Whoa whoa whoa!
Before everyone looks at me like I just dropped an F bomb in the middle of Sunday school, let’s look at what the Bible says:
Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him
Okay, this verse is clearly stating that God has a tremendous amount of love for those who respect and honor Him. Which then means that God regards people who respect Him in a different way than those who don’t
Despite what a lot of people think, God doesn’t listen to every body who calls out “Lord Lord” just because they want something, nor is he a door mat that gets walked on because he has no feelings
Here’s another one:
Psalm 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them
God has a special level of friendship reserved for those who fear him, and he reveals things to these people with a level of trust not given to others. He is literally confiding in those who respect him, this is a big endorsement of someone’s relationship with God
Okay, this makes sense, but how far does God’s preferential treatment really go?
Psalm 11:5
The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates
Yikes, God is described as hating someone… interesting!
But it is important to note that this is referencing people who are truly wicked and love violence, not just people who make some bad decisions here and there–these people have embraced a lifestyle of sin without apologies or second thoughts as they literally love it
So if God loves those who fear him “as high as the heavens are above the earth”, but “his soul hates” “the wicked and those who love violence”, it seems really hard to make the connection that God loves everyone equally
Judging by the scriptures above, God loves those who fear him, his obedient children, the most
Isaiah 11:1-3
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD – and he will delight in the fear of the LORD
As a man, God loved Jesus incredibly because Jesus “delight[ed] in the fear of the Lord.” This verse shows that Jesus wasn’t above the same rules that are applied to us, in fact, he demonstrated them for us–respect for God leads to a greater relationship
By Jesus’ example, and God’s own spirit dwelling within us, we have the power to have a passionate and amazingly powerful relationship with God; a relationship focused on loving God and each other out of the purest desires of God’s own heart
“Before everyone looks at me like I just dropped an F bomb in the middle of Sunday school” Hilarious!
Good post and I really like your format.
Hi Ken, thank you for the note. I try to write in a way that I would enjoy reading, and I often laugh as I write late at night.
it is so hard to fight the tempation that the earth holds (bad boys) that all us girls love so much. we both had exspection for each of us,,,then after 2 years of a hard friendship he walks in the dark side.to my surprise, my soul mate and best friend and worst enemey, so i trusted him, and i have betrade god 2 times now,,,i have been told i have had this man for many life times, the energy is very high,,,,,but i am trying my best not to follow him now,,,,it takes everything i got. and again yesterday i betrade god, but i know god will take me back after i have repented…i pray for the strangth to off guard this mans energy. i do beleive i have betrade god again,,,,i had no intent too. but they use trickery, play with your mind…please pray for me, so i can have the energy for the this man to leave my life, and i can move on, and once again, build god’s faith in me
Hi Sherry. It can be difficult to face the reality that we are sometimes attracted to things that are not good for us. Most often, these temptations are tied to things from our childhood, or from other defining events in our lives. I have prayed that you find the strength in God to persevere and fulfill God’s wish that you be happy in His love and will. Just remember that God is our Father and loves us more than any earthly person ever could.
Hilarious AND insightful!
I’m really happy I found this blog.. LOVE!
Hi Shauna, I am really glad you enjoy the material!
God loves every one the same, even people that have not found him yet,Its not that he does not love people the same he just has more hope for those that are lost:-}at least thats what im hopeing too!!!
Hi Sydney. John 3:16 is very clear that God loved all of creation so much that he sent Jesus so that those who follow him may have everlasting life–this sacrifice was for everyone. However, the Bible is clear that God does not love those who embrace wickedness as much as those who embrace His righteousness. He does love the unsaved though, just as Jesus told the parable of the one lost sheep, and is willing to go to great lengths to bring them into his arms. However, if those people reject Him, and the sacrifice he made for them through Jesus, then there is no relationship to be had. It is very important to pray for the lost, and never give up hope that they will come to know God, one never knows what will happen in that person’s life.
You are right sydney, don’t let anyone ever tell you different! God loves everyone the same and always focus on that! you know the truth!!
Thankyou Nathan,It blows my mind sometimes how awsome God is.I will pray for my Grandparents because they never pray and they drink alot of alcahol.Does that mean they are lost?
Only God knows people’s hearts, so it is difficult to know exactly. However even if they are saved, praying that they come closer to God is always a good thing. And always lead by example!
I will strive too live in a way that glorifies GOD,and thats not easy in the 5th grade believe me:-}
God bless you! He will help you go through your years, and may He give you strength, and cloth you with the image of Christ!
I read in the bible a little more and nathan u r right he doesnt luv us equally.
