Yes. Uh oh. 😳

But God is love. He is good. How can He hate something? Does that go against His nature? Some call it “perfect love” and “perfect hate.” But how do they go together?

The answer is simple: both are true at the same time. God is good and is love/ God hates evil and wickedness.

To add another layer, according to Proverbs 6, He especially hates seven things. While at first, it might seem confusing, it really is not. God is love, and God hates evil. They perfectly go together.

Proverbs 6 shares these few things God especially hates and finds “detestable” or “an abomination.”

Why?

The list of six are all things we do with our bodies, our eyes, our tongue, our hands, ears, and feet. The seventh is a culmination, some say, of the most detestable to God, and they all have to do with others- our neighbors, our family, strangers. It’s how we treat others, and it is very important to God.

God hates sin; He hates every sin; He can never be reconciled to it; He hates nothing but sin. But there are some sins which He does in a special manner hate; and all those here mentioned are such as are injurious to our neighbor. It is an evidence of the good-will God bears to mankind that those sins are in a special manner provoking to Him which are prejudicial to the comfort of human life and society.

Matthew Henry, English minister, 1662-1714

If God is love and love is of God, then it makes sense that He would hate what goes against His nature. Sin and wickedness are acts and choices that are against the Lord. And sins that affect others, that draw others away from Him are especially detestable to God who loves us all and wishes all of us to know Him and love Him.

Sometimes we say, “hate the sin, love the sinner.” But some of these things listed in Proverbs 6 are actually people (a false witness, a person who stirs up trouble). In God’s eyes, sin cannot be separated from the sinner. Therefore, God hates the sinner. Ooofff. . .

But . . . Do you know the Good News? The Good News is more proof that “God is love,” He made a way where there was no way. ❤️

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

So, let’s watch ourselves today. Be free of these sins that God hates. Run from them, and cling to what is good. 😊

Happy Monday ☀️🌷💐🌻

Heidi xoxo