Hatred of people and the severe problem if a Christian ever feels it

[daveleau]

What does the OT say about hatred of other people?

-- Lev 19:17 " 'Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. 18 " 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

AND

--Psa 31:6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD .



What does the NT say about hatred of other people?

Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.



Which takes precedence, OT limited love, OT hatred or NT unlimited love?

Mat 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.




Ok, so we have seen that hatred is sinful and that NT passages tell us to love our enemies rather than hate them. How are we to deal with other's actions?

Rom 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.


What if we cannot love sincerely?

Mar 12:31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

If you cannot love sincerely, FIX IT! Get the hatred out of your heart. Force it out! We are not asked to love. We are not asked to love if we feel like it. We are directly COMMANDED by the LORD JESUS CHRIST to LOVE our ENEMIES. Period!


But, I what do I do until I can change my ways and untrain myself to stop hating (because hatred is learned, not natural)?

Eph 4:26 "In your anger do not sin" (or "Be Angry and do not sin) : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

(I've added both textual translations, as they both say the same thing, but are a controversial passage.) If hatred is harbored and cultured anger...and we are not to let anger last even a day...and we are not to sin in our anger, which is natural...then we should never let our anger grow into hatred.

We are to hate actions. We are never to hate people. This is plain in Scripture. An example would be that I hate the actions of those that have turn people on to hate like the Westboro Baptist Church (they misplace their hatred of the act with hatred of the people). Preaching hatred is preaching right into Satan's hands. Period. Scripture is about as far from supporting hatred as it is supporting worship of other gods.



Heavenly Father,

I know that Your Word teaches that hatred is sinful. I know that You have graciously given us Your Word for us to study. I pray that people see Your Word with clear eyes and will know that hatred is as sinful as sexual immorality, idolatry, selfish ambitions and drunkenness as You have stated in Your Word. Please dear Lord, let those who practice hatred find a new way- Your Way- as they are damaging the ability of Christianity to be spread throughout the World. As anger and hatred of others-- as judgment of others-- is identified with Christianity, it closes the ears and hearts of those before they even hear our words. They see us as Christian and close themselves off to us, because of the sins of a few who have caused the World to identify anger and hatred with Christianity in place of with Your Diving Love. Please help us to undo this damage and to correct the actions of those who have caused this sin against You, dear Father. Thank You so much for all that You do for us. Thank You for giving us a loving nature, when we desire it. Thank You for cleansing us of anger and hatred. Thank You for making us a people of love and kindness.

In Jesus name we pray,
Amen.

[Dmckay]

One of the reason, I believe, that there are so many imperatives in Scripture against hatred and for forgiving others is that hatred and bitterness carry the seeds of destruction to the human spirit. Especially for a Christian. I have seen it happen all too often that the hatred or bitternes that springs up in someone's life envetually come to control their thinking and response to other people. Allowed to grow and fester it becomes like a cancer that takes over the individual's life.

Scripture tells us that Biblical wisdon is the ability to see life's situations from G-d's perspective. When one has allowed hatred or it's fruit of bitterness to take control, one can no longer view things from G-d's point of view and all of our decisions are tainted or even vilely twisted so that they no longer reflect the image of Christ that the Holy Spirit is trying to create withn us.

I recall reading a book years ago called The Mind of Adolf Hitler. It was written by psychologists as a study for the developing OSS to give them an assessment of this character Hitler, to give them an idea of how dangerous he might be if he came into power. One of the paragraphs still haunts my memory. This report was written before Hitler came to power. One of the contributer's wrote about an incident he witnessed in Germany while Hitler was growing in popularity. He attended a showing of the Passion Play that is (was?) put on yearly in OBERAMMERGAU.

He reported that as he was sitting there watching the play he kept overhearing comments from the people which showed that in their mind's they were equating Jesus and His suffering to Hitler. When Judas left the Upper Room to go and betray Jesus a German housewife sitting next to the writer reported that she said, "There goes Hess, out to betray our Führer." His assessment was. The hatred and bitterness in the hearts of the German people has caused them to equate Hitler as their Messiah. Should this man come into power as it appears he will, I fear for the future of our world.

When I see the hatred and bitterness of the Muslim people toward the Jews and Christians, I fear for the future of our world. I know how the end will turn out, and many Christians believe that we are in the very last days, but I have read books written during the Civil War that also were sure that Jesus' return would be in their lifetiime. If Jesus should tarry, how much damage could be done by the festering hatred on both sides today?