Hi Sydney. I am proud of you for investigating and seeking answers in God’s Word. The idea that God does not love everyone equally seems impossible at first because in a lot of ways, it seems to contradict what we are taught. God loves those who seek the truth, not just what they want to hear. Always remember the rich young ruler who loved money more than Jesus, even though Jesus loved the young man, he still showed him the truth. Even when he spoke things to the man that exposed his love of money, it is written that Jesus “loved him”, and didn’t speak words that were too soft for the sake of not being confrontational.
Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Thank u Nathan,if u think about it the bible is a little funny,but in a good way:]
This is a great post Nathan, and i imagine some people would be totally shocked to hear that God doesn’t love equally. We are so often told things to make us feel good but the truth is, to walk with God is not like a walk in the park. it takes effort and dedication and determination, and it’s not always easy. Sometimes God pulls away, and when that happens, people go, “where are you now?” and then they slowly let go of god . . .
i love your honesty, and you’re funny, too. 😀
Hi Lia
I am so glad you enjoyed this article, the concept is not one that people often like to hear
Thank you for the positive encouragement, I really enjoy writing as it is a great way to share the things God has taught me
A relationship with God is amazing, and to truly know him, means that we respect and honor him–just saying “I believe” is just the beginning
Just telling someone that you love them is not enough, you have to show them for the words to really mean something!
I often think that people arent willing to hear a message that is hard. After all, how can ‘we’ limit or define ‘God’ by human standards. But we have also been taught a message through paul. It is a famous one. Romans 14: 1-23. We shouldn’t take a message like this to everyone to see. (especially when people cant convey the message and the emotion in which comments are made through text). But if a believer is on a diet of vegetables (romans 14:5-6) We are to join with them in faith, and be careful not to stir up any form of discord. God does hate the sin and not the sinner. How can He be heartbroken for those that choose hell? How can He forgive without the love for sinners? How can God, the Creator of the universe, possibly hate any creation that is His own. As we are all sinners anyway, God would still hate us even when were forgiven. We can not measure God’s love any more than we can measure a quantity of light. We can not measure it by means of darkness. In the same way, let us not try to measure or understand any trait of God for He is beyond the comprehension of ALL men. Inclueding me.
I honestly love your message. I just think that we should be more selective of our hearers. if this were to lead anyone away from God, the teachings would be on us. We would be judged far worse than those who turn from Him. (Titus 2:7-8, James 3:1) I can not wait until the day that the only thing of importance is praising God side by side in heaven. God chose to reveal Himself to those who do His work. Let us carry out His work, not by preaching of Hate or limited Love, and turn fully towords praising God regardless of others comments and helping those who need us. Praise be to God forever!
Hi Keith,
I enjoyed your thoughtful feedback, thank you!
And yes, this message is not meant to be taken to the streets and bellowed out, we definitely agree there
However, my point is that if people go around saying that God loves everyone equally, it is false doctrine, which is destructive to both young and mature Christians as it does not help people understand the number one thing that keeps them from leaving their lives of sin behind: they do not fear or respect God, which is the number one reason why Christians do not mature
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline
It is true that God delights to show mercy, as he will forgive and show compassion to those who truly turn to him, but the Bible is clear that Christians can become his enemy, and that he maintains his wrath against those who oppose him
James 4:4-5
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God
Nahum 1:2-3
The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished
Some strong statements!
One thought I had while considering your points, is even though a lot of really “stiff” messages are written in the Bible about God’s character, it is hard to imagine someone saying them in a church today, ie: could you ever see someone getting up in church or at a Bible study and calling people “whores” and enemies of God because of their lifestyles?
Eep!
But James did it, 1,800+ years ago, and now we quote it as truth
At any rate, I completely agree with your point about young and mature Christians needing two types of food, I just don’t like it when the young are fed doctrine that is false for the sake of making them feel good about their state of maturity, ie: God will love you the same no matter what you do
I say this because a lot of Christians are only that by name, as they live their lives without reverence for God, and continue to sin–which is the very thing that keeps them from maturity and a deep, passionate relationship with our creator
Psalm 2:11
Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling
Psalm 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them
I dont think God ever pulled away.
