Daily Bread (Perfect Hatred)

[shortlady]

October 21, 2005

Perfect Hatred


Read:
Psalm 97


You who love the Lord, hate evil! —Psalm 97:10


Bible In One Year: Matthew 23-25

Tell me what you hate and I can tell you a great deal about yourself. Hatred can be the strong side of righteousness, but it needs a sign written on it with large red letters: Handle With Care.

Olive Moore, the 19th-century English writer, put words to this warning: "Be careful with hatred. . . . Hatred is a passion requiring one hundred times the energy of love. Keep it for a cause, not an individual. Keep it for intolerance, injustice, stupidity. For hatred is the strength of the sensitive. Its power and its greatness depend on the selflessness of its use."

We tend to waste our hatred on insignificant slights and differences. Comments made by a political opponent may draw our venom. Angry letters written to the editor often raise trivia to the level of significance because of the pathology of our misdirected hatred. Churches fracture and split when hatred is directed at people and not at the forces around us that destroy life and hope.

The old Methodist circuit riders were described as men who hated nothing but sin. They took seriously the admonitions of the psalmist, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" (Psalm 97:10), and of the prophet Amos who urged his hearers to "hate evil, love good" (Amos 5:15). —Haddon Robinson


Dear Father, help us to handle hatred
with utmost care. Help us to direct our hatred
only at the things You despise. Teach us
what it means to hate the sin and love the sinner. Amen.

If you can't hate what is evil, you can't love what is good.

 

[uknowme]

amen...
wow i never really thought about that!!!
thanks for sharing

god bless
kara

 

[Colin2000]

Keeping in Step with the Spirit!

Hi All,

There appears to be only one reference to "HATRED" in the New Testament!

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

1. Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
2. Idolatry and witchcraft;
3. HATRED, Discord, Jealousy, Fits of rage, Selfish ambition, Dissensions, Factions and Envy;
4. Drunkenness, Orgies and the Like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

[Paul, Galatians. 5:19-21. NIV].

Read of the Fruits of the Spirit. Paul, Gal.5:22-26.

"Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit." v26

You should not be able to keep instep with the Spirit if you follow the Acts of 'Sinful Nature' listed above and the like!

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

"I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. [John,1John.4:20 NIV.].

Colin2000.

PS. By Grace are we saved, we do not need good works to complete our Salvation!
PSS. Grace with 'Acts of Sinful Nature' above means loss of Salvation. You are in effect giving your Gift back. So if there are some out there in this situation. Confess those sins to God, get yourself put right with God NOW, VERY NOW!!!
1. Saving Grace without good works = Saving Grace, Salvation!
2. Saving Grace with good works = Saving Grace, Salvation!
3. Saving Grace with continues works of 'Sinful Nature'! = Your Salvation can be in jeopardy if you don't change your ways and confess these sins to the Lord NOW, and do not put off until tomorrow!

What say you?

 

[evangeline]

Love must be sincere. Abhor (intense hate) what is evil;cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

Do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

 

[Colin2000]

Hi Evangeline,

Quite right! I was answering with the word Hatred, slightly different from the other variations on hate! Possibly being to pure. The rest would probably fit as you point out!

Your in His Tender-loving-kindness,

Colin2000.