COULD GOD HATE YOU?

 COULD GOD HATE YOU?

I would like to ask you this morning to forego what is our normal custom to stand when we read the passage to begin our message.

 

I have several passages I want to begin with today and I want to ask you to take the time to find each one of them with me, read them (silently) along with me and give them serious consideration. 

 

Romans 5:6-8 (KJV)

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

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

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

 

Romans 8:35-39 (KJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

1 John 4:9-10 (KJV)

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (KJV)

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

 

In light of so many passages in the Holy Scriptures that express God’s love for men, even lost men, even while men are sinners, it is surprising to me how many people, even professing Christians live under the impression that God somehow hates them.

 

The impression is so strong in some circles that it is not uncommon today for the preaching of the Word of God to be considered hate speech.

 

·   It is true that the Bible declares that all have sinned

·   It is also true that the Bible clearly says that sin, if not addressed, will lead us to hell

·   This is so true, that according to the Bible, we are all born on a path leading to hell and destruction and only the very few people ever step off of that path onto the way that leads to life and an eternity with the Lord in heaven.[1]

 

I want to attempt today to tackle the hard question, 

Could God Hate You?

 

Don’t pass the question off too quickly.

If you are saved and you have a close walk with God, you may immediately respond, “impossible, ridiculous.”

 

But it’s not a ridiculous question for a lot of people.

·   Some people just can’t get peace that God could ever love them and save them

·   Some people live under such guilt of past sin that cannot imagine God could do anything but hate them

·   Some people, frankly, live under such difficult circumstances, that they believe those circumstances prove God hates them and constantly punishes them 

 

I will attempt to address the question firstly by reminding you

I. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

John 3:16-17 (KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Notice first that 

A. “God so loved the world”

The word so serves as a quantifier.

 

It tells us how much God loved the world.

·   It was immeasurable love

·   It was infinite love

·   It was great love

 

So great was His love for the world

B. He gave His only begotten Son

Jesus Christ, God with us.

 

So great was God’s love for the world that the only gift capable of expressing us was His only begotten Son.

 

So often we memorize verse 16 but skip verse 17.

God gave Jesus to the world

·   Not to condemn the world

·   But the save the world

 

C. God’s heart toward all men is bent toward saving them, not toward condemning them.

 

Consider these passages:

1. He loves us before we love Him

1 John 4:10 (KJV)

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

2. He loves us while we are yet sinners

Romans 5:8 (KJV)

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

 

3. He would love to see everyone to be saved

1 Timothy 2:3-4 (KJV)

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

4. He is not willing for any to perish

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

·   There is no one God wills to be lost

·   There is no one God wishes to go to hell

·   There is no one born to be condemned

 

In short, there is no one God hates.

 

It is not possible that God could hate you.

 

So why do things like judgment,chastisement and condemnation exist?[2]

II. GOD IS AT ENMITY WITH THE FLESH

Romans 8:5-8 (KJV)

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

Enmity is not the same as hatred. 

Countless stories have been told of soldiers on opposite sides of the field fighting as enemies, but in the end, becoming friends.[3]

 

Recently I read a famous story about the time a German fighter pilot escorted a damaged American Bomber across German skies and to the safety of Allies controlled air.

 

German fighter pilot Franz Stigler saw the crippled B-17, “Ye Olde Pub” piloted by Charlie Brown, alone and helpless, attempting to make its way across the British Channel and to safety territory. Stigler scrambled, caught the crippled plane and took aim. But as he observed, he could see that this bomber was no longer a threat. Her guns were gone, her engines were damaged, it was a wonder she was still flying.

Stigler, a fighter Ace, waved at Lt. Brown and stayed with him, in order to keep other German fighters from attacking him, until he reached the water.

In 1987 Charlie Brown located Stigler living in Canada and, after several hours of phone calls, met one another. At the meeting: 

·   Brown described Stigler as “family.”

·   Stigler, wept, patted Brown and said, “I love you, Charlie.”