Hi Keith,
I am not sure what you mean, but God does pull away from us during times when, as believers, we actively choose sin over our relationship with him
Psalm 27:9
Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior
This isn’t because he doesn’t love us, it is because it grieves his heart, and he puts some distance between us
I found that when returning to him after a sinful time, the feeling of purity and cleanliness I felt wasn’t just that I felt my conscience clear, it was the feeling of being in his presence again
Psalm 51:7
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow
Hi Nathen….I have to disagree with you on this…. http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Basics/god_loves_sinners.htm
the truth is god love without favoritism and you taking scripture out of context is not helping growing Christians and your teaching is false The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them it dosent say he loves them more he confides with them because they except him “The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates” he is saying that he hates that they love violence if you take this word as you do then the word contradicts it self because god is love and if a man has hate he cannot have god your twisting the word to manipulate it as you seem fit but that’s a dangerous thing not only for you but for thous that are led into this because god doesn’t want any person to parish ‘The fact is
that we ALL are as sinful as the worst sinner on the planet. Even Paul
considered himself the chief of sinners. To compare ourselves or other
Christians with the evil men of the world and to think that we are
somehow more deserving of God’s love or that He loves us and not them,
or that He loves us more than them is to miss the gravity of our own
sin. Sin is sin. To break the smallest part of the Law is to be guilty
of all. So yes, God does love the vilest of sinners as much as He loves
anyone else.” “Jesus prayed “Father show them that you love them as much as you love me”. Who is them? Everyone!”
“He loves everyone the same. But the non-believers don’t get any of
the benefit unless they meet the conditions like we did. He hates the
evil they do.”
Hi Daniel,
The key issue standing in the way of you grasping this, is that somehow you feel that God won’t relent when someone turns to him, despite how he felt towards them in the first place
In Psalm 11:5 (The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates), if you look up the Hebrew word used for “hate” it is “sane” which is used to say “to hate man/God/an enemy”
This is a very black and white statement, it is not that God hates sin and loves the sinner, he openly hates those who reject him completely by living lives that embrace, and love, sin
But it is very important to remember that God delights to show mercy to people who turn away from sin, and that he doesn’t wish anyone to perish
Micah 7:18
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy
Beyond this, rather than fall into the trap of “I think” or “I feel”, can you provide scriptures that back your point of view up that God loves everyone equally and that he has the same relationship with everyone no matter how they live their lives–one cannot make a case against scripture based on personal conjecture
Personal opinions are great to express so we can all learn, but they must be analyzed against scripture
please show me true scripture that says directly that god doesn’t love every one equally not out of context because you use out of context scripture and peace it together and try and make it seem true but the truth is your story has many holes in it “No greater Love hath a man, then he that lay down his life for his friends” if he did this for all how can it have limits on it because if god loves some more than others your saying that gods love has a limit and his love is limitless.
also i did not say this “that God won’t relent when someone turns to him, despite how he
felt towards them in the first place” because god hears all cries of his children and has compassion because the only limit god has is the one you give him and that is not on his love but his grace no mater who you are or what you did god forgives you if you repent. you make it sound as god loves people differently but its people that love god differently.
i also see how the last post can seem hostel witch im not trying to be and a lot of Christians think just because you sin or live a certain way god doesn’t love you but people also have to understand god doesn’t love you any less then the next even when you turn from him for he loves you even when your lost i see you use a lot of old testament before Jesus died on the cross for us when burnt offerings were needed to be forgiven but ever scene we have the perfect savior thous offerings are no longer needed all we have to do is repent witch is not as easy as some think but his blood covers the world washing all sin away so how can a master creator love one child more than another when we are all covered by the blood im not saying we all go to heaven that would be a lie but heaven is a gift that we must receive we have to actively reach out and receive life by coming close to god i dont see any where in the bible where it says ” god loves people differently” so you cannot assume that he does and the story of Jonah is a great example of how god loves everyone equally his servant that knew him didnt want to save the gentiles but god showed him that he should god said go save the whole city not just some and these people did not know god so wouldn’t god love Jonah more but he still shows Jonah that he needed to go and also when Jonah gets upset about the plant covering his head and how it died god says you who did not plant the seed are angry about it going then god enplanes to him how he must feel because he made every single person in that city and they were dieing all i know is if god love people differently then many many people are in trouble because if he loves them differently what sets us apart the way we act? he said it not because of what you’ve done but because of who i am and we aren’t saved because of who we are but because of what hes done.
Hi Daniel,
I haven’t taken part in our dialog with any sense of hostility, spirited debate is awesome, that is one of the main reasons I started this blog in the first place!
