“God is love.”
That’s one of the most quoted verses in the Bible (1 John 4:8), and rightfully so. God’s love is powerful, unmatched, and eternal. It’s not a passive feeling or a poetic phrase, it’s who He is. His love is why we’re not condemned. His love is why He sent His Son. His love is what saves us.
But here’s the problem. We’ve ripped that truth out of its context, stripped it of its holiness, and turned it into a slogan for moral anarchy. The world now uses “God is love” to excuse sin, approve of rebellion, and muzzle anyone who dares speak of judgment. We’ve hijacked God’s love and turned it into an idol.
The Bible does say God is love. But it also says God hates.
Let that sit with you.
Psalm 5:5 says, “The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.” Not just the sin. The evildoers. That doesn’t fit in a bumper sticker or church billboard, but it’s the truth. Psalm 11:5 says the Lord’s soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Proverbs 6 lists seven things that are an abomination to Him, lying, pride, murder, false witness, stirring up division. God doesn’t just “dislike” these things. He hates them.
But here’s what most people don’t understand.
God’s hatred isn’t like ours. His hatred is pure. Holy. Just. It’s not emotional, unstable rage. It’s not some cosmic temper tantrum. His hatred is a direct result of His perfect love. Because He loves righteousness, He must hate wickedness. If God didn’t hate sin, He wouldn’t be good. He wouldn’t be loving. He’d be indifferent. And indifference in the face of evil isn’t love, it’s cowardice.
Think about this, If someone broke into your home and tried to harm your family, and you just stood there smiling because you “love everyone,” nobody would call that love. They’d call it deranged. Love always protects. Love takes a stand. Love hates what threatens what it loves.
That’s why God hates sin. Because sin is rebellion against Him. Sin destroys everything He calls good. And if you’re clinging to sin, if you’re living in it, loving it, defending it, you are setting yourself up as God’s enemy. That’s not a popular message, but I’m not trying to win a popularity contest.
Romans 9:13 says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” That’s a hard pill for many to swallow. But again, this isn’t about how we feel, this is about what’s true. God is not obligated to love everyone the same way. He’s not bound by your emotions or mine. He’s God. He gets to do what He pleases. And everything He does is right.
If you want to see how much God hates sin, look at the cross. Jesus Christ, sinless, perfect, holy, was crushed under the weight of God’s wrath for sin. Not His own. Ours. The Father poured out His hatred for sin on His own Son so that we, the guilty ones, could go free. That’s love. Real love. Not soft. Not sentimental. But bloody, sacrificial, wrath satisfying love.
And if you think that means you can live however you want, sin however you please, and just hide behind “God is love” you don’t understand the Gospel. God’s love isn’t permission to sin. It’s the very reason you should hate sin. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). Real love for God leads to real obedience.
If you’re in Christ, His wrath is gone. You’re washed, justified, and adopted. But don’t abuse grace. And if you’re not in Christ, don’t lull yourself to sleep with half-truths. Yes, God is love. But that same God will judge every unrepentant sinner in perfect, holy hatred.
Your only hope is Christ. Run to Him. Not a version of Him that just hugs and affirms you. But the real Jesus. The one who died for your sin and calls you to repent and follow Him. The one who loves you enough to save you from His own wrath.
Don’t redefine God.
Repent before Him.
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