Hating Sin Doesn’t Mean Hating Yourself

"For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." —2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT)

For anyone who reads the Bible, it’s clear early on that God hates sin and asks Christians to do the same (1 Peter 1:16; Romans 12:9). But hate is kind of a strong word, isn't it? How much should we hate sin and how far does that hate extend?

When we feel we've failed God, it can be easy to develop a sense of shame and self-loathing. We all have to deal with regrets and learn from our mistakes.

However, unfair judgment, self-punishment, or self-hatred are NOT biblical ways to respond to sin or express hatred of our sin. To sort out our own feelings about sin, let's take a look at God's examples.

God's Response to Sin

"Tthe wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." — Romans 6:23 (NLT)

Sin is lawlessness and the opposite of our perfect God (Psalm 100:5; Proverbs 6:16-19). Sin is evil and the root cause of all calamities in this world—including murder, death, and war. God is holy and good, which means He has no sin in Him (Isaiah 6:3; 1 John 3:5). He is all the things sin is not .

Sin is all the unhealthy choices we make that ultimately hurt us or others, which is why God wants us to hate sin too (Romans 12:9; Proverbs 8:13). Without Christ, we're slaves to our sinful temptations (John 8:34). Sin separates us from God (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1).

Though sin may feel good in the moment, it can ruin our mental health, families, friendships, careers, and our existence in eternity. The penalty for unforgiven sin is eternal separation from God, which is darkness, loneliness, and torment in the absence of love (Matthew 25:41-46; Romans 6:23).

God's Response to Sinners

"God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8 (NLT)

Now, just because God hates sin, that doesn’t mean He hates everyone who sins. In fact, God loves all people (Romans 5:8). And He allowed Jesus to die for humanity's sin even while His enemies were actively working against Him.

God's mercy on sinners is seen over and over in the Bible. God was merciful to Solomon even though he's been unfaithful (1 Kings 11:13). God didn't abandon Israel while they were in captivity (Psalm 106:45; Nehemiah 9:31). He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and overflowing with steadfast love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).

Jesus showed compassion for a Samaritan woman whose life was defined by sinful behavior (John 4:1-42). He even ate with a tax collector, which, at the time, was the same as publicly dining with a dishonest politician. Tax collectors regularly stole citizens' money and aided the oppressive Roman government (Luke 19:1-10).

Responding to Our Sin

"You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked." —Psalm 97:10 (NLT)

All humans will sin—regardless of whether they're saved (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin nature, we'll continue to be tempted by sin and make unwise, unhealthy choices every day (Galatians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22). And God will often allow us to feel the natural consequences of our sinful choices.

Through Jesus, God offers us the gift of salvation from the punishment of sin (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). From the moment we accept Christ, we're forgiven of all our sins (Isaiah 43:25; 1 John 1:9), we receive the Holy Spirit to help guide us, and are honored with promises that can never be taken away.

• We're new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• We're God’s children (1 John 3:1-2).
• Our salvation is sealed by the Holy Spirit and cannot be undone (Ephesians 1:13; John 10:28-30).
• Nothing can change or separate us from God’s deep love (Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 3:18-19).

Taking Responsibility for Our Sin

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." —Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Self-punishment, self-hatred, and crippling shame are tools used by the enemy to discourage us and make us less effective Christians (Romans 8). In fact, valuing yourself as a child of God can be a form of worshipping Him (Romans 12:1-2).

God hates sin AND loves us abundantly. He wants us to do the same.

Remember that God is the judge of our sin—not ourselves (James 4:12). God may discipline His children, but He will never shame us (Hebrews 12:9-10). He decides what disciplinary measures to take and never asks us to punish ourselves.

That said, we DO have a responsibility to guard our hearts and minds and make efforts to avoid sinful behavior (1 Peter 1:15). We aren't going to be perfect at it, but a willingness and desire to TRY is what God is asking for. Growing in our faith is a process and a journey that will go on for the rest of our lives.

Living with Freedom in Christ

"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.'" —John 8:34-36 (NLT)

Once we have been forgiven of our sins through Jesus, we can experience what's called freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1). This freedom doesn't mean that we should continue to sin, but rather, it means that we no longer need to feel lasting guilt after we've been convicted of sin. We can rest in the assurance that God will forgive and restore us anytime we ask (1 John 1:9).

We can also take proactive steps to keep sin out of our lives—especially if we're struggling with depression, anxiety, or addictions like pornography, drugs, or self-injury. Proactive steps may include:

Finally, instead of focusing on a list of dos and don’ts, the most effective way to become more Christlike is by spending time with Him in Bible study and prayer. Spending time with God is the first step to “renewing your mind” (Romans 12:2) and developing a healthy understanding of both sin and yourself.

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