After reading through your points, and taking the general scope of our conversations into account, I understand that you have a heart to keep people from feeling that they cannot be loved by God because of their sins, which is exactly the game that the enemy plays with people
These articles are intended to show a side of God’s character in a real, honest way that doesn’t rely on ideas that feel good, but are rooted in scripture with the intent of sparking debate and thought
With that said, after reading your points, I maintain that your views are based on conjecture and good intentions, but they are not aligned with scripture and you are unable to substantiate them with solid arguments that are rooted in the Word
If you want to continue this discussion, may I ask that we come back to scripture, not personal opinion, as there is no end to these types of discussions and they generally don’t lead anywhere constructive
Hi Daniel,
No one is contesting the fact that God will forgive people who truly turn away from their sins, I am not sure why you are bringing this up in the context of our discussion, can you explain this a little more?
Hi Daniel,
In reading this response, I am not sure you are here to have a productive discussion, as you pick scriptures that have nothing to do with the context of our dialog, state that they do, and then demand that I prove you wrong
The positions I have put forward both in my responses and original articles are clear, based in scripture, and are not ones you have been able to counter with scripture yourself
Again, you are just searching the Bible using keywords that you are latching onto in an attempt to support your point of view, but are not fully understanding the scriptures you are citing well enough to see they are not counter points within the conversation
For example, the Psalm you quote is not about God loving people equally, it is about God’s love being steadfast, in the sense that it does not fail like human love (ie: people are fickle and change their hearts and ways often), but the thing that you are missing, is that even though God is love, he has different levels of love, relationships, and regard for people based on their conduct
Psalm 25:10
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant
What about those who do not keep the demands of his covenant, why would the author make this statement if God’s ways were loving and faithful for everyone no matter how they acted, that doesn’t make any logical sense
Psalm 103:3
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him
By your logic, God has the same amount of compassion for people, no matter if they fear (respect) him or not, which again makes no sense as there is no point in making a statement like this if it is unilaterally true for all mankind regardless of their lifestyle–God would not be a just God if this were true
Proverbs 11:20
The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless
Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him
Psalm 11:5
The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates
These three verses make God’s personality clear, in that he shows a different level of love for people who don’t sin, for those who fear (respect) him, and also regards and behaves differently towards people who are wicked and love violence
Also, if you want a NT reference for God’s character that shows preference for people, look at the way Jesus spoke to the woman who asked for a miracle healing for her daughter, he called her a dog and refused to do anything until she proved her faith
Matthew 15:21-28
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
But then again we must remember Christ when on earth wnet for those who werent perfect, who werent in the right. B/c God looks for those who are in not in the right path.
And one thing, you must be careful in posting these things. If a nonbeliever sees this, dont you think he or she may feel bad? You may be giving the image that God has favoritism to those who dont believe, which he doesnt.
Also God loves Jesus. Not loved. He still continues to exist today; indeed, Jesus is God.
Hi Derek,
Yes, Jesus came to heal the sick, not the well, and he would leave behind the ninety-nine sheep who do not need further attention just to save the one who does
I took your point to heart and re-read the article with that eye, and even changed a few things to make the point clearer, but the reality is, we shouldn’t sugar coat God’s personality or misrepresent it because it doesn’t feel “right”
Also, God definitely has his favorites, I am not sure why you think he doesn’t, ie: Enoch, Noah, Abraham, David, etc…
These people all walked with God in a way that delighted him, and God had a very special place of friendship reserved for them
Regarding favoritism, God doesn’t show favoritism when it comes to judging sin, the Bible is clear on that, as God does not lower or raise his righteous standards for any reason; sin is sin
Was Paul, before He became the Apostle Paul wicked, and did he love violence? Was he present at the stoning of Stephen, and approved of it? Why did the Lord Jesus Christ save him if he is supposed to hate him?
Hi Willie,
I know it is hard to not react emotionally to this article at first, but remember that there is always forgiveness available for those who truly turn from their sins–that is the entire point of salvation through Jesus, it is not that our lives need to be at a certain standard before God’s grace can become effective or valid
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
I stand firmly by the fact that God does not want anyone to be separated from him, but it doesn’t mean that he loves everyone equally like a doormat, ie: regardless of how they live their lives or treat him
And regarding Paul specifically, God had a plan for him, regardless of Paul’s lifestyle, and God decided it was time to put him on the right path!
I know I’m like 4 months late on this conversation… so sorry. But God does not have to turn off Love so he can Hate. God hates because he loves. If you love babies you hate abortion. They are not opposites for God. If He loves us HE must hate all evil, and well, I was EVIL. I was an enemy of God. I was opposed to my creator. He has never saved anyone who was not wicked. Our nature is wicked. Just because he Hates someone doesn’t mean He doesn’t love them.
