Does God Hate the Sin, but Love the Sinner?
In our continuing series on Folk Theology, we’re exploring many common misconceptions about God and the Bible that get passed down from generation to generation. In this article, we’re going to explore a phrase so common that even unbelievers will be heard quoting it, often to justify their sin.
Where Does the Saying Come From?
Ask most people, even many Christians, and they will probably tell you that the phrase, “God hates sin, but loves the sinner.” is found in the Bible. However, you will not find a chapter or verse anywhere in Scripture that says anything like it. In fact, as we’ll see, the opposite is what you will find.
The phrase is actually attributed to Mahatma Gandhi in his 1929 autobiography. Not only is the phrase not in the Bible, it is from a pagan source. Yet, most believe it is a Biblical concept.
Sayings like this are often said to be found in Scripture. Another prime example is, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” That phrase is nowhere to found in Scripture. The expression is an archaic proverb found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts. [Source]
What Does Scripture Actually Say?
You may be surprised to see that the Bible states the opposite of Ghandi’s platitude. Here are a few examples:
The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.
Psalm 5:5
The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.
Psalm 11:5
Another way to understand this is the simple fact that God does not send sin to hell, he sends sinners to hell. It is a striking wake-up call to all who think that God will simply excuse their sin and overlook it all for the sake of love towards them. God is serious about sin. So serious that the only cure is the substitutionary atoning death of his Son.
It’s important also to note that God’s hatred is not the same as the hatred that humans experience. God’s hatred is a pure and perfect, holy hatred towards everything that is contrary to his holiness and righteousness.
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson once brilliantly said that the opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is self-love. So many people would believe that God could not possibly have hatred because God doesn’t just love, but is love. But Ferguson’s great statement helps us to see that if one truly loves, they must hate the things that are a danger to those in their care.
What about Romans 5:8? That verse does, in fact, say that God demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners. But the context is the key. The “us” in that passage is the elect – those chosen before the foundation of the world to be saved by Jesus. The “while we were still sinners” means that God didn’t require his elect to clean up their act and do good works to be chosen for salvation. It is a verse that demonstrates the awesome grace and sovereignty of God.
What about John 3:16? That clearly says God loves the world. It does, but again in context it is better translated, “for this is how God so loved the world.” The emphasis is on what God has done and how he has accomplished salvation to his elect. Furthermore, “the world” doesn’t mean every single person. In the context of all the Bible (and especially the Gospel of John), it means all those (Jew and Gentile) who will believe. Jesus makes it clear later in the gospel account that only those whom God has called will believe.
If God Hates All Who Do Iniquity, How Can Anyone be Saved?
That is one of the most important questions anyone can ask. If God’s wrath abides on all who have sinned (and that is every single person), how does anyone have hope of escaping his wrath? We have no hope in ourselves. We have no hope in any other sinner. Furthermore, we have no hope in our lineage.
Ultimately, the question comes down to, “If God is righteous, how can he forgive and save unrighteous sinners?” The answer is grace. Before the world was created, God chose those whom he would bestow his grace on to save all for his glory. While God hates sin (and the sinner), his electing love is poured out through His Son Jesus Christ on those who he chose before they were even born – before they could do anything good or bad.
God’s hatred towards sin and sinners is so great and the seriousness of sin is so great that the only cure conceived by the infinite mind and wisdom of God was the death of his Son. The cross demonstrates God’s love and justice at the same time. When you read about Jesus’ death on the cross, you can understand the righteous hatred that God has for sin and sinners.
But as you read about the cross, if you have trusted in Christ Jesus, you can rejoice in knowing that God’s righteousness and justice has been satisfied by Jesus on your behalf. Jesus drank the full cup of the wrath you deserve – thereby allowing God to be just and justify of those who believe. The gospel truly is amazing grace. Because of Christ, believers are transferred from the kingdom of darkness, from the slavery of sin and Satan, and more importantly from the wrath of the God who hates sin, and transferred to the kingdom of Jesus Christ – now adopted sons and daughters of God who share in the inheritance and treasures of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t get any better than that.
The Saying is Actually Just Trying to Make God Nicer
Bottom line, the phrase, “God hates the sin, but loves the sinner.” is used to make God a little more palatable to our ears. But it’s a dangerous statement. It waters down the reality of God’s wrath against that which he hates. It negates the reality of an eternal hell, and quite frankly it attacks the cross. Without a proper understanding of the full seriousness of sin and the fiery wrath of God against that sin, the cross doesn’t make much sense. [Source]
God doesn’t need (nor want) our help in trying to “sell” him to the world. He needs absolutely nothing. What he requires of us is to be faithful to the Scripture and to proclaim the gospel in all its glory. He requires us to not blaspheme his character by misrepresenting him. We are to properly fear God Almighty, and part of that reverential fear is to not water down or alter his word or his character. Doing so is a dangerous affront to the Almighty King, “for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7