Topical Bible: Love and Hate

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Love is a central theme in the Bible, reflecting the nature and character of God and His relationship with humanity. The Bible presents love as both a divine attribute and a human responsibility, emphasizing its importance in the life of believers.

1. Divine Love: The Bible describes God as the ultimate source of love. In 1 John 4:8, it states, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." This divine love is unconditional and sacrificial, exemplified in the sending of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity. John 3:16 declares, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

2. Love Commanded: Love is commanded as the greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus summarizes the law: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" This dual commandment underscores the importance of love in both vertical (toward God) and horizontal (toward others) relationships.

3. Characteristics of Love: The Apostle Paul provides a detailed description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

4. Love in Action: The Bible emphasizes that love must be demonstrated through actions. In 1 John 3:18, believers are exhorted, "Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth." This active love is seen in serving others, forgiving offenses, and living in harmony with fellow believers.

5. Love and the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in enabling believers to love. Romans 5:5 states, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." The Spirit empowers Christians to love beyond their natural capacity.

Hate

Hate, in the biblical context, is often presented as the antithesis of love and is generally discouraged among believers. However, the Bible also acknowledges that there are certain things that God hates and that believers are called to hate as well.

1. God's Hatred of Sin: The Bible makes it clear that God hates sin and evil. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists things that the Lord hates, including "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."

2. Righteous Hatred: Believers are called to hate what is evil. Romans 12:9 instructs, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." This form of hatred is not directed at individuals but at sinful actions and attitudes that are contrary to God's will.

3. Hatred as Sin: While there is a place for righteous hatred, the Bible warns against harboring hatred toward others. 1 John 3:15 states, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer." Hatred in the heart is equated with murder, highlighting its seriousness.

4. Overcoming Hate with Love: The Bible teaches that love is the antidote to hate. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This radical love is a hallmark of Christian discipleship and reflects the transformative power of the Gospel.

5. Hatred and the World: Believers are warned that they may be hated by the world because of their allegiance to Christ. In John 15:18-19, Jesus says, "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." This hatred is a reminder of the spiritual conflict between the kingdom of God and the world.

Topical Bible Verses

Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; hold to that which is good.
Topicalbible.org

Psalm 97:10
You that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.
Topicalbible.org

1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Topicalbible.org

Greek

3404. miseo -- to hate
... hate. From a primary misos (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by
extension, to love less -- hate(-ful). (emisesa) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3404.htm - 8k

Library

Love for Hate, the True Quid Pro Quo
... THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL LOVE FOR HATE, THE TRUE QUID PRO QUO. ... Love is conqueror,
and the only conqueror, and its conquest is to transform hate into love. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/love for hate the true.htm

Revival in the Home
... it, we may find that after all we are hardly loving one another at all, and our
behaviour is all in the opposite direction"and the opposite of love is hate! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 6 revival in the.htm

Love that Can Hate
... ROMANS LOVE THAT CAN HATE. 'Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which
is evil; cleave to that which is good.10. In love of ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/love that can hate.htm

The Nearness of the Kingdom
... would know God, be rooted and grounded in Him so steadfastly, as to suffer no
perturbation of fear or hope, or joy or sorrow, or love or hate, or anything ...
/.../eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/ii the nearness of the.htm

"True Love Teacheth us that we Should Hate Sin Only for Love. " " ...
... THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION CHAPTER XL "True love teacheth us that we should hate
sin only for love." "To me was shewed no harder hell than sin." "God willeth ...
/.../julian/revelations of divine love/chapter xl true love teacheth.htm

1 John iv. 19, 20
... We must here remember, that with John there is nothing intermediate between love
and hate; it is either love to the brother, or hatred of the brother. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iv 19 20.htm

The Law of Love
... ST. MATTHEW Chaps. I to VIII THE LAW OF LOVE. 'Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the law of love.htm

A Man May Love Something More than his Body, but Does not ...
... Book I. Chapter 25."A Man May Love Something More Than His Body, But Does
Not Therefore Hate His Body. 26. Man, therefore, ought ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 25 a man may love.htm

The Mind Loves God in Rightly Loving Itself; and if it Love not ...
... Book XIV. Chapter 14."The Mind Loves God in Rightly Loving Itself; And
If It Love Not God, It Must Be Said to Hate Itself. Even ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 14 the mind loves god.htm

Love and Remorse
... Abishai had, in effect, said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.'
David's finely-tuned ear heard, long before they were spoken on earth, the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/love and remorse.htm