[arunma]

Dave, you bring up many great points! I think that anger is a sin on which the church focuses far too little attention. Thank you for calling us out on it.

[rural_preacher]

Great OP. I agree with you except for this statement...

But, I what do I do until I can change my ways and untrain myself to stop hating (because hatred is learned, not natural)?


Hatred is not learned behavior. It is natural behavior (Galatians 5:19-21). Love is supernatural behavior that is produced in the believer by the power and grace of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).

It is completely natural to hate that to which one is opposed. It is an act of God in and through us to love even those we would naturally hate.

We do not untrain ourselves to hate, nor do we train ourselves to love. We humbly submit to God who produces His righteousness in us according to His perfect grace.

The Christian life is not behavioral modification, it is spiritual transformation (Romans 12:1-2).


Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.




-

[daveleau]

I agree that hatred is not from God, and that love is from God. I see hatred as anger that is allowed to foster, hence why I see it as a learned behavior. I do agree that "untrain" could be a poor choice of words. It would be better to say that we should let God reign with love in our lives. That is more accurate and more Scriptural. Thank you! Hatred of people is born from a sinful nature. We need to let go of our sinful natures and let God reign in our entire lives. Holding onto hatred is holding onto sin, and keeping God from reigning in that part of our life.

[mlqurgw]

I agree that hatred is not from God, and that love is from God. I see hatred as anger that is allowed to foster, hence why I see it as a learned behavior. I do agree that "untrain" could be a poor choice of words. It would be better to say that we should let God reign with love in our lives. That is more accurate and more Scriptural. Thank you! Hatred of people is born from a sinful nature. We need to let go of our sinful natures and let God reign in our entire lives. Holding onto hatred is holding onto sin, and keeping God from reigning in that part of our life.It is agreed that hatred in men is always sinful because man hates arbtrarily. But I must ask if there is a righteous hatred? The psalmist said, by the inspiration of God,

Psa 139:21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Psa 139:22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

[rural_preacher]

We also need to be careful to make a distinction between our natural, sinful anger and God's holy, righteous anger.

You are right that our natural anger will lead to hate if we allow it to grow. But I believe that if we are walking in step with the Spirit of God, we will have an appropriate type of anger toward sin and worldliness. Of course, that anger is not directed toward people; rather, it is directed toward the sin and worldliness itself. I also believe that Godly anger actually leads us toward Godly love. We acquire God's burden for the souls of lost people which drives us to love them with His love and reach out to them with the Gospel.

Unfortunately, we see far too much of the natural anger being expressed in professing believers and that does horrible damage to the witness of the Gospel.

Lord, may we humbly submit our every thought and emotion to You for your sancfication and cleansing so that we might think with the mind of Christ.


-

[arunma]

It is agreed that hatred in men is always sinful because man hates arbtrarily. But I must ask if there is a righteous hatred? The psalmist said, by the inspiration of God,

Psa 139:21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
Psa 139:22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.


I'm certainly not as far in my faith as you, but I do have an opinion on this.

Adam Clarke's commentary helps me to understand verse 21:
Do not I hate them - I hold their conduct in abomination.
There certainly is such a thing as righteous hatred. But it seems to me that we should hate the deeds of the sinner, and not the sinner himself. Paul said:
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (Romans 12:9)
I find it interesting that love and hate are mentioned side-by-side. It seems to me that if we are to genuinely love a sinner, then we must hate the sinner's deeds. We know that we too are sinners, that we are saved by grace, and that the sinner's actions will condemn him to hell. So it would be hateful of us to do anything but hate the sins of others. At the same time, we must be careful to love the sinner, and to display that love in a very real way.

And certainly this is not easy. Right now on the non-Christian religions forum, a couple of Hindus are both offended and perplexed when I say that Christians should love Hindus, and despise their false religion. They don't see the distinction between loving the person, and hating the sin of practicing Hinduism. Apparently, the idea of loving sinners and hating sin is foreign to the world.

[mlqurgw]

I'm certainly not as far in my faith as you, but I do have an opinion on this.


Adam Clarke's commentary helps me to understand verse 21:Do not I hate them - I hold their conduct in abomination.

There certainly is such a thing as righteous hatred. But it seems to me that we should hate the deeds of the sinner, and not the sinner himself. Paul said:Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

I find it interesting that love and hate are mentioned side-by-side. It seems to me that if we are to genuinely love a sinner, then we must hate the sinner's deeds. We know that we too are sinners, that we are saved by grace, and that the sinner's actions will condemn him to hell. So it would be hateful of us to do anything but hate the sins of others. At the same time, we must be careful to love the sinner, and to display that love in a very real way.

