DOES GOD HATE?

Hate is Biblical. What?! That doesn't sound very Mr. Rogers!  

The Ten Commandments state that you shall not covet, murder or bare false witness - that means lie - but there is no commandment against hate. In fact Proverbs 6:16-19 says that there are six things that The Lord hates, the seventh is even beyond Him hating, it's an abomination. God hates? Yes He does.  God hates sin, sickness and poverty for the plague they've been toward His favorite creation of all time - YOU!

The reason hate has got a bad reputation among believers is twofold. First, we know more about what is socially acceptable then what is Bible acceptable. Secondly, when you fail to master what you've been assigned to, you default to trying to control people, yes, even people you love. What you can't control and want to control, you will grow to hate. That is not only a misuse of that force.  It is blatant sin, and witchcraft.     

This is extremely important because if you don't know how to use something, you will abuse it.  Remember, God hates, and God is love. That's right, love hates or else it cannot be love.  Ask any mother who loves her children how she feels about a microscopic disease eating away at her child.  She doesn't dislike it. She hates it!  

Let's focus a little on the second misfire: a failure to master what we've been assigned to.  You and I have been called to exercise dominion and authority over the stuff. We read that from Genesis throughout the Bible. In Mark 11 Jesus instructs us to command mountains with faith. Here's the hitch though, if you fail to use your faith on the mountains, you resort to carnal behavior to fill the vacuum.  Next thing you know you're trying to manipulate, strong-arm, sell, bribe, and control people to start digging at your mountain. That's actually called witchcraft. No matter what your little diggers accomplish, you will take on the accuser's nature and begin to hate them. Why? Because it's outside of faith and an act of the flesh.  

Don't take the bait but let love direct. You see hate is powerful when used correctly. What you tolerate you can never change. When you hate what God hates you'll find love grows in your heart for people.  When you hate cancer, you'll find compassion swells in your heart for its victims. When you hate pornography, you feel mercy surging through your veins for those caught in it's vice, and you'll champion healthy marriages. If you don't hate lies then how can faith be released to protect you from corruption?  In loving God with all of your heart, He doesn't want you to just not prefer false gods.  He wants you to hate them; yes, to abhor them.  

God loves you, but like the amazing Father He is, He HATES the wicked devices the enemy meant for your destruction. So imitate God, stop laughing at immorality and tolerating dishonesty. Within your heart, don't tolerate doubt, unbelief or un-thankfulness. Never, ever hate people. We're called to love even our enemies, but don't make the terrible error of tolerating sin and wickedness. Choose you this day whom you will serve.  

Let's Pray the Word:

Father Your Word says that You hate sin. Therefore, I hate sin. Forgive me for tolerating wicked things that destroy life.You are Holy and You are Love. You've called me to walk in love and be holy. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.  

(According to Proverbs 6:16, 1 Peter 1:16, and Philippians 4:13)