How can we reconcile God's love with His hatred in Romans 9:13? Grounding Everything in the Text Romans 9:13 — “As it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” “Hated” in the Hebrew Backdrop • Quoted from Malachi 1:2–3, where “love” and “hate” stand for covenant choice and covenant rejection • Not an emotional outburst but a legal decision: bestowing inheritance on Jacob, withholding it from Esau • Scripture uses the same idiom in Luke 14:26; “hate” there contrasts priority, not raw animosity Love and Holiness Under One Roof • God is love (1 John 4:8), yet He is also “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3) • Holiness requires opposition to evil — “You hate all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:5) • Love and hatred are not competing moods but unified expressions of perfect character Election: A Display of Gracious Love • Romans 9:11 – 13: choice made “before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad” • Purpose: “God’s purpose in election might stand” (v. 11) • Ephesians 1:4 – 6 shows the same pattern: chosen “in love” to magnify grace • Love here is sovereign, particular, and undeserved; hatred is the righteous withholding of that special grace Hatred as Judicial, Not Capricious • Esau willingly despised his birthright (Genesis 25:29 – 34) • Hebrews 12:16 – 17 calls him “godless” for that choice • God’s hatred aligns with just judgment against persistent unbelief Universal Love Still Stands • John 3:16 — God’s love extends to “the world,” offering salvation • 2 Peter 3:9 — He “is patient… not wanting anyone to perish” • Differing layers of love: – Creation love (Psalm 145:9) – Salvific offer to all (John 3:16) – Covenant love toward the elect (Romans 8:29 – 39) Why Both Realities Matter for Us • Confirms God’s absolute freedom; no one can demand grace (Romans 9:20–21) • Deepens gratitude: election magnifies mercy, not merit • Warns against presumption: persistent unbelief invites righteous hatred (John 3:36) • Anchors assurance: the same love that chose Jacob now keeps every believer secure (Romans 8:38–39) Walking in the Light of This Truth • Receive the offered love by trusting Christ (Romans 10:9–10) • Rest in the stability of covenant love, not personal performance • Reflect God’s character: love righteousness, hate evil (Psalm 97:10) |
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