A Place for Hate

Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.” Romans 12:9 (Living Bible)

Putting hate in its place isn’t easy, and we need the counsel of God’s word to do it appropriately. He even tells us throughout His Word what we can and cannot hate. In Proverbs 8:13, we are instructed to hate “pride, arrogance, corruption, and deceit of every kind.” Then, in Romans 12:9, we are told to truly love other people.

There is a deception that says that if we stand up for biblical values and God’s commandments, then we must hate the people who are choosing against these values and commands and in some cases even pushing their beliefs on others. There is a distinct difference between standing against something that causes harm and destruction, and reacting in harmful or destructive ways towards people who model the sinful behavior that God’s Word says to hate.

It has become a political issue in this country as people fight for “rights.” The immediate response in the media is that we hate those who are different than us if we stand for traditional values and morals. We must show the love and compassion of Christ to those who would seek to change the values we cherish and the commandments we seek to obey. We must “hate what is wrong, stand on the side of good.” The answers are in His Word.