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QUESTION 61
If God so loved the world, why does it say He hates the wicked? Psm. 5:5  The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

ANSWER: There is probably nothing, about God and His word, that is more misunderstood than  John 3:16, “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.”  Hence the confusion, how can He hate the workers of iniquity and love the worlds who are all wicked at the same time?
In Eph. 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”   This verse seems to be a paradox. How can we know what is not knowable?  The word ‘know’ is a word that means to know by experience, to know personally and intimately.
Human nature is so corrupted by sin that we cannot conceive the love of God. We try to equate it with corrupted human love, that is highly selfish. The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10)  We love money for what we can get out of it.  We love everything for basically the same reason. 
The love of God is not like human love. It is not selfish. It is not an affectionate or emotional love. He can love people that He hates, because of the purity of his love and hatred.  It is a compassionate love that springs out of the  roots of His mercy of us. He does not love us because we are loveable, because we are not.  It is a righteous hatred He has toward us all. This hatred, unlike ours, has no ill-will in it. On the contrary He looks at us with compassion and mercy. This love can go out to those that hate Him and are even hateful to Him, as in Psm 5:5.
When God made man He said all things were very good. (Gen 1:31) After man sinned  it all changed. He now says there is none good, no not one. (Matt. 19:17; Rom. 3:12)
The magnitude of God love is better understood by His love to us when we were so unlovable to Him. We must not think that He loves us because we are so good in His sight.
Sinner friend, God loves you with a compassionate love. He does not like you and your sins against Him. He hates you with an holy hatred, but wants to help you. His attitude toward you is mercy and His action is that He gave His Son to died for your sins so He can forgive and cleanse you. You must acknowledge this and turn to Him and His mercy and trust Christ with all your heart and soul. He will save you. Then He can love you because you will be loveable to Him. Do it now!

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen