Do Christians "Hate"?
We need to define hatred, not as the world redefines it but as God has defined it.
Today the world calls good evil and evil good, just as God said they would. And that they would exchange the truth for a lie. (1)
Hatred is fine if justified. God hates sin, we should too. If you hate people that's wrong(2), but it is another thing if you are having difficulty telling the difference between people hating this sin, and them hating the people committing the sins.
Moral disagreement isn't hate.
Warning people of God’s judgment of evil is an act of love, not hate.
What has God said on hate?
"The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers." Psalm 5:5
"The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence." Psalm 11:5
"As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9:13
"Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies." Psalm 139:21-22
"Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels." Hosea 9:15
and on and on and on...
Jesus said "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."
Once we are born again by God then we are lovers of righteousness. We do hate sin, but we hate it in ourselves. And, we believers are called to rebuke and to restore believers to fellowship by repentance over sins. We are also to love one another in the body; Church.
Christians have God's love, both that He loves us (in Jesus) and that He has given us the kind of "Love" for humans that He himself has [shown by grace, mercy, forgiveness, patience, etc].
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8
To the unsaved, we are to:
1. Forgive wrongs
* While most of these are regarding believer to believer, they can apply to our enemies.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." - Colossians 3:13
"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." - Matthew 6:14-15
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" - Matthew 18:21-22
"If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them." - Luke 17:3-4
Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37
"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." - Matthew 6:14
2. Use speech wisely
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." - Ephesians 4:29
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15
3. Reason with them
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1
"Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand." - Philippians 4:5
"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18
"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." - 1 Peter 3:15
4A. Love our others, even our enemy.
"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" - Luke 6:27
"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5:44
- "But love your enemies, and do good, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." - Luke 6:35
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." - Romans 12:10
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." - John 15:12
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." - 1 Peter 4:8
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." - Colossians 3:13
*While those 4 listed above are addressed to believers, they can and should extend that to enemies; those not born again.
"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." - Hebrews 13:16
"Love your neighbor as yourself." - Mark 12:31
- "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:21
4B. to show love to outsiders:
- And if you love those who love you, or do good only to those who do good to you why would God bless you? For even sinners do those things. Luke 6:32-36 (3)
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." - Romans 12:17-18
One way we show love is to the unsaved is to share the Gospel of Christ with them so they can be saved too. We reason with those trapped in their sin nature and tell them how to be made right with God and receive the new righteous nature He offers thru Jesus.
"And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh." - Jude 1:22-23
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Footnotes
(1): verses noted
Isaiah 5:20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness!
Romans 1:25: They exchanged the truth about God for a lie
(2) Jesus said if you hate someone you are a murderer at heart.
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a another will be subject to judgment. ...will be in danger of the fire of hell." - Jesus. Matthew 5:21-22
God sees all our thoughts, words and deeds as well as our intentions.
1 Chronicles 28:9 ... for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
1 Samuel 16:7b - "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Matthew 15:18-19 - But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts
Proverbs 15:11 - Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord— how much more do human hearts!
Psalm 139:2 - "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar."
Jeremiah 17:10 - I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind [of] each person
Psalm 44:21 - "Would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?"
Proverbs 21:2 - "A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart."
Jeremiah 11:20 - But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind
John 2:24-25 - But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what is in the heart of men.
Hebrews 4:13 - "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
(3) Paraphrased for clarity
(4) God refers to those who are not His as enemies.
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