DOES GOD LOVE EVERYBODY?

May 20th | Pastor Gino

A question that sometimes comes up in Christian conversations is, “Doesn’t God love everybody?” Our impulse is usually, “Of course he does. God is love. He sent his Son that whoever believes in him should not perish, and it’s his desire that none should perish.” While this isn’t an inherently evil impulse, it may not be entirely accurate when viewed in the context of the Word of God.

Are there things God hates? One only has to look at Scripture to know that this is true. But, it’s not just evil that God hates—it's evil people. Psalm 11:5 says that the soul of the Lord hates the wicked. In Revelation 2, a group of people called the Nicolaitans are singled out as receiving God’s hatred because they seduce his people and lead them astray. There is plenty more we could say about the things that God hates.

Further reading of the Scriptures also reminds us that all people have sinned and find themselves under God’s wrath—or, we could rightly say, his hatred. So, what is to be done? Is there any hope for the things God hates? Yes, there is! And that hope is found in God’s loving disposition for his creation and his creatures in His plan of salvation for His elect people and the fallen world—the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

But let us not be short-sighted. God’s love comes to us in different ways. In His general disposition of love towards His creatures, He has made salvation possible; however, His saving and electing love only extends to those who genuinely repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. While all people receive God’s general love (Matthew 5:45), His wrath remains on those who refuse his provision of love in the gospel of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, does God love everybody? One way we could answer is by asking, “What do you mean by that?” This might provide the opportunity to share the fullness of God’s Word and the provision He offers through repentance and faith in the One who is the highest expression of His love—the One who has paid the penalty for our sin and who has been raised from the dead, so that, all who come Him may have life in His Name. This is at least one reason why the Bible was given to us, so that we could bear witness to the provision of God’s saving and electing love in Christ (John 20:31).

If you have believed the gospel and placed your faith in Christ, if you are a follower and disciple of Jesus, you can be sure of this: that God the Father has set His saving and electing love upon you for eternal joy and glory. So, rejoice, friend, again, I say rejoice! For your future and inheritance are secure in the love of God through faith in our Resurrected King! To Him be the glory forever!