 

They were enemies in combat, but there was no hatred, the one for the other.

 

Concerning God

A. God is separated from sin

Isaiah 59:2 (KJV)

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

There is a wall, a partition that separates the sinful man from Almighty God.

 

This is often why a Christian will feel abandoned by the Lord – our sin has erected a “self proclaimed” barrier between us and fellowship with our Saviour.

 

B. God is the enemy of the carnal mind

Romans 8:7 (KJV)

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

 

Carnal means fleshly or worldly. 

The carnal mind worships the world. It has gods besides the LORD.

·   It might be economy

·   It might be a hobby

·   It might be family

Something is above the Lord.

 

That cannot please God.

 

C. God is opposed to the friendship of the world

James 4:4 (KJV)

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.

 

All of this may be summed up that

D. God is at war for the soul of the lost[4]

Ephesians 2:11-16 (KJV)

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

 

We who are Christians were once lost, aliens, and strangers from God - children of disobedience and servants of the prince of the power of the air.

 

But God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. 

And through Him, all who trust in Him have peace with God.

 

God is at enmity with the flesh, but He does not hate any man.

 

I’d like to point out thirdly

III. GOD IS CAPABLE OF HATE

Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV)

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

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

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

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

 

These are not the only things that God hates.

The Bible says

Isaiah 61:8 (KJV)

For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

 

And the Bible says, 

Zechariah 8:17 (KJV)

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

 

But I get the impression that Proverbs 6:16-19 is sort of a summary of all the things God hates.

1. God hates the proud look

2. God hates a lying tongue

3. God hates the hands that shed innocent blood

4. God hates a heart that devises wicked imaginations

5. God hates feet that are swift to do mischief

6. God hates a false witness speaking lies

 

And then it is as if God wants to set one of the things He hates apart – like it is the thing He hates the most.

7. God hates the one that sows discord among the brethren

 

Sowing discord – gossiping, spreading news about other people. 

 

God hates it.

 

Especially when it is spreading gossip “about the brethren” people who are untied together in the common faith – 

 

·   God hates the sin of lying

·   God hates the sin of murder

·   God hates the sin of pride

 

But the Bible says

·   He hates the person who soweth discord among the brethren

 

Conclusion

Could God hate you?

 

·   It is not God’s will to condemn anyone.

·   It is God’s will to save everyone who will come to trust Him

 

But God could hate things you do.

And God might very well fight against your sin and your flesh.

 

I’ve met dozens of people who claim to have asked God to save them but cannot get assurance of being saved.

·   They are either too proud to trust God alone, and so they are not saved, or else

·   They are hung up in an unrepented sin that prevents them from knowing the joy of salvation

 

I’ve met people who, while not questioning their salvation live under a constant cloud of judgment, 

·   they’re always apologizing, 

·   they’re always afraid no one likes them, 

·   they’re constantly thinking they’ll get kicked out of church.

It’s because they habitually sin but refuse to repent and turn from it.

Apologizing for a sin is not the same as confessing and repenting of it.

 

The simple answer is STOP IT.

 

And I have met others whose lives are so filled with pain that they have convinced themselves that God hates them.

And the answer to that is, it just isn’t possible.

 

God sent His only begotten Son

Because He loved the world – 

·   while we were yet sinners, 

·   while we were at enmity with Him

 

Not to condemn the world

But to save the world

Because He so loved the world.

So that, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

 

 

---

[1] Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

[2] And they do, obviously exist.

[3] https://www.military.com/video/operations-and-strategy/second-world-war/ww2-german-pilot-escorts-us-bomber/2048436731001

[4] He is not at war with the lost, but for the soul of the lost.

To Be or Not to Be

 To Be or Not to Be

1 Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 

 

May I ask you to consider for a few moments; 

What are you?

 

A few years ago my doctor warned me that I had become insulin resistant. Since then I have done a considerable amount of research in an attempt to prevent that from turning into diabetes type 2. 