So this is where my friend got this from! She scared me for a second there… It was in the middle of walking home with each other when she said, “Did you know God does not love non-believers?” I thought, “My friend who is so gungho about Christ just said, whaaaat!?” She corrected herself almost immediately but it did have me blinking for a couple of hours in shock. I’m very happy she made that mistake [that really weirded me out], though, because I found this article! I have been convicted. For if I have ever lacked anything in my close walk with God, it was a conviction to take responsibility for my actions. I have had the need to KNOW my wrongs, I have had the need to hate sin and turn away, and I have to turn towards the Only One who saves me.
My walk has been… confusing, I guess. One moment I am like THIS with God, then I am far off. I know where He is; I can almost see Him! yet I will wait for my sin to go away before I can believe I will be saved – – – – – but the sin never goes away! I am only mulling over it, not bringing it out into the light; not out in front of friends who will not understand the power of God, but rather *in front of* God, who is *the Creator and Maker.
We sing this song in church: “We bow down, we lay our crowns, at the Feet of Jesus.” I believe we sometimes assume God has cast a magnificent shadow over everything, that all our – issues – come from Him… Well, in reality, it is a magnificent, pure, and beautiful light that CONSUMES ALL THINGS. If we are truly to go through the fire that purifies us, we have to bring our sins with us. There is no significant change if we want to hide sin in the darkness.
Resisting the truth about the sins that you have been hiding is only like feeling secure for a moment, and then having all your lies vanish into nothing. The Lord says, “In the end, the truth will be revealed.” If you have experienced the truth revealed to your soul, then you are a witness to what God wills for all to see. And if any of you want the truth NOW, surround yourselves with the scripture, a good and godly support system, and a life of prayer. Oh, and share your faith. You know you if are walking closely with God if you can share the Gospel without being ashamed.
Be open and frank with yourself, with God, and with other people, not hiding the truth that is good. Leave everything with God and let go of all your shame.
Hi Emily,
Wow, that is awesome, God works in surprising ways sometimes!
Taking responsibility for our actions is so important, as it is an exercise in humility and a reflection of our desire to improve–honesty is the key, but respect for God is what keeps us from sinning
I think gratitude is a good emotion to base our respect on at first, not hellfire and brimstone!
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom
Okay well whatever idiot said tht god doesnt love everyone equally is stupid, no offense but he does love everyone THE SAME. and tht is pretty ridiulous if u dont think tht bc no matter what u do (yea its gonna hurt him) but he STILL LOVES YOU! no matter what.
Hi Ginny,
I try to promote a sense of friendly, open-minded Christian oriented dialog on the site
Walking into a conversation calling people names is not a good way to begin a discussion, let alone a good representation of how Christians should speak to one another, or even non-Christians for that matter
Since you have a point of view on the matter, and I trust that you have read the article thoroughly and the subsequent threads that list your points already, I have to ask: what scriptural references are you basing your statements on?
Ginny. Sounds more like an emotional reaction and name calling then it does Biblical discussion on the matter. This man just provided like 10 or more verses that says God loves His children in a special way, but you refuse to consider what the Word says in light of your own wisdom?
yes i did. there is a lot of truth to what you said. but you are using mainly scriptures from the old testament. but i wont debate that with you. i think you would get your message across better, if you didnt use this picture. i mean, to be blunt it is completely biased. who to say that goth looking girl is bad and isnt a chrisitan. AND, i will admit i am taking a somewhat emotional standpoint. just because i love god, with all my heart and i am always striving to get closer to him and be better for him, but so many times, i have had people throw crosses at me, bibles as well. they will pray that i get saved, when i already am, and assume i do drugs or smoke weed, which i never have. all kinds of asumptions like that. i am a follower of christ and this picture along with the title even turned ME off. i would just suggest using a different one and a different title for your message, if you would like to reach people of all sorts. thank you.
Hi Kate,
Thank you for taking the time to come by and write, you have some good points, and I appreciate keeping things calm even though we have a different point of view
Beyond that, I am really sorry to hear that you have had negative experiences with people who did not love God enough to love those whom they wanted to reach–that is the very type of attitude and personality type that we are undoubtedly against
I have led a life of extreme sin, digging deep into drugs, bad relationships, pornography, greed, deceit and outright lying, not to mention all the time I wasted in the process, but people look at me now and would never see any of that
It is really weird that people judge books by their cover and I am sorry to hear that it has happened to you in such a negative way
Regarding the way people react to hearing statements like the article title, I have thought a lot about this, and I look to the authors of the Bible, and even Jesus himself, as a pattern for conduct, as I know that not everything they said pleased the people around them, ie:
James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God
Mark 7:18
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’?
