When conversations turn to the topic of non-Christians, this phrase often rolls off the tongues of Christians: hate the sin, love the sinner. Where did this phrase originate? It is certainly not a quote from the bible.

 

Psalm 5:5 , “The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;

You hate all who do iniquity.”

 

 

 

Psalm 139:22, “I hate them with a perfect hate.”

 

 

 

Luke 6:45, are the words of our Lord, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”

 

 

 

We sin because we are sinners. It is our fallen nature. Sins cannot exist without the sinner. God hates killing, lying, stealing, sinning, and the list goes on, but all these things point to the sinner. Lying cannot exist without the one who is lying.

 

 

 

God does not have a pleasure or affection for the rebellious. The sinner hates God, is ungrateful, disobeys God, and would kill God if he could. Sinners are slaves to sin, John 8:34; also servants of the devil, Ephesians 2:2.

 

 

 

But, God is good! Even to the sinner with His benevolent common grace! He sustains the lives of both Christians and non-Christians. He is benevolent in His love for the sinful, giving us time alive on earth, to experience his benevolence; also giving us time to repent.

 

 

 

Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness

and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the

kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

 

 

If a person dies unrepentant, God removes this benevolent love, and pours out the full wrath of his perfect hate.

 

 

 

What should a Christian’s reaction be to the unsaved? We are told to love and pray for our enemies.

 

 

 

Matthew 5:44-45, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

 

 

 

Hat tip: Mahatma Ghandi for the quote.

 

 

 

 

If you are not a Christian reading this, today is the day for salvation! Repent from your disobedience, and believe that Jesus Christ, fully man and fully God, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for your sins, rose again on the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Ask God to help you believe, cry out in repentance to Him.

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written by Julie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 comments

The Holy Spirit is like our General in this war, and the sharper the soldier, with readied weapons, the more powerfully He will be able to use us, with greater damage to the Enemy of our soul.

Of the weapons He has provided for doing battle, the sword of the Word and prayer are the ones for offense. The rest of the armor parts are for protection, for defense, but the Scriptures are to be wielded in attack, often through prayer.

Among the various ways and means that the spiritual soldier can gain and maintain a state of readiness, sword continually sharpened, memorization of the Word is the best.

Psalm 119:11 provides the most basic, foundational motive for memorizing the Scriptures — “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” As Charles Spurgeon noted astutely, it is the best thing in the best place for the best purpose.

As a seasoned Seminary professor I admired once said, “It is amazing the affinity the Holy Spirit has for a trained mind.” In context he was encouraging Seminary training, but there is needed application related to Scripture memory, as well.

The more of the Bible that is lovingly stored away by the Christian soldier, the greater the ammunition available to the blessed Spirit for warfare.

And He is so faithful to bring to one’s remembrance a pertinent verse, or even part of one, at the exact time it is needed most. It would be grievous to know how many times we have succumbed to temptations, or acted un-biblically, or made foolish decisions simply because we didn’t know the Word.

Like Elisha’s servant in II Kings 6:17, may the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see the ongoing warfare that is happening in the spiritual realms even at this moment. Would that He would impress upon us the urgency of having un-rusted swords, by hiding His Word in our hearts for use at any given moment!

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