HATE EVIL, LOVE GOOD

HATE EVIL, LOVE GOOD

Hate evil, and love good… —Amos 5:15

You love righteousness and hate wickedness… Psalm 45:7

Let those who love the LORD hate evil…— Psalm 97:10

I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.— Psalm 101:3

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. —Proverbs 8:13

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.— Romans 12:9

If we truly love the Lord we will hate evil and seek to cling to what is good. But in doing so we are not to have a prideful, arrogant attitude in thinking we are better than others. No, it is only by God’s grace that we are what we are (I Corinthians 15:10). “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (I Peter 2:10). “Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (I Corinthians 4:6-7). Yes, we need to hate evil and cling to what is good without a self-righteous attitude because we are what we are only by the grace and mercy of God. We did not deserve what He has done for us, but it is only by His grace and mercy that He has made us and is making us what we are.

Because He hates evil we are to hate evil as well— “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Because He is good we are to be good— “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant” (Psalm 135:3). “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

Dear Father may I hate evil and cling to what is good while seeking to encourage others to follow You. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. May it be so!