Good people aren't really that good unless they know how to practice healthy hate. That may seem a bizarre statement, especially from a Christian, but it is true. And, I'll argue, the Bible sup-ports this position.

Let me explain.

Good people can't love the way the Bible teaches without hating the way the Bible teaches. That's paradoxical but true.

Now we're not talking about malicious and unjustifiable feelings of animosity toward others. Rather, we're talking about a deep, gutteral feeling of aversion toward what is evil or wrong.

I'm speaking of the sense of repugnance and disdain that wells up inside us when we hear of someone raping, molesting, murdering or maiming another person. This hatred is righteous and critically needed in our society.

The Bible says God hates. He hates idolatry (Jer. 44:2-5). In fact, Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that God hates. Those include prideful arrogance, liars, murderers, hearts that devise wickedness, people who love to do evil, false witnesses and those who sow discord.

So, if God hates, we ought to hate. We ought to hate every false way (Psalm 119:104). The old '60s slogan that each person ought to "do his own thing" and leave the other guy alone is wrong and unloving.

The church in Ephesus was commended for hating (Rev. 2:6). Why? Because those persons and congregations of persons who are not opposed to wrong are supporting wrong.

As the result of perverted religious teaching that leads people to think love and hate can't exist side by side, even good people have come to believe that it is unloving to condemn homosexuality, abortion, lying politicians, lazy people who won't work, adulterers, filthy TV, pornographic movies and false religious teachers.

So, there is an awesome silence in America. As a result, the liberal minority in this nation holds sway. Our children are being inculcated with their anti-religious dogmas and politics. Good people stay quiet. Evil men seek to censor the few good ones who speak up.

It's time we stir up our righteous hatred of all this evil. It's time to let our righteous indignation be seen and heard. Our past silence has been an acquiescence to evil.

Now, one last point, lest all this be misunderstood or misapplied. Hatred must be focused on evil and not on people. We must hate evil behavior but love the people practicing it enough to stop them.

God hated sin enough to sacrifice his Son to eradicate it and forgive people who practiced it. He loved sinners enough to save us by the same sacrifice.

Guardian of Truth XXXIX: 1 p. 1
January 5, 1995