 

Today I take no medication, but I have to constantly monitor my blood sugar levels and eat a strict diet to keep those levels below what would be classified diabetes. 

One of the things I’ve come across and try to keep in mind is to say something like, “I have diabetes” rather than to say “I am a diabetic.”

If I identify as a diabetic I can consider myself a victim. Diabetes has overcome me. It has become who I am. 

If, on the other hand, if have diabetes, it is merely a condition. I am in control. I can make choices that allow me to overcome diabetes. 

 

We teach something similar in our addictions ministry. We teach not to identify as an addict but to rather say I have an addiction. The term addict, like that of the alcoholic, is an identity rather than a condition. 

The addict may think he has no hope of ever being anything other than an addict. 

If it’s an addiction there are choices, steps that can be taken to overcome and gain victory. 

 

There is great power in our identity. Who we are and how we perceive ourselves. 

 

I would like to suggest that Christianity is an identity rather than a lifestyle. It is who we are and not what we do or where we go. 

 

Some years ago I read about the ministry of John Wesley. The man was a working machine. While in college he and a group of other students formed a fellowship built around a series of methods they believed would aid them in godliness. Keep in mind that, at this period in his life he had not yet made a profession of faith. That did not happen until, while on a storm tossed trip across the Atlantic, when he thought he was coming the new world to be a missionary to the Indians, he witnessed the peace of heart in a group of Moravian believers that he did not have. He return to Europe to meet the Moravians and there claimed a genuine conversion to Christ. 

Wesley left the Moravians to return to England and aggressively preach salvation through Christ. Because his message was not approved in the Church of England where he had been trained and ordained, he took to preaching on street corners, open fields and factories across England and on this continent. Those who claimed conversion were organized into Methodist Societies. Wesley (and later those who trained under him) would move on to preach in other field and then return some months later. What I read was that he asked three questions of new converts 

Had they changed their language?

Had they changed their clothing?

Had they changed their manners?

If the answer to these was “No” he declared them false professors and urged them to turn to Christ or else leave the society. 

His was a religion of action rather than identity. His was a method to godliness, not a birth into a new family. 

Contrast that with the ancient Anabaptist group known by those who hated them as the Cathari “the pure ones.” Their faith had transformed them to such a state that those who observed them were incensed that they could live out such godliness. 

 

I fear that, among a good many independent Baptists we have devolved into a kind of methodism. We have replaced an identity with Christ for a Christian culture and lifestyle. 

We have become doers rather than be-ers 

We make a profession of faith possessing more or less degrees of meaningfulness, and from there it’s just a matter of learning how to behave in the house of God. 

 

The world around us, observing us, witnesses what we do and seldom either positively or negatively would call us the pure ones. 

 

I want to ask you to examine your own faith. Is your faith who you are or just what you do?

 

Allow me to give you several areas we would do well to consider

 

A Christian does not worship.

He is worshipful 

Mat 15:8 -9

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

 

 

A Christian does not witness

He is a witness

Act 1:8  

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

 

 

A Christian does not go to church or even attend church.

He makes up the church

 

Eph 2:19-22  

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

 

 

 

A Christian does not have devotions

He talks to His Father

 

Mat 6:1-7  

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

 

 

 

A Christian does not do what Jesus would do

He has Christ living in him

 

Gal 2:20  

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

1Co 3:9-15  

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 

One of those areas that Christians can spend a good deal of time debating is what exactly would constitute the sort of work build wood hay and stubble. 

I doubt very seriously that the context allows it to be our sins or our worldliness, when we are focused on selfish goals. 

I believe the context must be those times when we build upon the foundation of Christ but we build with inferior materials. 

 

Could it be that it is when we do what GOD teaches because that’s what we do, and not because that is who we are?

 

I want to challenge you-die to self. 

Trust God give yourselves to God. 

Allow Him to live through you and build with Gold Silver and Precious stone

 

 

Preached at Teen/Family Camp July, 2021