And certainly this is not easy. Right now on the non-Christian religions forum, a couple of Hindus are both offended and perplexed when I say that Christians should love Hindus, and despise their false religion. They don't see the distinction between loving the person, and hating the sin of practicing Hinduism. Apparently, the idea of loving sinners and hating sin is foreign to the world.It isn't my intention to turn this into a debate. I honestly believe there is much more involved though than we might see at first glance. Actually we are told to love our enemies but never are we told to love God's enemies. I also have never seen in the Scriptures a passage that says we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. Love of our brothers and sisters, we are told, is how it is seen that we are Christ's. John 13:34,35 At the same time love for the unbelieving is what inspires us to preach the Gospel. So are we to love them and hate them at the same time? I think the answer lies in just exactly what you said. Recognizing that we are just like them, sinners, we ought never to look down our noses at them but desire the best for them, which is faith in Christ. Still there are those who show themselves to be enemies of God and reject everything which God says concerning themselves and Him. We may show love to them by speaking the truth to them but if they continue to show themselves as enemies of God we are to have nothing more to do with them. It is possible to hate without being malicious toward them. Certainly not easy as we are too filled with pride and feel that they have rejected us rather than God.

[arunma]

It isn't my intention to turn this into a debate. I honestly believe there is much more involved though than we might see at first glance. Actually we are told to love our enemies but never are we told to love God's enemies. I also have never seen in the Scriptures a passage that says we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. Love of our brothers and sisters, we are told, is how it is seen that we are Christ's. John 13:34,35 At the same time love for the unbelieving is what inspires us to preach the Gospel. So are we to love them and hate them at the same time? I think the answer lies in just exactly what you said. Recognizing that we are just like them, sinners, we ought never to look down our noses at them but desire the best for them, which is faith in Christ. Still there are those who show themselves to be enemies of God and reject everything which God says concerning themselves and Him. We may show love to them by speaking the truth to them but if they continue to show themselves as enemies of God we are to have nothing more to do with them. It is possible to hate without being malicious toward them. Certainly not easy as we are too filled with pride and feel that they have rejected us rather than God.

So if I understand your point, it is that we are not to love God's enemies? I suppose I can respond to that by pointing out that if we are God's people, then God's enemies are our enemies as well, and therefore we are required to love them. Furthermore, remember that it says:
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18)
If we are to live peaceably with all, then I'm not sure how we can hate them. The rule of "love the sinner, hate the sin" probably is derived from Romans 12:9, which I quoted earlier. When you mentioned people who reject God, perhaps you had this in mind:
And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them. (St. Mark 6:11)
But I think you underscored my point perfectly when you said, "Certainly not easy as we are too filled with pride and feel that they have rejected us rather than God." How often do all of us hypocritically claim to hate someone because of his sin, but really hate him because he has insulted us (as opposed to God)? This is rarely the case.

One other question. I think everyone here agrees that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, but who are those brothers and sisters? Does this include Catholics? Does it include "liberals?" I say this because on many occasions on this and other forums, as well as on Christian television stations, I have seen people rail against liberal Christians (in contradiction to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10), express hatred towards them, and excuse it on the grounds that these people are servants of the devil. I have seen this same hatred expressed against Christians who vote Democrat (or sometimes Republican), who believe in certain theological distinctives such as Calvinism and Arminianism, and I have seen it expressed between theologically conservative Christians of different denominations.

Now, I don't approve of liberal Christianity anymore than the next person on this forum. But if we start diminishing the definion of a brother in Christ, so as to include only people who agree with us, then of what use is Christ's teaching? I am concerned that many Christians will lose their inheritence in the Kingdom of God by committing the sin of reviling, because the Bible says that this is a very real possibility. What are we to do about this?

[arunma]

Mlqurgw, one other thought that comes to my mind. It says:
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Now if God shows love to his enemies by dying for them, then it seems to me that we too should show love for God's enemies. I think that when you say that we should "hate" God's enemies, perhaps you are really trying to say that there are some people with whom we simply should not associate. And I would certainly agree with that. But I do not think the Bible says that we should stop loving them, even with our outward signs. On the contrary, I think the Bible says that we should let God avenge himself. Do you agree?

