“Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness” (Psalm 45:7).
The holiness and purity of God demands that He hate sin which is the direct opposite of His character. “Thou are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:13). “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).
In fact, God is very specific in His word as to what things He actually does hate.
For instance: God hates idolatry along with its wicked practices. “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth. . . . For every abomination to the LORD, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods” (Deuteronomy 16:22; 12:31).
It is also stated that God “hatest all workers of iniquity . . . the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth. . . . thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness” (Psalms 5:5; 11:5; 45:7).
Solomon writes: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look [first in the list] . . . he that soweth discord among brethren” (last in the list) (Proverbs 6:16–19).
God further states: “I hate robbery for burnt-offering. . . . For there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings. . . . And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate” (Isaiah 61:8; Hosea 9:15; Zechariah 8:17).
It is quite evident that God hates all sin. Yet He loves the sinner and is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9).When one accepts Christ, he is saved from the sin that God so hates. NPS
