There’s been some talk recently surrounding Jesus’s love—namely for sinners. After days of journaling and some prayer over my initial feelings, I feel compelled to continue the conversation here. Out of all the conversations circulating the internet these days, this isn’t one to be taken lightly or overlooked. Not one that merely rubs against some ideal or tertiary belief we hold. The belief that “Jesus hates sinners,” is a most dangerous one that undermines the entirety of the gospel and the truth that has the power to set us free. This is no nuance—as if it were a small detail with the ability to go unnoticed or unnamed.
John 3:16
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
Well, yes, Hallie if you want to get technical about it, I guess “God does hate sin, but love the sinner.” But there’s really nothing technical or nitpicky about this distinction. We can’t swap the words and pretend we didn’t change the entire Bible as we know it. If we as Christians do not grasp onto this one truth and cling to it with all we have, we stand for nothing and in turn offer no hope to a dark and searching world.
Heaven is filled with sinners. We are all sinners. Tim Keller once said if sin could keep us from heaven, then heaven would be empty. (And by the way it hasn’t mattered in all of history what the sin was). It is our own self-righteousness paired with the belief that we have no need of a Savior that will ultimately keep us from God. And yes, God does hate this, because it means watching the unnecessary suffering and separation from the ones he loves.
“Okay Hallie, we mean unsaved sinners—those not reaching out for redemption.”
Alright, let’s talk about that. To go on, we must first establish that the only thing that distinguishes me from the unsaved is the unfailing grace of Jesus Christ and not some pieced together righteousness I could ever fabricate on my own. Knowing this does not give me room to gloat or look down on those who have yet to find truth—who remain deceived and shackled by the lies of our common enemy. On the contrary, truly understanding this can only cultivate such a posture of humility and love towards those who are lost and deceived. After all, we were once there and would remain so if he had not first loved us.
From the very first sin committed in the Garden of Eden, a place so perfect and without need of anything outside what had already been provided –of what had already been so freely given. And yet, they did want for more and when they acted on this, God gave consequences. But then he clothed them with animal skins with the first killed animals. A sacrifice that would not have been missed by those wearing the coverings as this man and woman had named, walked with, cared, and ultimately been given the rule over said animals. Through this first sacrifice, God was communicating that’s how much people meant to him. That’s how much he loved those sinners.
To the Israelites, constantly turning away, forsaking their good God that provided and delivered them again and again despite their disdain for his teachings. Despite their worship of manmade gods. Despite putting their trust in every wrong thing. Despite their constant complaints. And did he discipline them? Did his wrath ever burn? Yes, but he never gave up on them. That’s how much he loved those sinners.
To Rahab, a woman not only outside of God’s chosen people but also a woman whose living was made through prostitution. Despite her lifestyle, she showed God’s spies kindness and mercy, extending thus her devotion and trust in God himself. And when God’s judgement reigned all around her, she and her family were spared. No matter her past, she was grafted into his story and then into his people. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To David, a true rags-to-riches story who quickly forgot where he came from and who had brought him from nothing to such great heights. So much so that he began to believe it wasn’t enough and look beyond God to things that were not permissible to him. He coveted, lied, cheated, and ultimately killed to get what he wanted. But at the reprimand of God’s prophet, David falls in surrender. And there were consequences, but God forgave him. Even went so far as to call him a man after God’s own heart. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To Jonah, receiving the scary but wonderful honor of being chosen to speak for God himself, chose disobedience. He chose instead to run and hide and forsake the calling of God because his fear was greater than his trust. Just but also gracious, God chases after him. It was a whale of a tale, but God did not let him go. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To twelve ordinary men that held no special quality nor righteousness of their own, called by Jesus to come alongside him and his mission. Before they knew truth. Before they had change. Before they showed faithfulness to his cause. Although following, they questioned and misunderstood much. But he was patient. Even when they slept during his hour of need. He stuck with them and continued to pour into them. That’s how much he loved those sinners.
To the woman at the well, married many times over but giving up on the institution of marriage, a covenant declared holy by God, she chose just to live in sin with a man. An outcast despised and rejected by all in her town, but not by one man. She went to the well at a certain hour to avoid people. To avoid judgement. Jesus, the one with the only right to judge her, does not. He met her there. Not rejected nor avoided, she was sought by him. She was invited. She was seen and although nothing in her life had yet changed, she was forgiven. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To Peter, who loved and believed, but Father help our unbelief, began to sink in the waters that God had already given him both the power and the permission to walk on. Then when it came to the darkest hour, he hid. Behind his words and flat out lies of ever having known Jesus much less his personal devotion to him, he denied Jesus. Three times over. Jesus forgave him before it even happened. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To the thief on the cross. Who lived a life unknown to us but is understood to have earned the death penalty of a criminal. He did not walk with Christ nor know him intimately as many others had. He did not know what it meant to follow Jesus nor model his life after such. But with his dying breath, he acknowledged his unworthiness and had the courage to only ask. Jesus assured him that very day he would be with Jesus in paradise. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To every single person Jesus saw, healed, treated, spoke to, served, invited, taught, and gave up heaven to be with in his ministry here on earth before there was redemption to be had. He loved them with his life before they were made clean or had even acknowledgement for a Savior. Then he gave himself to die a cruel and unjust death at their hands and for their hearts. That’s how much he loved those sinners.
To Paul, actively against everything Jesus stands for. He not only worked against the spread of Christianity, but actually persecuted and killed those who claimed it. But Jesus appeared to him anyways. At the obvious and blinding truth, Paul changed his ways and began to preach the power and the freedom of this beautiful thing called the Gospel to the very people he previously sought to destroy. While he was still actively against the causes for God, God called him out of it, forgave him, and equipped him for a new mission. That’s how much he loved that sinner.
To this girl writing these words. Unworthy of everything she’s been given. Forgiven and loved only to turn and forget truth and seek happiness elsewhere over and over again. She has been shown much provision, and yet she questions whether God’s goodness will come through this time. Despite her daily failure to live as she ought or love as she is asked, she is seen. And invited. And forgiven—even before she has asked. Before the transgressions have even occurred. That’s how much he loves this sinner.
Romans 5:6-8
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though some might be willing to die for someone who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Jesus does not hate sinners. It has been his business since the very beginning of time to love them. Actively, personally, and ultimately. No, Jesus does not hate sinners. That is what we would do if placed in his position. That is what we do when someone bumps against something we hold in high esteem. And when we are tempted to see it any differently, we need to stop and assess if perhaps somewhere along the way we ceased seeing things through the eyes of Jesus and began to perceive life through the self-righteousness of our own eyes.
Without this one truth founded on his amazing and completely unjustifiable love, the gospel holds no meaning for our hope and redemption. May we never forsake this truth to momentarily fit a cause we think is more worthy than this one. It is to see and represent the very character of God as immeasurably less than he actually is.
Jesus loves sinners. So much so that he was willing to give up heaven and die at their hands so that through his death, they may be saved from the sin that held them hostage—that held them forever separated from him.
Romans 5:19-20
“Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.”
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