Why does God hate sin? Is it because it is rebellious? Is it because God is controlling? Is it because God does not want you to have any fun?
I propose that God hates sin, because he loves us. God desires what is best for his creation. He knows the pain and sorrow that accompany our bad choices. He sees how lives are shattered by sin and he wants to protect us from the ill effects of it.
Sure, sin is rebellious, but the rebellious nature of sin pales in comparison to the depth of God’s love.
It is wrong to cheat and lie and steel, because those actions result in pain. They cause hurt to others and to ourselves.
From this proposition, I conclude then, that believers should hate sin because they are also to love people.
This means that we do not need to focus on sin for the sake of cleansing impurity from the midst of our culture. We do not need to act like judges of moral absolutes. We do not need to make a habit of condemning all that we can.
Instead, we as the church need to be seen as a beacon of hope…a light for those suffering from the ill effects of sin. We need to embrace sinners and help them back on their feet. We need to love so deeply that we wish to help others overcome sin. We also need to rest knowing that when we fall, the church will be there to help us pick up the pieces.
The church should be a place where sinners can openly walk through the door and find grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the love of God. It needs to be a place for the healing of broken spirits. The church is a rehab center, a hospital, an emergency room. It is not a court room. We must be more about the business of loving sinners and hating sin and less about hating sinners if we are to help heal the hurting world all around us.
