Summer Issue 2008
1 Jul 2007
Wise King Solomon taught: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…a time to love, and a time to hate” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8). When is hating time? When is it ever okay, much less appropriate, for a Christian to hate? Isn’t hate a sin? Isn’t it always wrong for a Christian to hate?
Although you may find it hard to associate the word “hate” with God, and to use the words “God” and “hate” in the same sentence, the serious student of Scripture knows that the Bible is riddled with things that God hates. The Bible teaches us that God hates:
1. Pagan worship (Deuteronomy 12:31)
2. Images (Deuteronomy 16:22)
3. Workers of iniquity (Psalm 5:5)
4. The wicked (Psalm 11:5)
5. Those who love violence (Psalm 11:5)
6. Pride (Proverbs 6:16-17)
7. Lying (Proverbs 6:16-17)
8. Murder (Proverbs 6:16-17)
9. Wicked scheming (Proverbs 6:16-18)
10. Impetuous mischief (Proverbs 6:16-18)
11. False witness (Proverbs 6:16-19)
12. Those who sow discord among brothers (Proverbs 6:16-19)
13. Phony worship (Isaiah 1:14; Amos 5:21)
14. Robbery (Isaiah 61:8)
15. Idolatry (Jeremiah 44:1-4)
16. Evil conspiring against a neighbor (Zechariah 8:17)
17. False oaths (Zechariah 8:17)
18. Esau (Malachi 1:3; Romans 9:13)
19. Divorce (Malachi 2:16)
20. Iniquity (Hebrews 1:9)
21. The false doctrines of false teachers (Revelation 2:6, 15)
Obviously, if hate is always wrong, then God would never hate. The fact that God does hate leads us to an inevitable conclusion; namely, hate may be possessed and practiced without sinning. Granted, hate is like anger; it must be employed with care lest we sin (Ephesians 4:26). Still, it is possible to hate without sinning. Apparently, it is not only possible for Christians to be rightfully angry—righteous indignation—but also for Christians to rightfully hate—righteous detestation.
Did you know that the Bible actually commands us to hate? In Romans 12:9, we are commanded to “abhor (hate) that which is evil.” According to Proverbs 8:13, “to hate evil” is tantamount to “the fear of the Lord.” Thus, hating evil is not only appropriate, but obligatory for all true Christians.
Now, I know that hate has never been near the top of anyone’s list of Christian virtues. Furthermore, I’m not advocating that it should be. I am arguing, however, that the word “hate” should not be eliminated from the Christian vernacular. In today’s PC (politically correct) world, the very mention of the word “hate” can result in one being condemned as a hatemonger. Thus, today’s church, fearful of today’s PC police, attempts to keep itself above suspicion by refusing to bombast sin and restricting itself to the bandaging of sin’s ravaged victims.
As a case in point, consider how today’s church compassionately reaches out to AIDS victims, while failing to rage against sexual immorality and illegal intravenous drug use, the primary ways by which the AIDS virus is spread. By doing so, today’s church avoids being accused of hate crimes or hate speech, but also fails to do anything to thwart the spread of a worldwide pandemic. Since AIDS, unlike cancer and many other deadly diseases, can be eradicated by Biblical morality, the church needs to do more than just love the casualties of the disease. It also needs to hate the disease’s sinful causes and do everything in its power to persuade men to repent of their sin, which not only puts men at risk of contracting deadly viruses, but also at risk of forfeiting their immortal souls.
To do anything less than the above is to betray our mission in this world. While others may advocate distributing condoms to the sexually promiscuous and free hypodermic needles to drugs users, the church must never take part in such advocacy. If we do, we will not only be guilty of giving the world the false impression that it is possible to sin safely, but we will also be leading the world to believe that there is a viable alternative for all of those who turn their nose up at God’s Word. No, the church’s only option is to hate the sin—in both word and deed—and to love the sinner—in both word and deed.
Perhaps, nowhere is this truth planer presented in all of Scripture than in Revelation 2:6, where Jesus commends His church for “hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which [He adds] I also hate.” The Nicolaitanes were false teachers whose false doctrines were hated by Christ (Revelation 2:15). According to Jesus, He hated both “the deeds” and “doctrines” of the Nicolaitanes, but not the Nicolaitanes themselves, for whom He had died on the cross of Calvary. Therefore, Christ’s commendation of His church is predicated upon the church joining Him in both His hatred of sin—“the deeds” and “doctrines” of the Nicolaitanes—and His love of sinners—the Nicolaitanes themselves.
A contemporary example of this important truth is the need for today’s church to both love Muslims and hate Islam. Islam, a satanically inspired false religion being masterfully used by “the god of this world” to lead untold millions into Christless graves at the forfeiture of their immortal souls, should be hated by all Christians. At the same time, however, all Christians should love the Muslim people of our world. Our love for Muslims should translate into our prayers for their souls, our proclamation of the Gospel in their lands, and our ministering in Christ’s name to their needs. Only by hating the sin—the false religion—and loving the sinner—the false religion’s adherent—can we hope to see Muslims “escape from the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).
I am very much aware of the fact that today’s PC police will condemn this teaching as hate speech and me as a hatemonger. After all, any opposition to anything today is considered hatred against everyone associated with it. Hence, to hate Islam is seen as synonymous with hating Muslims. However, this well-worn, politically correct argument is easily proven absurd on its face. For instance, ask yourself this question: “Is hating diseases synonymous with hating the sick?” Obviously not; in fact, the love of the one—the sick—demands the hatred of the other—diseases. Likewise, only those who rightly hate Islam truly love Muslims.
True love for sinners necessitates a true hatred of sin. A church that is bereft of either is a church incapable of fulfilling its mission in this world, as well as an unChristlike church unworthy of Christ’s commendation. While it may elude being charged with hate crimes by today’s PC police and earn for itself the praise of today’s PC crowd, such a church will prove itself ineffectual in saving men from premature and Christless graves.
Don Walton
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