I recently experienced a few men and women protesting outside of a concert. They held obnoxious signs in one hand and Bibles in the other, yelling unnecessary things and saying that God hated a particular crowd of people. My first thought was, I need to get out of here before a fight breaks out! But then I had a thought that nearly stopped me in the middle of the busy Atlanta street that I was crossing: Who are we, as Christians, to tell the world that God hates them?
The last time I checked, God loves all people equally - even those who do not choose to follow Him. God loves all people so much that He chose to die for the whole world. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son..." God does not just love some of the world, or just those that choose to follow Him, but God loves the whole world. So much.
Is the best way to win people to Christ really by yelling at them in disgust of their lifestyle? Who would run into the arms of God it they are told that He despises them? I wanted, so badly, to proclaim to everyone outside of that concert that I was sorry for the actions of those that were saying God hates them. I wanted to tell them all of the great love that He has for them. I want everyone that encountered this scene to hear about the God that I serve.
The God I serve loves with an incredible, agape love. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
The God I serve is a hater of sin, but not a hater of people. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:43-45
The God I serve did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17
The God I serve is not the God for perfect people, but for the imperfect people that fully rely on Him. Many people believe that you have to be perfect to be a Christian, but the Bible says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8
The God I serve calls us friend. "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known unto you." John 15:15
The God I serve is sovereign. He is still on the throne. "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37
The God I serve gives grace upon grace. "And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness..." 2 Corinthians 12:9
While I may not agree with the actions of the group of people being targeted during the rally I encountered, I do not agree with the actions that they people took in proclaiming their disgust of the lifestyle. God is forgiving, loving, and full of Grace. We are called to be the body of Christ. We must show those who do not know Jesus the great love that He gives. Yes, that means we are to hate sin, but that does not mean that we are to hate those that sin. If that were the case, would we not hate ourselves?
