sin...

I came across it this morning in my current treadmill read...

In its simplest definition, sin is hatred of God.

--- Dr. Dan B. Allender, Bold Love

Quite a shocking definition... considering we are all sinners... even after salvation... we continue to sin...

Believers are first and foremost... commanded to love God... with all our heart... soul... mind... and strength... so how can we hate God... even when we sin...? Hate feels like such a strong word...

 So... I wonder... Is this really true...

The opposite of hate... love...

This is love for God: to obey his commands.

And his commands are not burdensome...

1 John 5:3

If loving God is obedience... and sin is disobedience... the opposite of obedience... then to sin is to hate God...?!

The author went on to say...

Sin, or hatred of God, is a defiant movement, sometimes unwitting and other times quite conscious, which refuses to depend on God for His direction and strength. In that sense, we become enemies of God whenever we seek to find satisfaction for our deepest longings apart from relationship with Him.

How often... how many times a day... do we seek solace apart from Him... intentionally... or unintentionally exclude Him from our life...?

...sin... hatred of God...

That's something to think about... meditate on...

It certainly makes me more thoughtful... about what it means... to follow Him...