βFor when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for usβ (Romans 5:6-8).
One of lifeβs greatest disappointments and injuries occurs when you offer someone your love and they trample it underfoot. They did not deserve your love; you did not deserve their hate. Likewise, we do not deserve Godβs love, yet we enjoy it; He does not deserve our hate, and yet He receives it.
βHaters of Godβ (Romans 1:30) gripe about how He was so cruel and bloodthirsty in the Old Testament. What stares them in the face is the groundwork, the predictions, of the cross of Christ, found in those ancient writings. As they mumble and grumble in total ignorance, they ignore the love that God commended toward them at Calvary. To βcommendβ means, βto offer/present as worthy of acceptance or praiseβ (similar to βrecommendβ). Howbeit, they will neither accept nor praise that love that motivated Christ Jesus to die for our sins! Since they reject Father Godβs truth and His love proclaimed therein, He will give them exactly what they prefer.
Second Thessalonians chapter 2 pronounces their impending doom, the coming of Satanβs emissary, Antichrist, the extreme depths of human wickedness: β[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.β Once they are consumed in Jesus Christβs fiery Second Coming, and swiftly ushered alive into the everlasting fires of hell, they will know that it is not God who is βunloving.β No, they were unloving in that they βreceived not the love of the truth, that they might be savedβ from such a hateful place!
Friends, hate God no longer. Come to Him by faith in His Son, and His Son alone! source
