==Yes God has a general love towards all people (Matt 5:45-46). After all God loves all of His creation. However, and this is a BIG however, God has a much greater love for those who belong to Him than He does for those who are lost and will die in hell. Jesus said that the Father loves the believer just as much as He loves Jesus (Jn 17:23). God does not love everyone that way, only believers. As for Romans 5:8, let's focus on who Paul was talking to.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
Notice that Paul is talking to and about believers (the called, 1:6). This passage does not apply to those who will never come to Christ and be saved. So I don't think this passage proves that God loves all people the same way.
Does God Hate Sinners?
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by TCGreek, Jul 12, 2007.
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One of my favorite commentators on Scripture is William MacDonald. On this verse he states:
"He hates all evildoers - a truth that punctures the prevalent myth that God is all love and is therefore incapable of hatred! God's holiness demands that He punish all liars and abhor all murderers and deceivers" -pg554 (Believer's Bible Commentary). -
Martin, what does Romans 5:8 mean?
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
If God hates sinners, then Christ died for those He hates.
What is your interpretation? -
Notice again who Paul is talking about in Romans 5:8...
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Paul is talking to the believer, the one whom God has called into a relationship with Himself (Rom 8:29-30). He is not talking to those enemies of God who will remain His enemies and end up in hell. -
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Let me make another observation that will hopefully shed some light. Think about God's character and his nature. We are talking about a God who is "completely" just and yet at the same time exemplifies "true" mercy. A God who is the "Prince of Peace" and at the same time a "Man of war." A God who is "completely" holy/and righteous and at the same time was "made sin for us." A God who exemplifies self control and at the same time drove the moneychangers from the temple in anger (without sin).
So is it really out of character for Him to be able to "Love" and "Hate" sinners at the same time. We may not be able to comprehend how it is possible for him to do so, but niether can we truly comprehend any of the other examples that were given.
I hope this helps.
Max -
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Rom 6:3 Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection;
Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he who died has been justified from sin.
Rom 6:8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Rom 6:9 knowing that when Christ was raised from the dead, He dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him.
Rom 6:10 For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He lives, He lives to God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise count yourselves also to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Rom 6:13 Do not yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield yourselves to God, as one alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under Law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under grace? Let it not be!
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey; whether it is of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness.
Rom 6:17 But thanks be to our God that you were the slaves of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
Rom 6:18 Then being made free from sin, you became the slaves of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak in the manner of men because of the weakness of your flesh; for as you have yielded your members as slaves to uncleanness, and to lawless act unto lawless act, even so now yield your members as slaves to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit did you have then in those things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now, being made free from sin, and having become slaves to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Gee I thought Ps5 was a prayer of David to God against his enemies. I also thought that verse 5 referred to those enemies as continually sinning against God and not repenting which made them enemies of God and David.So I guess God does hate unrepentant sinners who separate themselves from God and God's people.Does that come out about right?:godisgood:David was asking for God's help and protection from these emenies. Verses 4-6 go togetherI believe.
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key word unrepentant
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WHY is it so hard for you to believe that God can love and hate at the same time? -
Some things are beyond our understanding, but that should'nt keep us from seeking. After all much of the adventure is the road traveled.:godisgood:
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http://www.the-highway.com/lovesinner_Gerstner.html
I found this earlier today, it an article by Dr. John Gerstner discussing this issue.
What I meant, BB, was that Paul was writing to Christians. So the 'us' in Romans 5:8 does not refer to all of man kind, but specifically to believers.
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