2008-04-01

check "yes" or "no" (part 2)

I know that God loves everyone, but does God not like anyone?

2 comments:

Allison said...

Proverbs 6:16-19...Malachi 1: 2&3

TSHarrison said...

I think I know where you going with these verses, but just in case... is that a "yes"?
A couple of thoughts about these scriptures, which hopefully come across more as a dialogue than an arguement. Because honestly this is something I've been thinking about with some other people, and these some of the exact verses that flashed to my mind for the "yes" side of the issue.

First Proverbs 6:16-19
While this text definitely displays God's hatred towards these 7 things, is it saying that God dislikes the people who displays these behaviors? I think there is a difference between "loving the sinner - hating the sin" vs. "loving someone but not liking them."

Second Malachi 1:2-3
Is this text actually saying that the God of love hated Esau? We know that God hates sin and the effects of sin. But wouldn't the teaching of 1 John 2:9-11 then be contradictory? I think God's love/hate relationship with Jacob and Esau isn't saying that God hated Esau. Rather I think the hate spoken of here is only in light of how much God loved Jacob. God's love for Jacob was so great that in comparision His love for Esau seemed like hate. Much like when Jesus tell us to hate our mom and dad, wife and children, and brothers and sisters.

So I'm assuming God not only loves us but actually likes us. And if we are to love like God loves then we have to actually like those we love. Loving someone just not liking them isn't a valid excuse anymore.

Thoughts?