“Hate” is considered a bad word these days. The culture tells us that we should not hate. We have even criminalized hate in the form of “hate crimes.” Many people are under the impression that this attitude toward hate is rooted in Judeo-Christian theology – that the Bible is opposed to all hate. This is not true. While the Bible does condemn certain expressions of hate (e.g. Lev 19:17), it actually teaches us to hate. It’s a matter of who or what we should hate.

Generally speaking, the Bible teaches that we should hate evil. Evil is not some abstraction, however. People commit evil, and thus we should hate those who do evil. But aren’t we supposed to love people? Yes. We can and should do both. We should both hate and love the sinner. This is what God does. He hates evildoers (Ps 5:5) and yet He loves them at the same time and gave His life for them (Jn 3:16). We value evildoers because they are made in God’s image and desire their salvation (2 Cor 5:18-20), but we also hate the sinner because of his sin. We should desire that all men come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9), but for those who refuse God’s grace and persist in their evil ways, we should desire judgment (Rev 6:9-11).

Consider the many passages that speak of hatred in a positive manner:

  • There is time to hate (Eccl 3:8)
  • Many activities are described as an “abomination to the Lord.” Abominations are things God hates:
    • Idolatry (Dt 7:25-26)
    • Child sacrifice (Lev 18:21,26,29-30; Dt 12:31)
    • Sorcery (Dt 18:9-12; 2 Kings 21:2,6)
    • Adultery (Ezek 18:6,11,15; 22:11; Jer 7:9)
    • Incest (Ezek 22:10-11)
    • Homosex (Lev 18:22; 20:13)
    • Bestiality (Lev 18:23,26,29-30)
    • Sexual intercourse during menstruation (Lev 15:24; 18:19,26,29-30; 20:18; Ezek 18:6; 22:10)
    • Cross-dressing (Dt 22:5)
    • Marriage to pagans (Mal 2:11)
    • Remarrying one’s original spouse after an intervening marriage (Dt 24:4)
    • Using prostitute’s fee as payment for vow (Dt 23:18)
    • Murder (Prov 6:17)
    • Lying under oath (Jer 7:9; Ezek 22:9,12; Prov 6:19)
    • Lying (Prov 6:16; 12:22; 26:25-28)
    • Oppressing or not aiding the poor/aliens/widows/orphans (Ezek 16:47-52; 18:7,12,16; 22:7,29)
    • False balances (Prov 11:1; 20:10,23)
    • Robbery/extortion/usury (Ezek 18:7-8,10-13,16-17; 22:12,29; Jer 7:9)
    • Contempt toward parents (Ezek 22:7)
    • Wicked people (Prov 3:32 et al)
    • Arrogance (Prov 6:16; 16:5)
    • Creating family strife (Prov 6:19)
    • Condemning the righteous and justifying the wicked (Prov 17:15)
    • Hypocritical worship (Is 1:13-14; Prov 21:27; 28:9)
    • Defective animal sacrifices (Dt 17:1)
    • Profaning the Sabbath (Dt 22:8,26)
  • God hates evil and evildoers (Dt 12:31; Ps 5:5; 11:5)
  • God hates idolatry (Dt 16:22)
  • God hates the arrogant, liars, murderers, evil schemers, those who enjoy evil, false witnesses, and sowers of discord (Prov 6:16-19)
  • God hates Israel’s feasts and solemn assemblies (Amos 5:21)
  • God hates robbery and wrong (Is 61:8)
  • God hated Israel because of their evil (Hos 9:15)
  • God hates those who devise evil in their hearts and love false oaths (Zech 8:17)
  • Jesus hates the works of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6)
  • David hates idolaters (Ps 26:5; 31:6)
  • David hates those who hate God (Ps 139:21-22)
  • Solomon hated pride, arrogance, the way of evil, and perverted speech (Prov 8:13)
  • The king hates wickedness (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9)
  • Rulers should hate unjust gain (Prov 28:16)
  • We should hate evil (Ps 97:10; Prov 8:13; Amos 5:15; Rom 7:15)
  • We should hate bribes (Ex 18:21; Prov 15:27)
  • We should hate bloodshed (Ezek 35:6)
  • We should hate the garment stained by the flesh (Jude 23)
  • The psalmist hates every falsehood (Ps 119:104,128,163; Prov 13:5)
  • The psalmist hates the double-minded (Ps 119:113)

I don’t think most Christians truly hate evil. Our posture toward evil has been one of tolerance rather than hatred. We have been influenced by the world in this regard – not Scripture. Tolerance is not a Christian virtue (1 Cor 5:1-2; Rev 2:20). We ought to have evil in the same manner as our God hates evil. Indeed, we can hate sin all the while avoiding a hateful attitude.