[mlqurgw]

Mlqurgw, one other thought that comes to my mind. It says:But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Now if God shows love to his enemies by dying for them, then it seems to me that we too should show love for God's enemies. I think that when you say that we should "hate" God's enemies, perhaps you are really trying to say that there are some people with whom we simply should not associate. And I would certainly agree with that. But I do not think the Bible says that we should stop loving them, even with our outward signs. On the contrary, I think the Bible says that we should let God avenge himself. Do you agree?I should probalbly point out so you don't misunderstand my views that I do not believe God loves all men. I believe He loves His elect and gives no consideration to the others except as they serve His purposes toward them. His acts of longsuffering towards them are simply for the purpose of doing good to those that are His. Given that I believe that when He says that while we were yet sinners He is talking about the elect. We are sinners and Christ did die for us. That is why He has brought us to the point of faith imn Him.

As I said, I do not think we are to be malicious toward them or to look down our noses toward them. Except by the grace of God we would be just like them. We ought never forget that. I do think we are to behave honestly with all men and if we have given them the truth we are to leave them in the hands of God. Still Paul tells us that those who, in the guise of being brothers, seek to desroy the truth of God we are to oppose them with vehemence. Many consider that hate and it may be.

[arunma]

I should probalbly point out so you don't misunderstand my views that I do not believe God loves all men. I believe He loves His elect and gives no consideration to the others except as they serve His purposes toward them. His acts of longsuffering towards them are simply for the purpose of doing good to those that are His. Given that I believe that when He says that while we were yet sinners He is talking about the elect. We are sinners and Christ did die for us. That is why He has brought us to the point of faith imn Him.

This is also what I believe. But I tried to write my argument in a way such that a non-Calvinist would also have no trouble with it. Now from a Calvinistic perspective, remember that we do not know which unbelievers are elected to salvation. Therefore, should we not love them all?

[mlqurgw]

This is also what I believe. But I tried to write my argument in a way such that a non-Calvinist would also have no trouble with it. Now from a Calvinistic perspective, remember that we do not know which unbelievers are elected to salvation. Therefore, should we not love them all?We should love them by doing everthing that God gives us oppurtunity and ability to do to see that all hear the Gospel.

[ZiSunka]

Define hatred.

[daveleau]

From Webster's 1812 (the dictionary intended to be a companion to the KJV and based on 1611 definitions):
HA'TRED, n. Great dislike or aversion; hate; enmity. Hatred is an aversion to evil, and may spring from utter disapprobation, as the hatred of vice or meanness; or it may spring from offenses or injuries done by fellow men, or from envy or jealousy, in which case it is usually accompanied with malevolence or malignity. Extreme hatred is abhorrence or detestation.

From a current dictionary (dictionary.com):
1) Intense animosity or hostility.
2) n : the emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action [syn: hate] [ant: love]*
3) among the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). Altogether different is the meaning of
the word in Deut. 21:15; Matt. 6:24; Luke 14:26; Rom. 9:13, where it denotes
only a less degree of love. (From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary)

*note that it defines hatred as an antonym of love

- It's good to see dictionary.com using biblical definitions! Very cool!

[ZiSunka]

I'm not a KJV person myself.

Has anyone here NEVER felt hate? Anyone?

[JPPT1974]

I probably have felt more hate on anybody than I have ever felt before
Just because I am a Christian doesn't mean I am a human being
But that isn't what the Lord wants me to do
As He will take care of me as well as the person I despise!

[ZiSunka]

2) n : the emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action [syn: hate] [ant: love]*

This part isn't in websters. It isn't the definition I used when I posted that I felt hate. Condemn me if you will, but this is an inaccurate definition. Hate doesn't demand action.

Websters also doesn't reference any scripture. Isn't that interesting that a dictionary would reference scripture in its definitions? Doesn't seem like a dictionary so much as a Bible commentary.

[daveleau]

I'm not a KJV person myself.


I'm not a KJV person either...I like multiple versions. :thumbsup:

Has anyone here NEVER felt hate? Anyone?


Raises hand quickly!!! :)

I felt it many times in the past. I will also be the first to admit that I am a sinner. I am extremely fallible. My brother was betrayed by his wife's family many times, and I hated them for it. But, that was at a time when I was out of fellowship with God. I wasn't attending church, and was in college where I did a lot of stuff I shouldn't have. And equally problematic- sins of omission- I have forgotten to pray, disregarded God's guidance, not sought out God's will first and not studied Scripture when I knew I should. But, God has healed me and forgiven me. I no longer feel hatred because of God's love for me and because of my knowing that is wrong because of Scripture's guidance regarding hatred. I get angry, but I don't let it fester into a personal hatred.

