Here we will discuss why God hates sin but loves the sinner. As an example, we will learn the Zacchaeus story and witness the unfathomable love of Jesus toward sinners.
Why God Hates Sin?
God despises sin with every ounce of His being as it the very antithesis of His nature. The Almighty hates sin because He is Holy (Isaiah 6:3) and absolutely free from a blemish of any kind (Psalm 89:35; Psalm 92:15; Romans 9:14).
Our creator finds sin extremely repulsive as the Word of God describes sin as a putrefying sore (Isaiah 1:6), a binding debt (Matthew 6:12-15), contaminating filth (Titus 1:15, 2 Corinthians 7:1), darkness (1 John 1:6), a heavy burden (Psalm 38:4), and a scarlet stain (Isaiah 1:18). The Lord loathes, dislikes, and spurns sin as He does not take pleasure in wickedness (Psalm 5:4).
God hates sin as it separates us from Him and ruins our lives. He hates sin, as it makes us reject Him (the truth) and stand opposite to Him. God hates sin as it enslaves us and excludes His blessings in our lives. He hates sin as it results in death as the wages of sin is death, according to Romans 6:23. Sin disconnects us from Him in this world and as well in eternity.
Why God Loves Sinners? (Hate the Sin Love the Sinner)
God loves us as He created us, and His love for us does not change though we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). He is love (1 John 4:16) and made an awesome plan, when Adam and Eve sinned, to redeem the rebellious human race (Genesis 3:15) (John 3:16).
We are hateful, corrupt, and wicked and have shunned God’s love and embraced sin with all our hearts, mind, and body. However, God through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His Son, is offering us a chance to get back to Him as He is gracious and kind toward sinners (Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 2 Kings 13:23; Isaiah 63:7; Hosea 2:23-3:1; Jonah 4:2). Jesus spent much of His time on earth with sinners and taught them the truth through parables and simple illustrations. He bore our iniquities on the cross and endured chastisement in our place. He took the payment due to our sins on Himself. We should reconcile with God through Jesus, otherwise, we would face God’s wrath if we reject His Son (John 3:36; Romans 1:18; 2:5; Ephesians 5:6; Revelation 14:10).
We should be grateful to God’s love and should not delay our repentance before it is too late.
Jesus Loves Sinners — The Zacchaeus Story
Jesus, the son of the Living God, came to the world to save sinners from eternal damnation. The Zacchaeus story demonstrates this eternal love of our Creator toward sinners through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The Zacchaeus story shows us that if we repent, the Almighty is just to forgive and accept us as His children into His everlasting kingdom. The Zacchaeus story also instructs us to have faith in Jesus, acknowledge Him as our savior, and yield to what He puts in our minds.
The Zacchaeus story teaches us that when we invite Christ into our homes, we experience hope, peace, joy, and salvation.
Are you intrigued by or desire to know more about Jesus, his life, and his teachings or any aspect of His life on earth? Check our series of articles on Jesus Christ that are both comprehensive and easy to understand.