Hatred and Grace

There is a universe of difference between those who are saved and those who are not. Unbelievers really do believe in God (Rom 1) they just hate Him. The unregenerate is NOT neutral toward God. Natural man in his natural state hates God. In spite of what he says or how tolerant he claims to be, he has a hatred for God. Christians, before they were saved, hated God. Until we really understand our pre-regenerate hatred we won't quite understand how amazing His grace is and how undeserving His love was toward us while we yet hated Him.

"No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Luke 16:13)

The parable of the ten minas - "But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’" (Luke 19:14) - There's the real reason fallen man hates Him... they do not want Him to reign over them

"For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed." (John 3:20) Another reason fallen man hates Him is that he doesn't want his works exposed. He wants to maintain the illusion that he is neutral.

"The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil." (John 7:7)

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." (John 15:18)

"Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’" (John 15:23-25)

(Notice all these references from the "love gospel" of John. This is the same book we get John 3:16 from. Until you understand our hatred of Him you can't truly understand His love for us.)

"...slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents.." (Rom 1:30)

In our fallen state, left to ourselves, we are haters of God! "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me."