Hatred of any human being is never an option for a believer in Jesus Christ.

It is easy to sinfully justify hatred, especially when the world, the community around us, encourages it. Hatred, a lust that already exists in the human heart in seminal form, doesn’t need a lot of stoking to bring it to a raging flame.

Many in today’s political movements, whether socialist or capitalist, constitutional nationalists and patriots or global order advocates, moralists or libertarians, religious or anti-religionists—influencers of all types and stripes—manipulate people towards hatred to bring power to their causes. Whipping people up into a frenzy makes money. People even get a kind of anger high by watching media that pushes their buttons in these over-the-top ways. And every single one of these influencers, no matter what sides they represent, sin against God when they do this.

But there are other reasons why we can descend into hatred. Physical and emotional abuse from those who are supposed to love and care for us can hurt deeply. Experiencing injustice in the workplace or through the legal system can cause great anger and resentment. Envy and a sense of entitlement drives many to despise and wish suffering on those that have more or better circumstances. And every single time anyone succumbs to hatred they commit evil in their hearts and often in their words and actions as well.

Be aware of the evil of hate

Hatred is the antithesis to love. To hate is to refuse to forgive, to hold grudges, to live in resentment, to desire evil upon those that have hurt us. When mankind brought sin into God’s perfect world, things radically changed. Sin, suffering, and death entered the world bringing much pain and sorrow. Pride, selfishness, abuse of power, injustice, and envy were born. Relationships of every kind since have been strained because of sins against one another. Hatred is one major source of evil (see The Value of a Life).

Be set free from hate

In Titus 2, the apostle Paul wrote of how “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” Those who have received God’s saving grace have been set free to live new lives no longer enslaved to their sinful passions. Through Christ we can be delivered from hatred.

Paul went on to say that those who have had this life-changing experience through Jesus Christ are now “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people zealous for good works” (2:11-14). Believers in Jesus are set free from bondage to their sinful hearts to now become full of good works instead. Through Jesus, sinful passions, like hatred, can be replaced with good works that please God.  

Become transformed from within

We need to know more about what being “zealous for good works” looks like. So, the apostle continues in chapter three by explaining, “be submissive rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy to all people” (3:1-2). Good works means that every relationship in your lives begins to change. Life is no longer about us, how we feel, what we want, or what makes us happy. Life is now about what please God, what is right, what shows love to others. There is no place for hatred in the life of someone that desires to obey God.

Those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are now being transformed, Paul says. He continues, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.” Life before Jesus included hatred, but no more. Jesus set us free.

How?

How did God set us free from enslavement to our passions and emotions? The apostle gives us the answer in the next words: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy” (3:4-5). When a person receives Jesus as Savior, they experience the goodness and loving kindness of God. They experience the incalculable mercy of being forgiven and set free from sin, guilt, and shame. They are made right with God, set free from the power of sin that oppressed them so long. This experiential knowledge of God’s love enables Christians to let go of hatred and to actually love those they used to hate.

Beware of media influence towards hate

Believers in Jesus Christ can be tempted towards hate as well, though the above verses make it clear they won’t remain there. One mistake that many Christians make today is listening regularly to news, podcasts, and talk radio that intentionally stir up anger by keeping our minds fixed on failures, injustices, corruption, and even conspiracy theories. Understand that an overindulgence of this kind of media stokes anger and hatred and can be spiritually detrimental. This is true even if the arguments presented are right.

Realize that our sinful hearts get a “high” of sorts by getting so stoked. This does not please Christ. If you lessen time on this kind of media, consider filling your mind with God’s Word instead. This would most certainly please Christ.

Become immersed in God’s love

As we travel on life’s journey as believers in Jesus Christ, we learn more and more about what God’s love for us means. We increasingly understand what God has done for us through His love in Jesus. The temptation to hatred radically lessens, even if much pain still remains, as we realize more clearly the love and mercy of God toward us. For this reason, it is completely inconsistent with the Christian faith to hate anyone.

The apostle John makes it clear: “We love because he (God) first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 Jn 4:20-21). God’s love in us replaces the hatred in our hearts, no matter how deep or how long it was held on to. To claim to know God’s love while refusing to let go of hatred betrays that we have not yet experiences the mercy and love of the Savior.

Do you need to be set free from hate? Make no more excuses and go to Jesus Christ. Know God’s goodness and loving kindness and be changed by Him.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).