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
And to be totally up front, a little controversy isn’t a bad thing as long as it isn’t hurtful or contradicts scripture, and we wouldn’t be having this discussion without it!
Honestly, I thought the goth girl was supposed to be like us Christians because we’re different from the rest of the world. Also, a lot of times the girls that look like the other three girls are FAR from being the “good” kids! That isn’t a universal fact or anything, but it is a recurring trend in my school. :/
Hi Martin,
I totally agree that we cannot judge a book by its cover, regardless of how any outright appearance might seem at first!
A lot of the kids that were “good” in my school growing up really weren’t either
also. if you go off only the old testament, you pretty much take jesus out of the picture. there is a reason it is called the “old” testament. the new testament is for the new times. the old one is for the old times. not that it doesnt speak truth, but you cant apply all of it to life now. and have you also noticed that from this article, you have gotten mainly negative feedback? there may be a reason for that. just a thought
Hi Kate,
Using OT scriptures doesn’t “take Jesus out of the picture” as, since Jesus and God are one, they share the same character and personality
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
Even though the covenant was different between the OT and NT, God’s character didn’t change along with it, this is a really important point
The shift in covenant made the path to forgiveness and salvation different, facilitated giving us the Holy Spirit, and it changed God’s overall relationship with mankind, but God’s personality remained the same throughout the process
We can both agree that God loving everyone equally does not line up with the OT, so it is hard to reconcile the notion that the NT would have brought about a fundamental change in God’s character, and I have not found scriptural support for this myself but am open to discussion around it
In reference to Jesus loving people differently, we saw this in his teachings as well, ie:
John 15:9-10
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love
This reflects that people who obey “remain” in the love of God and Jesus himself–a powerful statement as it is conditional
A few verses later, Jesus goes on to say even more:
John 15:13-14
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command
Jesus says that love is shown by laying your life down for one’s friends, and then goes on to say that we are Jesus’ friends if we do what he commanded–another powerful statement based on conditional action
I really don’t mind negative feedback as it sparks discussion, though the feedback has been both positive and negative, and I would rather have someone put their point of view forward rather than not as I stand behind everything I write and if I am wrong I would love to know!
I think I am going to come at this from a slightly different angle. (I do enjoy your website, by the way) And this will touch a lot into does God love porn stars also.
God does love everyone.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Two things to point out, first, this God who so loved the earth IS the OT God. And the NT God, and is Himself Jesus, part of the trinity, they are one in character and nature. (I realize you know this) Two, this God Loved the whole world, not just those who knew Him because that would be limiting the world to a small geographic area around Israel. God loved the whole world and sent His one Son to die for a hostile (to God) world.
Romans 5:7-8
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die– 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
So God sent Jesus to die for sinners. Enemies of God
Roman 5:10
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life
and deserving of God’s wrath
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
And Eph. 2:1-3
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind
but Eph 2:4-5
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved
God loves the world. But on the other hand. You are quite right. He does not love those who don’t know Him the same as those who do. For one thing, John 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Not everyone is His children, on the contrary Eph 2:3 (above) speaks of children of wrath, and Jesus even called the scribes and pharisees children of the devil (John 8:39) because of their actions were to lie and murder as their Father does. Even so, Jesus died for them also. Had they received Him as in John 1:12 they also would become children of God, translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, the kingdom of His dear Son.
So God loves everyone but loves His children different.
Because, there is a relationship there.
So on to the porn stars, drug dealers, murderers, rapists and the other people who we see as the far end of the spectrum.
They are no different from the nice person that lives a nice life and even does good things but never receives Christ. Because of all have sinned and fallen short (Romans 3:23) and the wages of those sins is death (Romans 6:23)
So the problem of the porn star isn’t her lifestyle or her outrageous sins.
Her problem is that she is a sinner.
Without Christ she will go to hell like the nice moral person who never accepts Christ.
Now does He love some sinners more than others? John 8, in response to a woman caught in adultery (which was a heavy crime back then, punishable by death) Jesus tells the crowd that He who has no sin, let him throw the first stone.
In John 4, He speaks to the woman at the well who is pretty much a harlot, and she believes in Him.
And we go onto a murderer who didn’t know Christ and who opposed Christ, his name is Saul, later to become the Apostle Paul in 1Tim 1:15 he calls himself the chief of sinners and in 1Cor. 15:9 says “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” Even further in Eph 3:8 he says “though I am the very least of all the saints”
So, I suppose He does love some sinners different than others but, He doesn’t see them in the same light as we do. For some reason He gives grace to some and not to others. I don’t know why. He has chosen some before the foundation of the world to be His own. I don’t know how or why but it isn’t the severity of the sin that He chooses them from. But still until they accept Christ, they are not children and would suffer his wrath before they accepted Him. This gets into some heavy thinking stuff once you get into it. All I know is God receives glory in all His choices.
