Speaking the Truth in Love


This past week I stayed with a friend in Topeka, Kansas. Robert reminded me of a well-known church based in this city. Westboro Baptist Church has attracted international attention but for the wrong reasons. This small congregation regularly protests at a variety of venues such as government buildings, sporting events, rock concerts, and funerals for fallen soldiers. They hold up signs claiming God hates the USA, the military, and other things. Most members are relatives of founder Fred Phelps who died in 2014. 

Westboro Baptist Church primarily preaches against homosexuality. Instead of using a domain like westborobaptist.com, their website is “godhatesfags.com.” Yes, the Bible calls homosexuality an abomination. However, there are other things God considers abominable. Look at Proverbs 6:


16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.


One could call out Westboro Baptist Church for sowing discord among the brethren. They even protest other congregations. Robert once attended an Assembly of God church in Topeka. People from Westboro gathered outside their building with their picket signs (probably because of doctrinal disagreements). It reminded me of another independent Baptist church I encountered in Minnesota that held up signs and preached through a loudspeaker to compete with a Christian gathering.


Some believers need to remind themselves of the most quoted verse from the Bible. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Notice it doesn’t say God hated the world. Jesus died for us even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Let’s continuing reading from John chapter 3:


17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.


A Scripture used by Westboro Baptist Church to defend their preaching is Psalm 5:5 (KJV), “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” I prefer the Living Bible’s rendering of that verse, “Therefore, proud sinners will not survive your searching gaze, for how you hate their evil deeds.” God hates sin but loves the sinner.


It would also behoove members of Westboro to read this passage from Ephesians 4:


14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.


Sinners won’t repent when hearing religious folk say that God hates them. The word gospel means “good news.” Love is what draws people to Christ, not acting like modern-day Pharisees.


“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” - Romans 2:4


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