I recently finished an interesting book – The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink. I think the best part about the book was just a small point he made and defended that I had never heard. I always love to be challenged to search the scriptures for truth. Basically he said that God does not love the reprobate. He only loves His elect. I was really quite taken aback by this statement. My first thought was wait God loves everyone but loves His elect differently. Then I begin to think and the question I have to ask myself now is what does God’s Word say about this. Does God’s Word teach what I believe?
So this past week I also started reading the book of Psalms again. I am reading it with someone and our focus is supposed to be on our prayer life. It has only been a few days but I did not garner much for my prayer life until yesterday. I did however come across many other verses that have really hit me hard especially in light of the idea above.
Psalm 5:5-6 – Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who behave wickedly. You destroy liars; the LORD despises violent and deceitful people.
So God hates all who behave wickedly.
Psalm 15:4 – He despises a reprobate, but honors the LORD’s loyal followers.
And God despises the reprobate. These are not new ideas to me but do these ideas mean that God has no love for the reprobate at all? I have trouble wrapping my mind around this.
Matthew 5:44-45 – But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If we are commanded to love our enemy so we can be like our heavenly Father, then I would have to conclude that God has some level of love for the reprobate. That verse really puts me back into a position I can agree with but I will continue to seek the truth from God’s Word. I have already moved on to a new book anyway!