And He has that right.
Romans 9:19-23
You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory
So it sounds like some people are destined for hell, right? Well…..I don’t think that is true either. Because these same people who are vessels of wrath are included in the world that God loves. Romans 1:18-32 speaks of God’s wrath, but if you notice the wrath of God is on the living. If they die in these sins, yes hell awaits. The wrath of God is that because they do not recognize Him as God, He gives them over to these sins(v.24). And they will be fully deserving of their punishment.
But did you know their were people God was going to destroy but, he changed His mind? Actually it happened a few times. Gen.18 God decided to destroy Sodom but Abraham convinces God not to destroy it if their is 10 righteous people there. In Exodus 32:10, after Israel makes a golden calf, God tells Moses He will destroy them. Moses falls on His face before the Lord for the sake of the doomed people and verse 14 the bible says that God relented. He changed His mind.
James 2:13
……Mercy triumphs over judgment
I really believe through prayer no one is out of God’s reach. It is still ultimately their decision but, I think that through prayer God reaches out. Does God hate the sinner, as in the verses you quote? Yes, the bible says He does, but on the other hand, He still loves them. Strange isn’t it? Because Mercy DOES triumph over judgement.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
What about us? If God hates the wicked and we want to be like God, shouldn’t we hate the wicked too? Some Christians do. But the bible says God is love. Although He hates the wicked, God isn’t hate. Neither should we. God chooses love, so should we. He allows the wicked to be deserving of their fate but He also wishes and has mercy for them to come to repentance.
Mercy triumphs over judgement.
This is what God is about, and what we should be about too.
Sorry this was so long but, I was enjoying myself.
Hi Frank,
Some interesting points, thank you for taking the time to write everything out, let’s dig in!
The first point I want to clarify, is your quotation of Romans 9 and 1, and your assertion that God’s wrath is only for the living–this point is completely false, and I would like to know where your scriptural basis is coming from
Jesus was slain before the creation of the world, and his sacrifice was for all, not just those who are dead or living at a particular time
As noted below, the same standard of judgment will be used for both the living and the dead, his wrath is not selective based on whether someone is currently living in sin or someone has died in it–these are not separate cases as you can see below, and it says Jesus even went and preached to the dead (a bit of a mind-blower) because of this fact
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse
Revelation 13:8
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world
1 Peter 3:18-20
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built
1 Peter 4:6
For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit
The last two passages are important, as Jesus did not hop into a time machine to preach “to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah”, he literally went and preached to the dead!
Psalm 68:18
When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious—that you, O LORD God, might dwell there
Also, I agree that sin is sin in the eyes of God, but it is important to note that people who are going to heaven and hell will be rewarded according to the things they have done in life, so even if someone was “good” but did not accept Jesus, they are going to have a different experience in hell than someone who lived a life of perpetual sin and was given over to wickedness–not that there is a “fun” version of hell waiting for anyone, but there is a distinction of punishment/reward in eternity based on people’s lives, otherwise God would not be just as giving the same punishment or reward to all makes no sense
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books
For those who do not know God either as part of the Christian or Jewish covenant, they will be judged according to their consciences, so just because someone did not hear about God does not mean they are automatically going to hell–this is one of the biggest errors in modern Christian theology
Romans 2:12-16
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares
For the point about some people not being destined for hell, the references you cite are not relevant to your point, as God still destroyed Sodom, and because he spared the Israelites it did not mean they went to heaven or hell–God may have changed his mind in the moment about their earthly existence, but these passages give no information as to what impact his decision had on their eternal dwelling place
However, just as food for thought, God can change his mind even about those whose names are written in the book of life as well, as Jesus himself promised that those who overcome sin have his personal guarantee that their names will not be blotted out of the book of life, which shows that it is indeed possible to be removed from among those who will enter God’s eternal reward
Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Revelation 20:15
If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire
Hebrews 6:4-6
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace
Also, regarding your notion that we should not hate sinners, we are not supposed to judge people outside of the church, but speak firmly to those within, and I have not read anywhere where we are supposed to hate people outside the body of Christ that sin or reject God, disregard maybe, but not hate
Based on this, the paradox you suggest is non-existent, as trying to line up God’s behavior with ours in this particular area is something we are specifically told not to do anyways
1 Corinthians 5:12-13
What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside
Matthew 10:14-15
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town
I really enjoy your point of view, it made me think!
