This sign here got a lot of attention. A lot of times when I go out evangelizing, people outwardly ignore our signs. I say outwardly because I don't know how they feel inwardly. But the sign, "God Hates Sin" really got some emotion out of people. Some people gave us encouragement, while others were offended at it. A good number of people took pictures of it, or even wanted to be in the picture.
The reason why I think the sign got so much attention is for a number of reasons:
- Many people don't know the character of God. A lot of people only see God as gentle and soft spoken. They think God is love means God cannot hate anything. They only see one dimension ( which makes for a flawed image) of God. These are the people who believe God would never send a soul to hell, because God is just too kind. I believe many people do not understand that God can also be a God of wrath. Think of Sodom and Gomorra. Think of Jesus overturning the merchants' tables in the temple of God. Remember that Christ spoke about Hell and eternal fire more than anyone else. God is certainly capable of wrath.
- Many people are convicted of their sin. We were often accused of being judgmental for holding up the sign. Could it be that our accusers were judging us as being judgmental? The fact that people are offended is a sign in itself. If people did not seriously believe that their sin is bad or had convictions of their own sin, why would there be any reaction at all?
The Bible makes is clear that God hates sin. I will also say that God is angry at the sinner. Does your loved one ever get angry at you? I know my wife gets angry at me at times. But God certainly does not hate the sinner. He loves the sinner and hopes we change. He desires that none should go to Hell:
"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."- II Peter 3:9
The reason why I think the sign got so much attention is for a number of reasons:
- Many people don't know the character of God. A lot of people only see God as gentle and soft spoken. They think God is love means God cannot hate anything. They only see one dimension ( which makes for a flawed image) of God. These are the people who believe God would never send a soul to hell, because God is just too kind. I believe many people do not understand that God can also be a God of wrath. Think of Sodom and Gomorra. Think of Jesus overturning the merchants' tables in the temple of God. Remember that Christ spoke about Hell and eternal fire more than anyone else. God is certainly capable of wrath.
- Many people are convicted of their sin. We were often accused of being judgmental for holding up the sign. Could it be that our accusers were judging us as being judgmental? The fact that people are offended is a sign in itself. If people did not seriously believe that their sin is bad or had convictions of their own sin, why would there be any reaction at all?
The Bible makes is clear that God hates sin. I will also say that God is angry at the sinner. Does your loved one ever get angry at you? I know my wife gets angry at me at times. But God certainly does not hate the sinner. He loves the sinner and hopes we change. He desires that none should go to Hell:
"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."- II Peter 3:9
But God hates Sin. He cannot stand it so much that no sin is to be in His presence. He hates Sin so much, that He sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we may appear before Him one day without sin. All who appear before God on judgment day with sin will be sent to eternal damnation. God hates sin, but through His love, he did a wonderful thing:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son (Jesus), and whosoever believes on Him shall not perish (go to hell), but have eternal life (life in God's Kingdom). - John 3:16
Read about how God dealt with Moses, as Moses was a sinful man:
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: Exodus 33: 19-22
Sin cannot appear before a Holy and Just God.
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