A God who loves Sinners

Psalm 139: 17-24

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand.  I awake, and I am still with you.  Oh, that you would slay the wicked, O God!  O men of blood depart from me!  They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.   Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?  And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?  I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!   And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!”

My dad was a Bible teacher, both his cousins were well known for their Ministry’s, Bill Rice had a place for the deaf and did a great work, and his brother John R. Rice was a preacher, and author of many books on the Bible and wrote a paper called, “Sword of the Lord.”  Each of these men would have given this council I believe, my dad sure did, run fast from the person who thinks they understand the vastness of God or His thoughts.  David compares them to the grains of sand, so if you can tell me the numbers of grains of sand, I might stop running.

When we examine “God hates,” we must understand what a great example is found in Psalm 5: 4-6, “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.  The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.  You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”

To even allow the thought God hates sinners into your mind is deceptive, it goes against Scripture.  Yes, He hates sin but still longs for sinners, all sinners to receive grace, to accept the love gift of His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Is that not incredible?  Yes, God has provided a way of salvation for sinners, and you better be exuberant about that kind of love, for you and me, for it is clear in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  I hope you see a God of Love, of amazing love and grace for sinners, who is to be feared, and obeyed.

“Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?  And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?  I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.”   I know that David had a heart for God, for God told us so.  I also know that it is hard to have anyone listen to me or you when we demean them, by calling them names, and despising them.  My mother often told us to love sinners but to hate their sins, she also told us not to have anything to do with them, I found that to be very confusing.  This I know I’m a saint and I sin, but when confronted by God or man about my sin, it breaks my heart that I’ve sinned and confession to God is required and often to the one I’ve sinned against.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!   And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!”

I have yet to meet a person that does not need grace, and I know this God is the source of all grace, so run to Him, He a good Father with open arms.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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