Scripture Reading: Psalm 5:1-8

"You Who Love the Lord, Hate Evil!"

Intro.

1. Hate is a destructive attitude, motive, and action, Prov. 10:12.

2. Much evidence of the sin of hate in the world (crime, prejudices, etc.)

3. Bible speaks of hate in several ways:

a. Sinful attitudes and actions of malicious animosity, Titus 3:3.

b. Relative preference, Luke 14:26.

c. A proper attitude of repugnance for evil, Heb. 1:9. (To detest, to set oneself against)

4. Multi-sided nature of hate deserves deliberate and prayerful attention.

I. WE MUST HATE SOME THINGS BECAUSE GOD DOES.

A. God Hates Sin, Psalm 45:6-7 (Heb. 1:9); Mal. 2:16; Rev. 2:6.

1. Therefore, we must:

a. Love God and hate evil, Psalm 97:10.

b. Reject worthless, sinful things, Psalm 101:3-4.

c. Esteem God’s law, Psalm 119:104, 113, 128, 163.

2. Imitate God’s character toward sin.

B. The Sense in Which God Hates (Detests) Sinners.

1. God does not / will not abide in the presence of sinners / God has no fellowship with them in their sins, Psalm 5:4-6.

2. Sin puts sinners under His wrath, Psalm 11:4-5.

3. Sin is abominable, and those who practice it, Prov. 6:16-19 (3:32).

4. God does not detest the person – He loves the person and always acts in the best interests of sinners, John 3:16 (Ezek. 18:31-32).

5. Similarly, we must:

a. Not sit (settle in, remain) with the wicked, Psalm 26:4-5.

b. Not put our faith in those who have no faith in God, Psalm 31:6.

c. Be grieved with perfect hatred, enemies, Psalm 139:21-22.

C. There is a Time to Hate, Eccl. 3:8.

1. To set oneself against evil, to loathe and detest it (Eph. 6:10-13).

2. Hate sin; Refuse the counsel and influence of sinners.

* 3. Fear of God compels us to detest evil, Prov. 8:13.

II. WHILE HATING SIN, WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO HATE (BE HATEFUL TOWARD) OTHERS.

A. Sinful Hate is of the World, Titus 3:3 (Gal. 5:19-20; John 15: 18-19).

B. While Hating Sin, God Loved the World, John 3:16. (Active goodwill)

C. When We Hate a Brother We Are:

1. In darkness, 1 John 2:9, 11.

2. A murderer, 1 John 3:13-15.

3. A liar by saying we love God, 1 John 4:19-20.

III. CHRISTIANS MUST DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE THEM , Luke 6:22.

A. God Does, Matt. 5:43-48.

1. Physical and spiritual good (John 3:16).

2. We must love the evildoer even when his evil is against us, Matt. 5:44 (7:12).

3. Genuine love is active. Some of its actions include:

a. Turning other cheek, Matt. 5:39 (do not retaliate).

b. Forgiving, Matt. 6:14-15 (Luke 23:34).

c. Praying for them, Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:28.

d. Rescuing them (because you hate sin), Jude 23.

B. God Warns Us Not to Take Vengeance against Evil, but to Repay Evil with Good, Rom. 12:17-21.

1. Maintain our honor, 12:17.

2. Pursue peace, 12:18.

3. Give place to God (not devil); Do not avenge yourself, 12:19.

4. Doing him good heaps fire of shame to urge repentance, 12:20.

5. Overcome evil with good, 12:21.

6. Otherwise, we are overcome by evil.

Conclusion

1. Hate is a strong emotion, evoking righteous and unrighteous deeds.

a. God hates sin, and sinners have no place in His presence.

b. We show reverence for God when we hate sin and refuse the counsel and fellowship of sinners.

2. While we hate evil, we must seek to overcome evil with good, while not being consumed by hatred.

3. When evil is committed against us, we must trust God’s justice and do not be lured by hate to take personal vengeance, Psalm 34:19-22.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted July 10, 2019