah 4). If we are to truly love anyone, we must warn them of the impending doom of God’s wrath. Especially the brethren. Otherwise, it is liken to watching a child cross a street in front of a huge truck and not warning him of the truck. Love isn’t merely a human emotion. Love is likened to obedience in scripture (1John 5:3). True love, as Webster’s define it, has a sincere concern for the well being of others. Hence, you would warn them at the risk of being hated.

Love: according to Webster’s.

1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests b : an assurance of affection

2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion

3:a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration b (1) : a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2) British —used as an informal term of address

4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of God

5: a god or personification of love

6 : an amorous episode : love affair

7 : the sexual embrace : copulation

8 : a score of zero (as in tennis)

9 capitalized Christian Science : god

It is obvious that definition #1 wouldn’t apply except in the case of brothers in Christ, as it is defined as,

1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

We would only have this type of love for our brethren, not the world or those in and of it, as that would make us Christ enemy, per James 4:4.

The next one is of a sexual nature so can immediately be discarded. Then we come to #1(3) which could be applied to the brethren also. #2 could apply to the brethren, but no on else, per James 4:4. Then we come to #4 which includes everyone, and meets the requirements of scripture to love your enemy.


I have read of the difficulties of translating the Greek/Hebrew into English. I agree it is very difficult and sometimes impossible. But when you look at God’s whole counsel on the matter, I think it becomes self evident what "love your enemy" means. We are obviously disconnected from the world when we are in Christ. As such, we should have no interest or attachments here (in the world) which should interfere with our relationship to Christ. Hence Christ admonishment,

Luke 14:26

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple”

But this hate is defined in scripture as we have defined in the above. While we loathe the works of the wicked, we are concerned with their welfare and share truth with them so that they might repent unto the acknowledging of the truth, as Paul told Timothy.

1 Timothy 2:25-26

“25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Let us not forget the word says,


Proverbs 27:5-6

“Open rebuke [is] better than secret love. Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful”

When we speak truth it often wounds those it is intended to help, but not in a fashion which brings harm upon them. The enemy will kiss (lie) to you in order to destroy you. The enemy appears as friendly (2Cor.11:14 “angel of light”) The scripture also says,

Proverbs 12:1

“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish”

If you love correction you love knowledge. Fools hate correction (which is true love), as well as knowledge. The scriptures say,

Proverbs 1:22

“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

They would rather be kissed (lied to). To accept correction usually means one has to swallow their pride. The fact that men won’t, proves they are in fact proud. It hurts their pride when corrected, thus, they would rather have the things they desire spoken to them. They won’t consent to sound words.

2Timothy 4:3

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”

Proverbs 14:5

“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.”

Proverbs 55:21

“[The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords.”


These false teachers tell men what they want to hear, just as the false prophets told Israel in order to deceive them. Jesus said,

Matthew 15:14

“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch”

These false teachers tell us to love “all” men, which the scriptures proclaim. But, they never define this love scripturally. Their idea of love is to be tolerant of sinfulness, while the scriptures proclaim otherwise, as we have shown already. By speaking of tolerance they insist we mustn’t speak out on sin. They want to be loved by men, rather than hated, as Christ disciples are. Jesus said,


Luke 6:26

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets”

The false prophets we’re “well spoken of.” The fact that a man is respected and adored by man is evidence enough of his status with God. Jesus was reviled and hated for the truth he shared, not loved and adored, as Billy Graham, and too many other men to mention are today. Most people today are caught in this snare the devil has set for them. They are ensnared by smiling friendly faces in thousand dollar suits. Jesus called the Pharisees of his day “whited sepulchres.” Today, most men call them their pastor.


Matthew 23:27

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness”


These Pharisees appear to be clean, but on the inside are full of dead bones. This is “your” pastor. He tells you lies in deceit. These men are deceived and are deceiving many.


2 Timothy 3:13

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”


They seduce men through their lies. They speak “smooth” words.


Proverbs 7:21

“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.”


She is the apostate Church. She represents your Church, whom your pastor is head of, not some common whore standing on a street corner. She is “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT.” She tells you to love the world, and those in it, while God tells you to hate them. Her destruction awaiteth. Won’t you please come out of her?

Revelation 18:4

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”


We speak this truth in order that they might be saved from the snare of the devil. This is what God commands from his Church; as it is true love, and is the purpose of this article, as well as to edify the Church. I can only hope, and pray, this articles helps to open the eyes and ears of your heart. God bless, and may he show you his truth according to his good will. InChrist, Joshua Kelley

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