IT’S OKAY TO HATE SOME THINGS

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Most of us have been taught that it is wrong to hate.

 

B.   Several verses from the Bible come to mind.

1.    Matthew 5:43-44

 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies…

 

2.    In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul presents a list entitled, “The Works of the Flesh.”  The seventh work listed is “hatred.”

 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred…

 

C.   Malice is a synonym for “hate” and Paul tells us to remove this from our lives as Christians.

1.    Ephesians 4:31

 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

 

2.    Colossians 3:8

 

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice…

 

D.   Now, listen to the title of our lesson:  “It’s Okay to Hate Some Things.”

 

I.             GOD COMMANDS US TO HATE EVIL

 

A.   Psalm 97:10

 

Ye that love the Lord, hate evil…

 

B.   Proverbs 8:13

 

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil…

 

C.   Amos 5:15

 

Hate the evil, and love the good…

 

II.           GOD HATES SOME THINGS

 

A.   The classic text of Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven (7) things God hates.

 

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 the brethren.

 

B.   An interesting text is found in Psalm 5:5-6.

 

The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:  thou hatest all workers of iniquity.  Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing:  the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

 

C.    A description of Jesus (Heb. 1:9)

 

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity…

 

D.   In the church at Pergamos, some held to some false teachings known as the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.  Listen to the Lord’s words to the church (Rev.2:15).

 

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

 

E.   As I was studying, a list was found that noted at least six categories of things God hates.

1.    Idolatry (Deut. 16:22)

2.    Injustice and oppression (Zech. 8:17).

3.    Evil behavior and corruption (Ps.5:5-6)

4.    False religion (Rev. 2:6, 15)

5.    Dishonest business practices (Prov. 11:1, described as an abomination)

6.    Evil thoughts and ways (Prov. 6:16-19)

 

III.         A DEFINITION OF HATE

 

A.   Hate

 

B.   Enmity, rancor, ill will

 

C.   The opposite of love

 

D.   It means exactly what it says.  It is a strong word that boldly detests all that is evil.

 

IV.         WHY DO WE HATE EVIL?

 

A.   Evil opposes our God

 

B.   Evil involves lies and deception instead of the truth.  Lies and deception originate with Satan (John 8:44).

 

C.   Evil harms individuals.

 

D.   Evil will cause men to lose their souls in a devil’s hell.

 

V.           THREE EVILS WE MUST HATE

 

A.   Evil that resides within us.

1.    Before we seek to deal with the evil without, we need to eradicate the evil that abides within.

2.    This will require an honest self-examination (2 Cor. 13:5).

 

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.  Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

 

3.    This evil can involve our thoughts, our agendas, our words, and our behaviors. 

4.    Paul counsels us to put these things to death (Col. 3:5-6).

 

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry;  for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.

 

B.   Every false way

1.    Two verses:

a.    Psalm 119:104

 

Through thy precepts I get understanding:  therefore I hate every false way.

 

b.    Psalm 119:128

 

Therefore I esteem all thy precepts to be right; and I hate every false way.

 

2.    There is only one way of salvation.

a.    Jesus proclaimed:  “I am the way” in John 14:6.

b.    In the first century, the Christian religion was referred to as “the way” (Acts 22:4; 24:14, 22).

 

And I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and woman.

 

3.    False ways are not “the way.”

a.    They present themselves as “the way.”

b.    However, they lead men into error and perdition.

1)    Jesus condemned the traditions of the elders in Judaism (Matt. 15:7-9).

2)    Paul opposed the Judaizing teachers branding their teachings as “another gospel” that would be accursed (Gal. 1:6-9).

3)    In the Revelation, Jesus said that He hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:6, 15).

c.    We cannot approve of them.

We cannot compromise with them.

We cannot fellowship them.

We cannot promote them.

 

C.   Everything God hates.

1.    We have already seen that there are several things God hates.

2.    Let’s learn about those things and despise them as God does.

3.    Remember Paul’s words of Ephesians 5:1.

 

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   It is difficult for us to develop a mindset that hates evil.

 

B.   This hate does not spring from a heart of hostility that longs to harm.  It springs from a heart of love:  a love of God, a love of His truth, and a love of righteousness.

 

C.   “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil…” (Ps. 97:10).