Things Christians Must Hate

Some mistakenly believe that Christians must not hate! To a degree, they are right! Christians are not to be hostile, cruel, unkind or rude to others. To do so, is to be hateful, which violates plain passages of scripture (Eph. 4:32; 1 Cor. 13:4; Col. 3:12-14; 2 Pet. 1:7).

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word hate in the noun form as: “(1) a: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury; b: extreme dislike or antipathy. (2) An object of hatred.”

The verb form of the word is defined this way: “(1) To feel extreme enmity toward – hates his country’s enemies (2) To have a strong aversion to: find very distasteful – hated to have to meet strangers – hate hypocrisy; intransitive senses: to express or feel extreme enmity or active hostility.”

But, what must a Christian hate? Let us go to God’s Word to find out! Consider these passages: (1) “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 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” (Prov. 6:16-19). To be Godly, we must hate these six things and cast these out of our own lives, especially!

(2) The prophet Amos wrote, “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:14, 15).

(3) The Psalmist David wrote, “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:104); “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psa. 119:128). The word of God forever establishes what is evil and what is good; what is right and what is wrong. Man is not the standard (cf. Isa. 55:8, 9).

(4) “I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love” (Psa. 119:113). Let our thoughts be as the apostle Paul commanded: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

(5) “I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love” (Psa.119:163). Of liars, the apostle John wrote, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). Numerous New Testament passages condemn lying (cf. Acts 5:1-11; Jn. 8:44; Rom. 1:25; Col. 3:9; Rev. 22:15).

(6) “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward (perverted-tgm) mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:13). Consider the parable of the proud Pharisee of Luke 18:9-14 (cf. Matt. 18:1-6). Peter wrote, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:5-7). Consider James’ teaching on the tongue in James 3.

(7) “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD” (Zech. 8:17). A Christian is to love his neighbor as Christ so taught the lawyer in the parable of the good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37). Also, evil surmisings are condemned (cf. 1 Tim. 6:3, 4).

(8) “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity” (Psa. 5:5). Concerning the Son of God, the Hebrew writer wrote, “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9). Iniquity is lawlessness! Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 Jn. 3:4). All unrighteousness is sin (1 Jn. 5:17). Iniquity includes any and all religious error (Matt. 7:21-23).

(9) Of our loved ones and our own selves, Jesus taught, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (Jn. 12:25). In Luke 14:26 Jesus also said, “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.” The word “hate” in these passages has the meaning, to love less. Hence, we must seek God first and lay aside our will and the will of those so dear to us (cf. Lk. 10:27)!

(10) To the Church at Ephesus, John the revelator wrote, “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate” (Rev. 2:6). Whatever the “deeds of the Nicolaitanes” were, the apostle John revealed that the Lord hated their deeds as well! We must do only righteous deeds and shun all evil deeds (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1-3; Col. 3:17; Jas. 1:25; 1 Jn. 3:18, 19). Let us “hate the evil and love the good,” as God does!

Conclusion: Now, can a Christian hate? Yes! We must hate? Yea verily! We must hate all that the Lord hates and love all that He loves in order to be His disciples! – tgmc 

The “New Hermeneutic”
By Larry Ray Hafley

The “new hermeneutic” is applied to those who do not wish to be limited by “book, chapter, and verse” (Isa. 8:20; 1 Cor. 4:6; 14:37; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:13; 1 Pet. 4:11; Jude 3). Those who reject “command, apostolic example, and necessary inference” are not of the New Testament, but of the “new hermeneutic” (Matt. 28:20; Acts 15:7-24; 1 Cor. 4:17; 11:1, 2, 23f; 16:1, 2; Phil. 3:16, 17; 4:9; Heb. 7:11-14). In short, those of the “new hermeneutic” are they who clamor for work and worship unknown to the New Testament and who ridicule those who are content therewith.

Essentially, with modern colors and a few added highlights, the “new hermeneutic” is the same drab dress with which denominational doctrines have always been adorned. It is the same tune, second verse, of every Protestant Pastor who ever piped his melody to draw away disciples after him.

This “new hermeneutic” was gnosticism in the first century. It has sailed under many different flags in each generation. It is why such passages as Acts 20:28-32; Romans 16:17, 18; Galatians 1:6-9; Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 4:1-6, 16; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; James 5:19, 20; 2 Peter 2:1, 2; 3:17, 18 were written. 

Dead Weight
Selected

I’ve been a dead weight many years, around the church’s neck,

I’ve let the others carry me, and always pay the check.

I’ve had my name upon the rolls, for years and years gone by,

I’ve criticized and grumbled too, nothing could satisfy.

I’ve been a dead weight long enough, upon the church’s back,

Beginning now, I’m going to take, a wholly different track.

I’m going to pray and pay and work, and carry loads instead;

And not have others carry me, like the living carry the dead.