Yes I know it’s been awhile but……
I am sorry but I must have made myself unclear, I did not mean that God’s wrath was exclusive to the living. But, His wrath is made manifest to the living as well as to the dead. His wrath is made know to the living by the list (Romans 1:21-32) that God has given these people over to.
And God’s wrath is made know to the unrepentant dead by eternal damnation.
As for if there is a worse eternal punishment for the unrepentant moral person or the prostitute, I really don’t know, I suppose it is possible, but, I didn’t read that in the bible, although it is Dante’s inferno. But I think it is neither here or there, because eternity spent in a lake of fire where there is eternal weeping and nashing of teeth with Satan and his angels sounds as bad as it gets.
Just a comment on how I read the Old Testament when I mentioned Sodom and God almost destroying the people of Israel. The New Testament is God explained (God is Love, He is the Word made flesh, Jesus, you see Jesus you see God), the old testament reveals God’s character. God hates sin. He is holy,righteous, merciful, loving. So when I read how God spared Israel because of Moses prayer, I see God’s character as merciful, not willing that any should perish. When I see God sparing Lot and his family from Sodom because of Abraham’s prayer, I see the same qualities as well as a God who considers the prayers of His righteous. God was willing to spare Sodom if only 10 people were righteous.
So what it says to me is this, if God was willing to spare the lives of people because of His nature, He is also willing to spare people from hell because of the same nature. So while these passages did not reveal the eternal resting place of Lot or the rebellious Israelites, it reveals God’s nature of mercy and why I believe that his nature is even more willing to spare people of a worse punishment that physical death. (of course this is only found in Jesus Christ). I saw a Holy God who was willing to punish people with physical death but were spared because of the prayers of holy men, so from this I figure He is even more willing to give grace to people who deserved eternal punishment because of prayers of holy men. Because the punishment is worse. And Mercy triumphs over judgement.
So, to make it brief, when I read the OT I see God’s character and because of this I understand His actions better through them.
So I probably should have expounded more on that paragraph, I thank you for pointing out where I have not been clear, so that next time I can avoid this.
Nathan. Thank you for writing this article. Please continue to seek to please God rather than men by writing Biblical posts instead of conforming to American Christianity that sometimes only embraces doctrines that are found on popular shirts and bumper stickers. Many people who posted in opposition to your article possibly don’t read their Bibles all that much and I can tell you do. A few years ago, God set me free in a new way as a Christian and I began to really dig into Scripture and found a lot of things that the Bible teaches that were never taught in my church. The more I dug in and read commentaries and history, and biographies, etc… the more I learned about the amazing character of God. He is so much bigger than we can know, but His word is complete and good for doctrine, reproof, correction. I have to say, church history agrees with your post and so do I. Praise God for His love. So does John 14 and Hebrews 12.
Hi Eric,
Wow, your encouragement means a lot to me, I really appreciate your note, as it is a reflection someone who truly knows and understands our creator–thank you for taking the time to write
Since so much contemporary theology is born from lukewarm Christianity, we have to dig into the Word with sincerity, and an open mind, in order to accurately know the Truth
One of the biggest battles the enemy has won in today’s Christian culture is the, continued, dilution of God’s Word and the misrepresentation of his character within it through false doctrines designed to welcome people to the message and promises, but not into a relationship with the one behind them
What were some of your “light bulb” moments in the Word, I would love to know!
i have a question! in the bible it says that gay marriage is wrong but it also says that God loves everyone equally, so how does that go together?
Hi Cortney,
It is very nice to meet you
From what I have seen the Bible does not say God loves everyone equally, it says that those who live righteously are held in higher regard than those who do not
What did you think of this article, it has some good points about just that?
The Bible says that God so loved The world… you know the rest, and It also says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked an desires that all men be saved. It also says that God is just and shows no PARTIALITY
Other than that, there is no passage that says God loves everyone equally or unconditionally. Most people are shocked to here that love and unconditional never appear in the same verse anywhere in the Bible.
It is clear that God’s response to us, and enjoyment/ emotions over us (as well as his dealings with us) greatly differ depending on our response to him.
Of course the most important thing to remember as Christians is that
when quoting the Old Testament, or Old Covenant, is the imperative of
Jesus in Matthew in the New Testament, or New Covenant, to filter the
entirety of Scripture through the lens of loving God and loving everyone
else.
YES God Loves everybody equally;;; I am a gay male created by God so he loves who he has created; Why would he create me but then love me less that you?