Does God Hate Me?

A lot of people who wear the title “Christian” as a banner to their own virtue and morality seem to be the very ones who put others off of church. Don’t get me wrong, I think we’re all a little self-righteous from time to time. I know I am. That’s just part of the human experience, but some times the most vocal individuals really lean into it.

We probably all have an example of a hateful “Christian” or at least someone who comes off as hateful. For me, the best example comes second hand from an old bible study leader. He was on mission in New Orleans and came upon a street “preacher” who was yelling at people as they passed by. He suddenly points to a young man and yells “you sir are a homosexual and God hates you!”

I like to think that this young man was completely straight and it’s a running joke between him and his friends now, but regardless of his orientation, that kind of message is really hard to see as anything other than hateful.

The question here isn’t whether or not people are terrible to one another, or even if the message the “preacher” was shouting came from a place of love or concern. The real question is, does God hate homosexuals? Does He hate anyone?

I believe the short answer is no, but the nuanced answer is kind of. Don’t rage quit here though, let me explain.

My Sin is Fine but Yours is Awful

As heterosexual Christians we like to point out that the bible calls homosexuality an abomination. That is true. What we like to pretend doesn’t exist is the numerous other verses that condemn fornication altogether. See, we like to say that it is okay for me to have sex with whoever I want whenever I want as long as they are of the opposite gender.

“I mean, its not ideal but we all mess up right? Its fine, I’m not perfect, but who is?”

We all sin, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us..” 1 John 1:8 (ESV). The Bible make it pretty clear that God doesn’t approve of lying, adultery, sex outside of marriage, theft, idolatry, greed, or a slew of other things we are all guilty of. So why do we focus on everyone else’s sin?

Because its easier for us to condemn others than it is to surrender our own desires to God. Some sin is easier to point out than others. You see two men holding hands and you can pretty safely assume they are in a same-sex relationship. It’s easy to ignore the plank in your eye when you’re focused on the couple next to you that everyone else can see.

The thing is its our job to love others and to bring Jesus to them, not to be the judge and jury. “Take up your cross” doesn’t mean we all have a hardship to bear, taking up your cross meant accepting a legal ruling of crimes punishable by death. We all have messed up and we all need the forgiveness which Jesus earned and gave to us on His cross that He did not deserve.

But Is it Sin?

I’d like to go on a side venture here for a minute. I’ve used homosexuality as an example thus far because it seems to be among the most divisive and it is something that a lot of the more outspoken "Christians" seem to condemn the hardest.

But is it a sin to be homosexual? I do not believe it is.

Now I’ve probably scandalized some of the Christians reading this, but that’s what I believe. I don’t believe that the bible specifically calls homosexuality sin- but my beliefs change, its called growth. If I’m wrong hopefully I will learn that I am and grow in my faith and knowledge.

Ok, so I don’t believe its wrong to be same-sex attracted, but I do believe that it is sin to have sex outside of marriage. Now to make more people angry, I do believe that the bible does prohibit same-sex marriage (back to the abomination verse among others).

What am I trying to say?

Okay, so I am a man who is attracted solely to women. Being attracted to a woman is fine, but if I have sex with someone who is not my wife then I have broken God's laws, I have sinned. The same is true regardless of who you are attracted to. I can’t choose who I’m attracted to and neither can you, but you can choose what you do with that attraction.

I know that it must make for a painful life to long for a relationship that you cannot have, to seek love and just not be into anyone that you’re “allowed” to be with, or worse to know who you want but it's forbidden.

To hold fast and stand strong is a kind of strength that is so amazing. I admire and have the highest respect for anyone who can do that.

So Does God Hate Me?

No, God loves you. He loved you enough that Jesus came to earth and died in our place. He loves you enough to give you free will to choose to have a relationship with Him or to go your own way. He does hate sin and until we accept that we have broken His laws and truly are worthy of whatever cost that entails and accept the forgiveness through His payment of that debt then we are odds with him.

We do have the choice to be reconciled to Him or to live without Him. The natural consequences of choosing to turn away form all the good that He offers may look like hate if you approach it with an entitled point of view.

To paint a picture of that, you’re at a party and you have enough alcohol to put down an elephant. You get in your car and you start driving home when you black out for just a moment. When you wake up your car has been flipped a half dozen times and wrapped around a tree. You survive but you’re paralyzed from the neck down.

You got hurt from following your own desires, you didn’t get hurt because someone hates you. You stepped out of the protection offered by following the law and that is what created the problem.

That is hell. Stepping out from under the protection of Gods grace to follow your own path. Its separation from God, who has given you the ability to enjoy every good thing He has to offer in eternity. The alternative is to choose something void of every good thing He offers.

So no, God doesn’t hate you but He does hate the sin that separates us from Him. He hates the decisions and the consequences, but gay, straight, murderer, liar, adulterer or whatever else you may be He loves you enough to give you a way back to Him.