[Blanking] Well/Loving Even Better

 [Blanking] Well/Loving Even Better

The issue of hate is an uncomfortable one; and one that should be handled carefully.  Still, every honest and intelligent reader of the Holy Scriptures easily discerns that there is a lot of teaching about hatred in its pages--and much of it emanates from the God of glory Himself.

 

The world is so unnerved by the subject of hate, that they have devised things like "hate laws," (and I am not here to universally condemn everything connected with these statutes and sentiments).

 

The usual efforts to "get around" the hate problem, is for religious people to say things like this: "Oh, we are to hate the sin; and love the sinner."  This is an inadequate response, to be sure--but it is not completely false.  The first part is sound; the second part needs some augmentation, (and we will try to do some of that in this short paper).

 

Part of our conundrum is that we do not like to think that hatred is inevitable in a moral universe where sin has entered in.  We want to think that somehow hatred could be expendable.  (It may be true, that no experienced hate would exist at all, in a sinless universe.  But, the world we live in is not sinless.)

 

In truth, in the fallen universe, love is not possible, without hate.  But, I do think we may categorically state, that love is always much greater than hate.

 

That God says that He hates certain persons and actions is obvious.  One text to prove the point, is Ps. 5:5, which says this: "The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers," (ESV).  Someone might retort, "Well, that is just an anthropomorphism. God does not have emotions, [properly-speaking]."  And even though this is true, that God in His essential being is impassible [lacking changeable emotions], this does not mean that He is not, in truth, "wrathful" toward sin and sinners, (for example).  This wrath, though not an emotion, is nonetheless a reality.

 

Augustine somewhere wrote something like this, (and this may not be an exact quote): "In some mysterious way, before the regenerations of His elect, God both loved and hated us, at the same time."  I think the great church father was right.  After our conversions to Christ, and our being sealed by the Holy Spirit, it is only true that God loves us, (and He no longer in anyway "hates" us/our persons).

 

That the saints of God are also to hate everyone and everything that our God hates, is also very clear in the Holy Book.  One classic text will suffice--and it comes from Ps. 139:21-22; and it says this: "Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies," (ESV).

 

So, it is impossible for a true Christ-loving saint of the church--be he or she in the Old Covenant or the New--to avoid hating--if, indeed, he or she, in truth, loves God.

 

Hate and love, in a sense, are two sides of the same coin.  But love is, I think, infinitely greater (than hate).  After all: all true (regenerated) Christians love God in Jesus Christ; and we have no hatred toward God (at all).  Here, there is love; but no hate.  The same may be said about our attitude toward faithful church members (who also love God in Jesus Christ): we love them; and in no way do we hate them.  (1 Jn. 2:9-11 is a great example of this principle.)  We hate our own sin; and we hate the sin in other Christian believers--but we do not hate these sinner/saints.

 

When the question is asked, "What about those people who do not claim Christ; what is our attitude to be toward them?"--my response would be, "To the extent we are able, we should view them as God Himself does; with an important caveat."  This would mean that we, formally-speaking, "hate" them in one sense; but, at the same time, we love them.  We "hate" them for being in opposition to our beloved Christ; but we love them in that they are candidates for salvation.  (We are also to be careful to apply the same standard to ourselves--telling ourselves that we "hated" ourselves for what we were, when we were in rebellion against our Savior [prior to our conversions].)  (The "caveat" is, that we do not know who the elect are.)  In all cases, let us far more delight in sweet and tender love, than in regrettably-necessary hate.

 

But, despite all this (unavoidable, but uncomfortable) talk about hate--the very greatest thing is love (1 Cor. 13:13); and this is largely because, "God is love," (as per 1 Jn. 4:16b).

 

Love is, if you will, God's greatest attribute, (though it is granted that all God's traits perfectly coalesce with one another).

 

Let us remember, that hate is never to manifest itself (in us believers) in inappropriate actions.  We are not to return evil for evil; we are not to take revenge; and we are not to revile when we are reviled, etc.  Proper "hate" is simply an attitude of the mind, that makes our love for people (sinners/even our enemies) real, authentic, effective, and integrity-laden.

 

I know that these issues are difficult; and that some people really struggle with them--but I think a candid appraisal of them is necessary, in order for us to read God's written word with honor and sincerity.

 

Much more could (and probably should) be said about this subject; but let us close with the good news, that the Lord of glory does not say to us, "God so hated the world that He was determined to wipe out everyone in it."  Instead, Christ Himself says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son," (Jn. 3:16a).

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #43

26 November 2025

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