Does God love all people unconditionally?

[Paidion]

I also believe that God loves all people. But what do I do with the statement that He hates wicked and violent people? Does He love them as well as hate them?

Or does "hate" mean "loves less" as some affirm?

The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.(Psalm 11:5) ESV

Also:

I hated Esau (Mal 1:3, Rom 9:13)

[mattrose]

Again, I'd just say words are flexible and require nuance.

God loves all people in the sense that God desires their good
God sometimes, in the midst of THAT love, can be said to hate a person if they are working against their own good and the good of others.

I actually don't think it's as confusing as we're making it out to be. When you want to know about God, you start with Jesus (because He is the full revelation of God). Jesus died for every single human being. That is the definition of love. Did Jesus hate some of the things the pharisees were doing? Sure. But Jesus still died for them.

[robbyyoung]

Again, I'd just say words are flexible and require nuance.

God loves all people in the sense that God desires their good
God sometimes, in the midst of THAT love, can be said to hate a person if they are working against their own good and the good of others.

I actually don't think it's as confusing as we're making it out to be. When you want to know about God, you start with Jesus (because He is the full revelation of God). Jesus died for every single human being. That is the definition of love. Did Jesus hate some of the things the pharisees were doing? Sure. But Jesus still died for them.

Hi Matt,

First, God didn't say He hates "Things" people are doing. He said, He hates "THEM". Yeshua, mimics The Father. Therefore, Yeshua doesn't hate "Things" but The People who do such "Things". "Things" are not accountable to God! People are. Why would Yeshua NOT pray for The World, but only for THEM given to Him by The Father? (John 17:9). Also, the context denotes those who also extend beyond The Disciples, (John 17:20).

Clearly this is an exclusive audience! Where is Yeshua's prayer for the rest of humanity? God so loved the world, but Yeshua prayed against it, and only for those who believe?

God Bless.

[psimmond]

It seems God loves all--Jesus died for all and God extends his grace to all, but those who are in Christ are given preferential treatment.

This would seem to line up with what believers are to do. We are to love all (which is demonstrated through good works), but especially those who belong to the household of faith. Gal 6:10

[john6809]

Robby, are you saying Jesus didn't die for the Pharisees? I think it's clear that people do "things" that cause God to "hate" them. I don't think that He just hates them for the sake of hating them.

I don't know if you have children - I do. Sometimes I hate what they do but I have never hated them. I realize I am an imperfect human father and God is, well, not. But for me to hate my children would take a bigger miracle (not a good one) than I have ever experienced (aside from salvation.)

As far as the prayer Jesus says for His disciples in John 17, nowhere does He indicate that He never prayed for unbelievers. In this particular passage, He is only praying for them and only for specific things. That doesn't mean He always did so. Otherwise, did He establish a pattern we should follow? I often pray for unbelievers - not that He would keep them in His name, since they are not In His name, but that they would soon be found in His name.

God bless.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Homer]

psimmond wrote:

It seems God loves all--Jesus died for all and God extends his grace to all, but those who are in Christ are given preferential treatment.

All this is true but it doesn't address the question of whether God ever ceases to love certain (particular) persons. Is there anything in the scriptures that would prove that God, in keeping with His character, could have never stopped loving Hitler? Another way of asking this is could God ever cease to be benevolent to Hitler?

The Greek word agapao is a verb. It describes God's activity toward us and our activity in response toward God and our neighbor. I believe God superintends all creation ("not a sparrow falls....."). He is active in the life of those He loves in a special way, and providentially active in the lives of humanity in general; "the rain falls on the just and the unjust". It seems to me if agapao is an action word descriptive of God's activity toward us, and if God ceases to act on behalf of particular persons (Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc.) then God has ceased loving them in particular. "The Spirit will not contend with man forever."

It sounds like Paul prayed (or at least wished) that God's love would be with the Corinthians, and sounds like in some sense he thought it conditional (not sure what sense):

2 Corinthians 13:11-14New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11. Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13. All the saints greet you. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

[mattrose]

God IS love.

The only way for God to cease to love someone is for God to cease to exist.

Neither is logically possible.

[mattrose]

Hi Matt,

First, God didn't say He hates "Things" people are doing. He said, He hates "THEM". Yeshua, mimics The Father. Therefore, Yeshua doesn't hate "Things" but The People who do such "Things". "Things" are not accountable to God! People are. Why would Yeshua NOT pray for The World, but only for THEM given to Him by The Father? (John 17:9). Also, the context denotes those who also extend beyond The Disciples, (John 17:20).

Clearly this is an exclusive audience! Where is Yeshua's prayer for the rest of humanity? God so loved the world, but Yeshua prayed against it, and only for those who believe?

God Bless.

1. I already addressed the biblical language in my previous posts in this thread
2. Jesus NOT praying for the world in that passage doesn't prove any point anyone here is arguing. We all agree that God's relationship to the church is different than God's relationship to the lost world.

[psimmond]

mattrose,
I suspect many on this forum are here because at some point we realized the pat answers we were fed from the pulpit weren't very convincing since they often ignored verses that argued against them (or just dismissed verses by saying, "They really don't mean what they say"). So while I understand what you are saying about nuance, your argument would carry a lot more weight if you would attempt to offer proof that these words are as flexible as you claim. For example, do you know of places in scripture (or even in ancient writings) where the Greek verb agapao means something other than love?

[Homer]

"God hates the sin but loves the sinner" falls easily from our lips but is nowhere found in the scriptures. But the following is in the scriptures and must be considered as consistent with God's character, I would think:

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NASB)

16. There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

17. Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,

18. A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,

19. A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.

When John wrote "God is love" did he mean that statement to be a total summation of God's character? Where does God's holiness, wrath, and sovereignty fit in? Can all the statements about God's wrath in the scriptures be fit into the concept of love (benevolent action)?