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Come And See |
The Bible Says: Hatred By Mark Hatfield Part 12 One of the greatest problems in the area of social relations today is the attitude and actions that come from hatred. When God calls His created people to love one another, we live in a world of ill feelings and sinful works that sprout from hateful feelings. While hatred usually carries a negative connotation, there is certainly a “time for hate” Ecclesiastes 3:8. What we must do, is see that the Bible describes a proper and improper hatred, and then be able to make a sincere effort to be true to the application of God’s word. Improper Hatred Hatred Toward Others The Bible is full of exhortations to love one another, and yet it despises the hatred of others. John wrote by inspiration, “He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” (I John 2:9) To hate is to abide in darkness, and to abide in darkness, is to hate the light (the Lord) (John 3:19). John continued in His epistle to say, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (I John 4:20). Hatred Of Knowledge God has given to each of us the ability to know His will through the inspired word of God, yet there are some who hate the knowledge of the truth. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 1:22, that , “fools hate knowledge”. Jesus even said that one who hears His words and does not do them in just like a fool (Matthew 7:24-27) God’s will is that we come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved (I Timothy 2:4). To hate knowledge is but to render one’s self unworthy of salvation. Hatred Of The Lord The Lord wants His people to love and serve Him yet there are those that hate the Lord and would serve another. Jesus said it this way, “No man can serve to master’s: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24) Therefore to serve any one but the Lord is to hate the Lord. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Proper Hatred Hatred Of Evil Ways The psalmist said, “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). When we hate the same things that the Lord does, we are completing His commands. Solomon recorded in the book of Proverbs, “These six things doth the Lord hate…A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” Proverbs 6:16-19) If God hates evil then those who are His people should do the same. As a matter of a fact it is taught in Proverbs 8:13 that, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” If we do not hate evil, then we cannot truly say that we reverence God. For example, what if a church decided to change God’s way of worship in the assembly of the saints? What should our response be? How about the same response that God would give. In Amos 5:21-26 the Lord said that he would no longer accept the offerings or songs of His people on account of their unfaithfulness in keeping His word. Since a transgression of God’s law is sin (I John 3:4) then we must not agree with nor associate with those who refuse to keep God’s commands. Hatred Of False Priorities The life of a godly person is one that is in order spiritually. Jesus taught, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…”, and that the first and greatest commandment was to, “love the Lord thy God” (Matthew 6:33; Mark 12:30). Jesus wants us to remove any stumbling block that may be in our way of serving Him. One man was told, “If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26) We know that we are to honor are father and mother, and a man must love his wife and children etc., but what is Jesus teaching…he must be first (See also John 12:25) Before one is a follower of God they don’t have their priorities straight and may need to put away anger, accepting the love of God that was shown in the giving of His Son on the cross. (Titus 3:3) What about you? Can we assist you in obeying the gospel, or repenting of some sin in your life? Be sure to hate every evil way and come to the Lord today? (Zechariah 8:16-17) |
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