God is not mad at you; however ...

For years I have been concluding our church services by giving a blessing which includes the words, “God is not mad at you.” I say this because of the scripture in 2 Cor. 5:19 which states, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s sins against them.” He HAS forgiven us, he DOES love us, and he will NEVER leave us or forsake us.

There is, however, another side to this coin. While God loves his sons and daughters and is not counting their sins against them, the simple truth is that God hates sin. Hates, despises, and abhors sin. Whether the sin be small or great, God hates sin.

One of the reasons is that all sin is a personal affront to God himself. “Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Thy sight ...” (Psalm 51:4a NASB). The smallest sin is committed against God Himself. There are no “victimless” sins. A holy God is, himself, the “victim” of our sin.

A second reason that God hates sin is because of what sin does to his children. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

One man said, “Sin always takes you farther than you wanted to go, makes you stay longer that you wanted to stay, and makes you pay more than you wanted to pay.”

King David feared that his sin would cause him to be cast from God’s presence and would separate him from God’s Holy Spirit.

Sin is a fatal condition that results in the death of the one who bears it. “The wages of sin is death,” St. Paul wrote. Certainly, this means spiritual death — but it may also cause the death of the emotions, relationships, family, ministry, even the death of one’s physical life.

A third reason is because what sin does to His Church. If a pastor or priest, for example, commits adultery, not only does he destroy his own life in God and bring his own ministry to ashes, but he destroys his wife, their children, the “other” woman, her husband, and all of the other couple’s children involved. The pain and shame ripples throughout both extended families and affects and destroys friendships. The same is true for the laity who commit sexual sin.

Such action causes great pain and anguish in the local church and, depending on the stature of the minister, (or layperson) may split the church, wound church members who have put their trust in their leadership, and even cause distress in entire denominations.

When the sin occurs, if it is not properly handled and dealt with seriously, it may even cause loyal and faithful people to question and lose trust and faith in their local and jurisdictional overseers. They may even lose faith in the Church and in God.

Yet another reason that God hates sin is because of what sin does to the people outside the Church who are seeking the reality of God. The hypocrisy and lawless life of professed Christians says to an unbeliever or a seeker, “My faith doesn’t affect the way I live my life. My faith is a sham, a fraud, and a lie.”

Thus, potential Christians seek “spirituality” in false religions, within themselves, or in cults — if they continue to seek at all.

In one small community, over a period of months, the local police arrested 21 men who sought to have sex with girls they believed to be in their young teen years — 12, 13 or 14. Among these alleged child predators arrested were three local ministers. The damage done within and without the Church is incalculable.

God doesn’t have to be angry with people who sin. He knows that their own attitudes and illicit actions will bring them anguish and misery in ways they cannot even imagine. God loves His people. But he hates their sin with a burning passion.

We, too, are to “hate evil” (Ps 97:10), especially the evil in our own hearts and lives. God loves you. He is not mad at you. He desires that you have an abundant life! (John 10:10).

However, He hates sin. He knows that your sin will destroy you and all that you love and hope for. As we say during Lent, “Repent — and believe the Good News.” And get back in Church.