The Bible says “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” This is indicative that the standard of righteousness is too high for man. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Who can ever fulfill the law of God and become holy and pleasing in His sight? What is sin and why does God hate sin?
Sin is disobedience of the law and rebellion against God [1]. Sin is any action that harms the relationship we have with God and with other people. The law is anchored on two laws, love God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Sin violates the law of love. In this article, we explore why God hates sin.
Key Takeaways
- God hates sin because it contradicts His nature of holiness, leading to consequences like separation from Him and generational curses, but He provided a path to reconciliation through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
- Sin separates humanity from God and its wages are death, but God’s love is demonstrated through the offering of eternal life and reconciliation by faith in Jesus Christ.
- While God detests sin and disobedience, He loves humanity and desires repentance and righteousness, offering salvation and sanctification through Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Contents
Why Does God Hate Sin?
God hates sin because it is directly opposite to His nature of holiness. His holiness is what separates or is set apart God from humans. God is worshipped by angels called seraphim as “…holy, holy holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). The triple echo of the word “holy” is without parallel to the rest of the Bible. This is an indication of the superlative nature of perfection and purity of God.
Now as God’s creation and His children, He also commands us to be holy as He is Holy (Leviticus 11:44). This is the image of God that we should exemplify in our lives. We should be holy in everything that we do (1 Peter 6:15).
God shows great wrath and hatred for all sorts of wickedness, rebellion, and disobedience. The first sin that entered the world was true of Adam and Eve. God punished and cursed them for disobeying Him. One big sin caused the entire mankind to suffer from the curse and punishment.
What Does The Bible Say About God Hating Sin?
God gave His commandments, statutes, ordinances, and prophetic instructions to guide the people of God to live in righteousness and holiness. God hates sin and He has dealt with it consequentially in many ways in the history of the Bible. Let us see the gravity of God’s holy hatred in punishing sins.
Sin Brings Generational Curses And Punishment
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…
— Exodus 20:5
God hates sin to the point of punishing the children for the sins of their parents up to the fourth generation. We can observe curses walking through the family bloodline such as illness, vices, broken relationships, scarcity, and others. The scripture says:
We Cannot Inherit And Enter The Kingdom Of God In The Heavens
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
— 1 Corinthians 6:9–10
God has prepared different heavenly rewards for His children who obey and love Him until the end. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of the Father.
Sin Separates Us From God
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
— John 9:31
The Holy God turns away His face and does not listen to our prayers and worship when God sees sin in our life. In the Old Testament, Israelites offered the blood sacrifice of animals to cleanse people’s sins. Levites (priests) performed ceremonial cleansing before they can perform service or worship to God. Only priests were allowed to enter the tabernacle tent.
Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.
— Colossians 1:21
We must do the same thing when approaching God’s presence. It is by His grace that we can approach God through Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb who took away the sins of the entire mankind.
The Wage Of Sin Is Death
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 6:23
Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, and death came to all men because all have sinned (Romans 5:12). Death means separation from God. Three types of death happen to mankind when our forefather Adam sinned: spiritual death, physical death, and eternal death (second death).
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
— Revelations 21:8
The Sins Were Great And The Price Was Great
And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.
— 1 John 1:1–2 (AMP)
Jesus Christ paid the highest price to forgive all of humanity’s sins. God’s love for mankind is too great that He gave His only Son for a propitiation for our sins. Jesus took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
Does God Love Sinners But Hate Sin?
“God loves sinners but hates the sin” means God loves humanity and made a way for reconciliation. The Word of the Lord says, “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).”
God hates sinners in the way of deliberate or willful disobedience. The scripture says, “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence” (Psalm 11:5).
Like the parent-children relationship, we are enraged at our children when we find them disrespectful, disobedient, and rebellious. We might even use rods to discipline them. Just as how it is with God, He dealt with the sinful nature of man through the cross of Calvary. So that God’s hatred or wrath for sins was fully pacified.
The Lord hates sin. He does hate evil works such as deceitfulness, false witness or lying tongue, pride, the shed of innocent blood, haughty eyes, rebellious men, adulterous people, violence, and all forms of wickedness. Jesus Christ came to destroy the work of the enemy and sting of death. We have a High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses.
What Sins Does God Hate?
Proverbs 6:16–19 states that there are six things that the Lord hates and seven that are an abomination to Him:
- Haughty eyes
- Lying tongues
- Hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart that devises wicked plans
- Feet that make haste to run to evil
- A false witness who breathes out lies
- Sows discord among brothers
The Lord hates willful disobedience of God’s law and commandments. In the New Testament, Jesus gives us the clear nature of sin. For example, fornication is a sin committed in the body but Jesus teaches us when we look lustfully at a woman, sin is committed in the heart. Any act and inclinations of the carnal heart and mind which is contrary to the Spirit are the things God hates.
Summary
God does hate sin and sinners. But by His great love and compassion for humanity, He made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself. He gave His Son to atone for our sins. To show us that He loves sinners, He is patient with us. He doesn’t want anyone to perish; He wants us to come to repentance.
Since humanity falls short of the glory of God, Jesus became the fulfillment of what God requires—holiness and righteousness. Salvation becomes available for those who believe. The Holy Spirit works to sanctify us to be holy before God through our faith in Jesus. Then, we become God’s special possession, His children, and His holy nation, declaring glory to Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does God Think About Sin?
God perceives sin as a direct contradiction to His nature of holiness and purity, leading to separation and adverse consequences for humanity. He hates sin because it disrupts the relationship between Him and His creation.
What Are The Sins That God Despises?
The sins that God despises include haughty eyes, lying tongues, hands that shed innocent blood, hearts that devise wicked plans, feet that are quick to run into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who sows discord among brothers. These are indicative of willful disobedience and rebellion against His commandments and nature.
Is Sin The Enemy Of God?
Yes, sin is the enemy of God as it represents everything that is contrary to His nature of holiness, righteousness, and love. It creates a barrier between humanity and God, leading to spiritual, physical, and eternal separation.
Is God Angry With Sin?
God is indeed angry with sin because it is a manifestation of disobedience and rebellion against His laws and love. His wrath towards sin is evident through the consequences and judgments described throughout the Bible, aiming to uphold His justice and holiness.
Does God Forgive All Sins?
God does forgive all sins when there is genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’s sacrificial death and resurrection, the way was made for humanity to be forgiven, reconciled, and restored to a right relationship with God, showcasing His immense love and mercy.
