Q: Since I was a child I’ve been told that God hates sin, and because I don’t always do what’s right, I’ve always assumed that He must hate me also. But now that I’m older I’m beginning to wonder if I’m wrong. Am I?
A: Yes, you are wrong—and I’m thankful you’re beginning to realize it! God loves you, and the greatest discovery you or anyone else can ever make is that you are deeply loved by God.
Does this mean God doesn’t hate sin? Does this mean He simply ignores it, or even laughs at it and pretends it doesn’t matter? No, not at all. But the key is to understand why He hates sin. He hates sin for many reasons—but the greatest reason is because of what it does to us. Sin is a deceiver and a destroyer, and God hates it for that reason. Just as you hate it when your child gets hurt, so in a far greater way God hates it when we hurt ourselves by our sin.
How do we know God loves us, in spite of our sins? We know it for one reason: God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us from our sins. We deserve to die because of our rebellion against God—but on the cross, all our sins were transferred to Jesus Christ, and He took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. The Bible says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).
Don’t be bound any longer by your fears. Instead, turn to Jesus Christ, thanking Him for His forgiveness and His love for you, and inviting Him to come into your life. Your life will never be the same.
