[b][u]THE MORAL GOVERNMENT THEOLOGY PERSPECTIVE [/u][/b]

"God so loved the world" John 3:16
"God hates all workers of iniquity" Ps 5:5

This has helped me to understand how God can both love and hate the sinner, as the bible says that He does.


[b]TWO TYPES OF LOVE:[/b]

1. There is the [u]love of caring[/u] according to [u]value[/u]. You care about someone because they are valuable. This is the love of the [u]Will[/u].

2. There is the [u]love of delight[/u] or enjoyment. You can have this in regards to people, food, places, etc. In regards to having this type of love for people, it is according to the [u]character or conduct[/u]. This is the love of the [u]Emotion[/u].


[b]TWO TYPES OF HATRED:[/b]

1. There is [u]the hatred of disregarding the value[/u] of others. This hatred is manifest in lying, stealing, adultery, murderer. It is the setting aside of, or the [u]disregard of the value[/u] of others. This is the hatred of the [u]Will[/u].

2. There is [u]the hatred of disgust[/u] or abhorrance. You can have this hatred for people, places, and things. In relation to having it for people, it is in reference to their [u]character or conduct[/u]. The bible says that the righteous are an abomination to the wicked. This is the hatred of the [u]Emotion[/u].


[b]In short summary:
[/b]
- There is the love of the [i]Will[/i] according to [i]value.[/i]

- There is the love of the [i]Emotion[/i] according to [i]character.[/i]

- There is the hatred of the [i]Will[/i], disregarding [i]value.[/i]

- There is the hatred of the [i]Emotion[/i], according to [i]character.[/i]

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So then God [b]BOTH[/b] loves and hates the sinner.

God loves the sinner in that He cares about the sinner in reference to his value. (He's valuable since he was made in God's image). This is the love of the Will.

Yet God hates the sinner in that God abhors or is digusted with the sinner, not because of the sinners value but because of the sinners character or conduct. God can only emotionally delight in holiness and must abhor all that is unholy - all that is wicked is an abomination to the Lord.

Only with the Saints does God have both types of love - love the Will and love of Emotions. God wills their good because of they are valuable and God emotionally delights in them because of their character and conduct.

God has love (caring with the Will or good-will) for sinners because of their value yet hatred (emotional disgust) with sinners because of their character or conduct.

God has love (good-will) for saints because of their value and has love (emotional delight) with saints because of their character or conduct.

But the type of hatred that God [b]NEVER[/b] has is the hatred of the Will - a selfish disregard for someones value. God values all that is valuable and never selfishly sins against anothers value.