Hatred
Sins of Malignity
Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies, Envyings, and Murders
Here are nine works of the flesh which are clearly related in character. Even in order in which they are listed suggests an evil progression, beginning with heart-hatred and climaxing in the open act of murder. They have been referred to variously as “sins of social disorder,” “sins against our fellow man,” “breaches of charity,” and “sins contrary to the royal law of love.” These are sins of malignity. Malignity is defined as “an intense evil will and desire to harm others: great malice. The quality of being very harmful or dangerous.” Of course each of these actions or “works” vary from person to person, but left unchecked are devastating to society.
One of the first manifestations of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden was the treatment of Cain toward his brother Abel (Gen 4:4-8). First, Cain was “very wroth” -very angry, or wrathful. His fallen countenance spoke to his jealousy, and envy. No matter how silently it may have worked, strife, raged in the heart, probably because of his unaccepted “religion.” His anger may have been at God, whose exhortation “if he did well” he spurned. He could not fight back against God, at least, with any visible satisfaction. Abel became a more convenient target of his rage. So Adam’s inherited sinfulness revealed itself in his son’s actions and he became the first murderer.
And so it remains today. Unredeemed, unsanctified flesh will assert itself regardless of the ruthless destruction it finds necessary in the achievement of its ends! Each of us have the potential to do the most wicked of things without the hinderance of God, even murder!
HATRED
The word in Hebrew is שִׂנְאָה śin'âh meaning hate; also אֵיבָה 'êybâh pronounced ay-baw' means hostility or enmity. In Greek the word is ἔχθρα echthra pronounced ekh'-thrah, meaning hostility enmity or opposition.
Webster defines hatred as “ strong dislike, ill will.” Desire to harm others or to do mischief, spite. Malice is a deep-seated animosity that delights in causing others to suffer, or seeing them suffer. Spite means- “a mean desire to hurt, annoy, or frustrate others and is usually petty, with vindictive acts.”
Hatred is a very intense emotional work of the flesh. The child of God must hate what God hates and that is sin. The Christian’s hatred of sin should not cause him to act destructively because he is controlled by the Spirit; it should cause him to act constructively in striving to help all sinners become free from sin. The hatred referred to in this lesson deals with the evil feelings and emotions produced by these strong feelings under the control of the flesh and not the Spirit. It produces strong feelings of anger and dislike. It is destructive in its results when it is allowed to be unresolved. Hatred is a strong feeling which causes one to want to hurt or destroy others. You can be angry and not commit sin; however, hatred indicates deep rooted feelings of ill will toward someone, which are representative of a corrupt heart. Hatred often results in violence. It is often caused by inner conflict that is left unresolved about some issue or someone. Jealousy is an emotional state that can lead to hatred, which in turn leads to even greater destructive behavior. The hatred which is condemned as a work of the flesh is an evil quality that destroys through corrupt actions of the flesh.
“Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred” (Psa. 25:19). “They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love”(Psa. 109:3-5).
Hatred is not a peaceful condition. It cannot produce peace because its very nature is turbulence and the stirring up of evil. The tongue is often a primary tool used by those who desire to spread their hatred. People have had their lives taken away because of someone’s evil and corrupt feelings of hatred. Some have had their good names smeared and destroyed because of someone’s hatred. It is a work of the flesh which destroys others as well as the person who is filled with its corruption. These feelings are not subject to reasoning but are out of control and consuming. People filled with hatred usually fail to recognize that it is self-destructive.
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool” (Prov. 10:12, 17, 18).
No one can be filled with hate toward someone and simultaneously say they love God. The Bible teaches us that this is impossible, and that those who claim to do so are liars:
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20).
Godly love and hatred cannot abide in the same temple because they are not compatible. The love of God in a person’s life will destroy hatred and enable an individual to love everyone the same. This is one of the miracles of salvation. It changes what is in a man’s heart. The blood of Jesus has the power to transform men into new creatures through the works of the Spirit rather than by the works of the flesh. The Spirit gives life and purifies the heart with the blood of Jesus.
The Old Testament gives an account of the destructive actions of David’s son Amnon because of feelings of hatred that he felt toward his sister Tamar:
“And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her” (2 Sam. 13:10-16).
Love Overcomes Hatred
The truly justified believer will find that the old hatred has been replaced by love. The inner transformation is marvelous indeed. The apostle John says:
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
1Jn 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Corrie Tin Boom in sharing her testimony in many countries after World War 2 was confronted with one of the guards that stripped her sister and herself naked and mocked them at the concentration camp where they were interned. Corrie related how that when the guard came up to her he said he had been saved and knew that he had been forgiven, but he wanted to hear from her. Corrie was frozen with images of those moments and prayed, “Father I cannot love this man, but love through me,” she reached out her hand and felt the presence of the Lord come over her, and she shook his hand and forgave that man. According to her testimony she stated, that day she was set free from the Nazi Concentration Camps through God’s overflowing love.
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
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If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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