Hating parents, etc.

"Steve J said... But let me ask you this. Do you really feel so much love for Jesus that it feels like you hate everyone else by comparison?"

Remember the reason for hyperbole. It is to give us contrast. I don't "hate" anyone. I deeply love my siblings, my wonderful wife, my three kids, my grandchildren and my parents. However, love for God is much deeper, and there's good reason for that. My parents didn't give me life. God did. He also gave me my wife, my brother and sister, my children, the ability to see, to think and hear, to love, to eat and to breathe. To love the gift above the Giver of those gifts is called "inordinate" affection. It is a form of idolatry. It's only right that I love the One who lavished these incredible blessings on me. However, this same gracious and kind Creator went even further. He became a human being in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and took the punishment for my many sins. He did this so that I could legally have my death-sentence commuted, and be granted the gift of everlasting life. What sort of wretched person would I be if I didn't return such love with every ounce of my being? Don't you love God for His kindness to you? See 1 Corinthians 16:22.