He hates with a pure hatred not a twisted emotion that you describe here.
The hate of man is based on how it relates to ME &only me, not what is good for others. God hates evil and that which pollutes and destroys good. Like the Gardener who hates weeds, what is wrong with pulling weeds? Would you advocate allowing weeds in your garden?
You miss the point, Deegan. God sees a life, a garden, a nation, a church. He saves a life, prunes a garden, exalts a nation and prevents a church from falling. Romans 14:4 makes this very clear: "....it is before his master that he stands or falls and HE WILL BE MADE TO STAND." That is His desire. Those who cannot live outside of their own desires have, indeed, received their reward IMO. They are "lost" in precisely the same way and to the same degree as that of the prodigal son ................. never suffering as outside the Family, outside the love of the Father and His acceptance. What we fail to realize in that parable is this: the Father had two "prodigal" sons ........... you focus on the one who went his own way and stand confused as you consider the remaining son. But I don't have all the answers on this, either.
Somehow, in this parable is the whole picture of story of man and his Father, I think.
Jd
