Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

Posted here is an essay I wrote about a year ago. You can agree or disagree with my line of logic, but don't miss the message in the last two paragraphs. The conclusion therein was really groundbreaking for me.

If we are striving to live a Christ-like life, then our desire is to respond as Christ responded to both sinners, and to their sins. The worn-out phrase, which is not found in the Bible, is, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” Simple enough. But is this what Christ did? And if so, how and why?

Very few Christians will argue that God hates unregenerate sinners. (Except for this guy.) However, the orthodox view, and the one that is supported by the preponderance of Biblical evidence, is that everyone is a sinner, God loves everyone, therefore, God loves sinners. Why does he love sinners? Because He created us in His image to love us, and our sins (though they have ruined many things) have not thwarted His love for us. This is known because “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

So we, too, should love the sinner. We should strive to love saved sinners and unsaved sinners, just as Christ does. But does God hate our sins? It is pretty clear that He does, but why? The answer to that may be different depending on whose sins are in question: the believer’s, or the unbeliever’s?

First, why does God hate the sins of the believer? Two reasons: 1) They injure people. It is dangerous and can cause harm both to the guilty and the innocent. They distance the believer from God and threatens to strip him or her of heavenly reward, and 2) They injure God. They are what nailed Jesus to the cross, and separated Him from the Father. They do real damage to God’s glory on earth, and to the reputation of His Name.

Second, why does God hate the sins of the unbeliever? (By the word “sins” I do not include the sin of rejecting Jesus.) Certainly they are equally injurious in an earthly sense as the sins of the believer, and God hates to see the people that he loves being hurt, and hurting others. But what about #2 above? Do the sins of the unbeliever injure God? I believe the answer is no, because, although Jesus died for all mankind, His death ultimately covers only the sins of those who accept His atonement. Therefore, the unbeliever’s sins are not responsible for Jesus’ death (since no transaction occurs.) And since unbelievers do not carry His name, they do no damage to His reputation or His earthly glory when they sin.

Therefore, God hates the particular sins of unbelievers only because of the damage being done to them. And it is precisely because God loves them that He hates to see such things happen to them.

Do you think the world has noticed that we, the Church, hate their sins? Probably. We are often quite vocal about it. We make a point out of being shocked, offended or repulsed by the things unbelievers do. But if we are going to hate their sins the way God does, then we must recognize that we hate their sins not for His sake, or for our sake, but for the world’s sake. We hate their sins because we love the sinners, and we can see what their sins are doing to them. We therefore have no reason to show the world our disgust, only that we love them and we are driven to save them from the impending consequences of their sins.

If the world does not see our love for them, they will be certain that our hate for their sins is perfect evidence of our own self-righteousness. And they will be right.

Radical Grace

You are a sinner of the worst order. Your pride is off the charts, yet your insecurities drive you to insanity. You lie to improve your status, and steal to improve your bottom line. You murder the first person to question your value, and you sleep with anyone for money (either yours or theirs.) But really, you never sleep. You can’t. Your atrocities replay themselves like infinite, unquenchable echoes. Your eyes burn, and your lungs itch. Yet your pervasive obsession is gratification, not relief.

Many times you thought your darkness was complete. But now it is.

Until a soft breath touches your broken frame. Your nerves shift from numbness to pain, from pain to unease. The shadows escape. A heart beats next to yours and, through the fog of despair you begin to understand.

You’re being redeemed.

As the air clears, there rest two magnificent eyes, reflecting your own. But these are eyes of radical grace. Not of pity, or naivete. You can feel their unwavering gaze travel through your mind, through your heart, through your gut. Your hands are lifted, and you see two matching rings. You feel strength enough now to speak, but after two words, you are limp again.

“I surrender.”

There is a sharp awareness that you are now engaged to your redeemer. Love has pulled you out of darkness, and made you its own. Your unease melts away, and is replaced by a deep, deep peace.

“Will you be here tomorrow?”

“I am with you forever.”

“Wow…. Well, can I pencil you in again for this time next week? Maybe for an hour or two in the morning? We’ll do brunch! Until then, I’ve got my lifestyle to think about.”

How quickly we forget the matchless love of Christ, and the constant life it compels us to live.

Lord, have mercy.