I DO hate actions, but I don't let it translate into a hatred of people. I see people commiting vial acts against God (making them an enemy), but I still follow my commandment to love them. I witness through love instead of hate.

Don't get me wrong...I still sin. I have gotten rid of the overt obvious sins listed above, but I still slip up. ...especially with sins of omission.

[daveleau]

2) n : the emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action [syn: hate] [ant: love]*

This part isn't in websters. It isn't the definition I used when I posted that I felt hate. Condemn me if you will, but this is an inaccurate definition. Hate doesn't demand action.

Websters also doesn't reference any scripture. Isn't that interesting that a dictionary would reference scripture in its definitions? Doesn't seem like a dictionary so much as a Bible commentary.


I go to dictionary.com first because that's what I put in my quicklink bar. :) I do agree that "demands action" is not necessarily a part of hatred. That definition was from dictionary.com.

www.m-w.com (Webster's) gives this:
1) HATE (a link to the def for Hate)
2 : prejudiced hostility or animosity <old racial prejudices and national hatreds -- Peter Thomson>

For Hate, m-w.com gives this:
1 a : intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury b : extreme dislike or antipathy : LOATHING <had a great hate of hard work>
2 : an object of hatred <a generation whose finest hate had been big business -- F. L. Paxson>

[ZiSunka]

The last one is the definition I posted in the Phelps thread, the one that got deleted. It is the definition I was using when I said I hated Phelps. No action, no evil, just a human emotion. I admit I am not perfect, but even God hates some people:

Psalms 5:5 (http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=ps+5:5&version=nkj&st=1&sd=1&new=1&showtools=1) - The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

He doesn't just hate their sin, he hates them. Workers are people, and God hates people who work iniquity. Fred Phelps certainly does work iniquity. So by hating Fred Phelps, I was imitating God, in my limited human way.

Psalms 139:17-24 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. 19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. F103 (http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?passage=ps+139:22&version=nkj&context=1&showtools=1#F103) 21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

David is begging God to search him for signs of sin--immediately after he says he hates some people with a perfect hatred! Those who rise up against God and those who loath the Lord and those who take His name in vain. Is there anyone who takes the Lord's name in vain more than Fred Phelps?

[daveleau]

My dear sister,

Jesus references this verse in Matthew 5:43, when He says "you have heard 'love you neighbor and hate your enemy', but I say love your enemy" (paraphrase). I think Jesus corrects or fulfills David's statements here.

As for workers of iniquity, what is considered iniquity? Is all sin work of iniquity? How do we know who is full of works of iniquity enough to judge them as God has? Can we judge others? I don't think we can because of Matt 7:1. I think we cannot emulate God in this, unless we are given special revelation regarding a person. God hates those who do not love Him. This is His right. I do not think we can emulate this because we cannot judge.

We are all sinners. Me, you, the guy next door, everyone who has ever lived, except for Jesus. Romans 10:3 says this. It only takes one sin to get us condemned by God. We can miss this judgment by accepting Christ. But, we all still sin, even after salvation. Is Fred Phelps saved? I don't know. Is he a sinner. Absolutely. But so are we. So, we have no standing to judge or to hate. We must love, as we are commanded to do. If we return his hatred with our own hatred, we lose the battle right there.

In kindness,
Dave

[ZiSunka]

It's hopeless dave. You are never going to understand because you are stuck in modern American Christian marketing thinking where God loves everyone (not a Biblical concept by the way) and it is impossible to hate and love at the same time.

Good night and God bless.

[daveleau]

You say we are allowed to hate people, but in believing that these verses must be reconciled to that belief:
Matthew 5:43
Galatians 5:19
Romans 12:9 and 10
Mark 12:31
Ephesians 4:26.
Please help me understand why I am misunderstanding these Scriptures, which seem to me to be telling us not to hate other people.

How do two people take Scripture and support two opposing sides of an argument? One of us is wrong. If I am wrong, I will relent and change my ways. But, I need you to address and convince me of why these verses are wrong in their statements against hating other people, first. Please help me understand your position.

[ZiSunka]

Why does it have to be that one of us is wrong?

Why do you assume we are on opposing sides of the issue?

