I have a question for those of you who insist God only hates the sinner, and does not love him. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,
Matthew 5
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have ? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47"If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Here's the question: If God commands us to love our enemies, is He going to hold Himself to a
lower standard towards His enemies? As I said earlier in the thread, God loves without partiality, and hates without malice. He loves the sinner for being His creation, and hates the sinner for destroying relationship with his Creator. God can do both, simultaneously and perfectly. We can't. We also can't apply our capacity for love and hate to God,
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9)