Question 1

Is hating anyone or anything ever appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Leviticus 19:17“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.”Psalm 97:10You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.Ecclesiastes 3:8A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.Matthew 5:43-44“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”Romans 12:9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.1 John 4:20If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?We are to love all people and hate all sin. When we truly love God, we will hate sin because sin separates us from God and damages our relationships with him and with others. Hatred of people, however, is a sin. If we hate a person, we are most likely hating some kind of sin that the person has committed against us or someone else. We should hate the sin but pray for the sinner, asking God to give us love for all people.Ephesians 6:12We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.1 Peter 3:9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.1 Peter 5:8Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.Human beings are not our enemies—they are victims in the war our true enemy is waging. When we respond to others’ sin with hatred of our own, we are playing right into Satan’s hands.

Question 2

What causes unhealthy hatred?

Accepted Answer

Galatians 5:19, 22-23When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, . . . But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Hatred comes from allowing our sinful nature to overcome us. Instead, we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, leaving no room for hatred.Esther 5:9Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious.Haman hated Mordecai because he refused to bow before him. This petty jealousy, a hunger for recognition, drove Haman to an insane hatred that couldn’t be satisfied except through Mordecai’s death. Petty jealousy can lead to consuming hatred, which can lead to violent thoughts or actions.

Question 3

How do I let go of hatred?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 15:1A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.Cultivating a gentle spirit will help us manage our anger. Anger leads to bitterness, which leads to hatred.Micah 6:8The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.Mercy and humility are powerful weapons against hatred.Ephesians 4:31-32Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.The more we work at being tenderhearted, the easier forgiving others will be. It is difficult to continue hating someone we have decided to forgive.1 John 4:20If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?Genuinely nurturing our love for God will increase our love for others, and that love will conquer hatred.

Question 4

Can my following Jesus cause some to hate me?

Accepted Answer

John 15:18-19“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”John 17:14“The world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.”1 Peter 4:14-19If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.Following Jesus may cause some to hate us. Those who love sin hate those who are against sin. If we take a stand against sin, we should expect opposition.

Question 5

What can I do if someone hates me?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 5:23-24“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”We should examine ourselves, honestly searching for anything we have said or done that might have made others angry or hurt them. If we find something, we can confess it to the other person and ask their forgiveness.Romans 12:20Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”We should continue to act in a loving way toward those who have hurt us with hatred—but without subjecting ourselves to further harm. This may influence the other person to change his or her attitude toward us.James 5:16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.We should pray for the other person and their feelings and actions toward us. We can’t change a person’s heart, but God can.