The Bible says to love our enemies. The Bible doesn't say NOT to hate God's enemies. It is possible to love and hate someone at the same time, to hate them and still act in a loving way toward them. All humans hate at some time in their lives, and God himself has told us that He hates some people and that we should hate those people, too. It doesn't mean hate has to persist forever. Pretending not to hate someone we hate just leads to the breeding of more hate. The healthier thing to do is to confess our hate and deal with it in a constructive manner.

That is my position in a nutshell.

[MrJim]

While in the Marine Corps-and there were plenty of Christians there-we were taught to hate the enemy. We were taught to dehumanize them and to kill them and to enjoy doing it. Don't know how the Christians did it-I wasn't one while in there-but looking back on it I can see it was a wrong approach. Some will say it isn't hating when you shoot someone, or stuff a knife in their chest, just "duty" but love is as love does, and hate is as hate does. Sounds corny but WWJD?

[daveleau]

Galatians 5:19-21
Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Gal 5:20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
Gal 5:21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.


This is why they are not mutually exclusive. This is why we cannot hate people. They are "obvious acts of a sinful nature." God's Words, not mine.

Hatred is inconsistent with: Eph 4: 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We are called to forgiveness. Hatred is the lack of forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive and hate. It is impossible to love and hate. You can love the person and hate the act, but that's as far as it goes.

[Flynmonkie]

:mad: ;) A few thoughts to add:

Psalm 30:5
5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Ephesians 4:29
29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Matthew 18:15
15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Galatians 2:11-14
11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?


Sometimes things should be said, but in those times I think why am I saying this? Is it self-serving or God serving? Do I have an accurate view of the others level of learning and understanding etc..

Psalm 7:11
11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Mark 3:5
5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Anger is a God given emotion, It spurs us on when we know something s not right. But it is the type of anger (what it is directed at and for) that is the issue to me. And of course we are not God, so God dealing with anger with the wicked and our anger should be two different things (judgment and anger in combination). For instance, It makes me angry when I see others persecuted, or when I see others falling into a pattern of spiritual warfare against others or causing confusion in their walk -- I will do whatever in my power to stop it, but IF IT BE AT ALL POSSIBLE I am taught to get along with ALL men, but we are also told, this might not happen – but as much lies within US we should make it happen!

Here is a pretty good run down on this thought but I think that the word judgment should be explained more in this. But Generally I think it is a good overview..IMHCO

http://www.gotquestions.org/anger.html
:)

[mlqurgw]

You say we are allowed to hate people, but in believing that these verses must be reconciled to that belief:
Matthew 5:43
Galatians 5:19
Romans 12:9 and 10
Mark 12:31
Ephesians 4:26.
Please help me understand why I am misunderstanding these Scriptures, which seem to me to be telling us not to hate other people.

How do two people take Scripture and support two opposing sides of an argument? One of us is wrong. If I am wrong, I will relent and change my ways. But, I need you to address and convince me of why these verses are wrong in their statements against hating other people, first. Please help me understand your position.I do appreciate your desire to live as you believe you should. I have no problem with you showing love in whatever manner and to whomever you believe you should. I certainly wouldn't try to talk you out of loving those you believe you should love.

At the same time I do have an answer for each passage you gave in its context and which I believe supports the concept of hate as described by me and others. I only hesitate to give them because I do not want to be accused of advocating hatred. By all means love with everything that is in you. But understand that there are those of us who do believe there is a Biblical and righteous hatred. Honestly it is an argument that nobody wins.

[Flynmonkie]

But understand that there are those of us who do believe there is a Biblical and righteous hatred.

:wave: If you change that from hatred to anger - in this context - I can agree. But there is no room for righteous indignation (judging others heart condition) in the Bible.

Yes, we can be angry --- but do not sin. (This is where it gets tricky for most)
Yes we CAN HATE sin – but not the sinner. By hating a sinner, we are loosing the aspect of reverence of why WE are acceptable sinners in His sight. It is GODS job to judge the heart. Yes, we are judges, however there are some things I believe God reserves for Himself – Hating someone for sinning generally is not our responsibility. IMHCO :)

[arunma]

:wave: If you change that from hatred to anger - in this context - I can agree. But there is no room for righteous indignation (judging others heart condition) in the Bible.

Yes, we can be angry --- but do not sin. (This is where it gets tricky for most)
Yes we CAN HATE sin – but not the sinner. By hating a sinner, we are loosing the aspect of reverence of why WE are acceptable sinners in His sight. It is GODS job to judge the heart. Yes, we are judges, however there are some things I believe God reserves for Himself – Hating someone for sinning generally is not our responsibility. IMHCO :)

What she said.