Epaggelia

God hates sin, but loves the sinner, you and me, everyone! This is a fact which most of us struggle to understand and emulate. We humans find it very hard to hate sin, but love each other. But if you want to understand how to do it and do it really well, begin with this fact. We love our self, but hate some things we say or do, so why can’t we learn to love people, more than what they do or say? God does this all the time, even when he really resented making us in the first place back in Noah’s day, Genesis 6:5-8. God who is love, actually destroyed people, but loved people enough to give them a 100 year opportunity to repent and get on an Ark. Those 8 souls that were saved on the Ark was the only proof the world had, which testified to the love of God for humans who were hateful toward Him. They were all so hateful that wrath filled their life and the world was full of violence because of them, so God was justified in destroying them to start all over again with those that loved Him. 

Recognize hatred for what it is: 

• Characteristic of the lost state of humanity; Titus 3:3-5
• Evidence of immaturity; Matthew 5:43-48, the word “perfect” means complete maturity.
• Harbored by fools; Proverbs 10:18.
• Grows into cruelty; led to the murder of Abel,1st Jn.3:11-15, and Christ, Jn.15:18-25 and led Joseph’s brothers to abuse him to the point of endangering his life, Genesis 37:4-8.  An oriental proverb says “Water does not remain on the mountain nor vengeance in a great mind”
• A work or act of the flesh, carnal activity; Galatians 5:19-21
• Preventing us from entering Heaven; Galatians 5:19-21

Love is the cure for hate. As far as the apostle John is concerned, there is no middle ground between love and hate, we either hate someone or we love them, read 1st John 2:9-11, 3:14-15. According to Peter, brotherly love is a command, 1st Peter 4:8 and according to Paul it is the fulfillment of the old law which embodies the greatest commandment, Romans 13:8.

To overcome hate from staying in our heart, we are given 3 divine truths that will repudiate hate from our hearts;

• Pray for the person who is the object of hate, Matthew 5:44, If we believe God can help us in this request, hate will recede and eventually leave us.
• Find something good to do for the person who is resented, Matthew 5:44. A compliment or note of encouragement, or a Christmas greeting card, or inviting them to a birthday party, or offering to carry someone to deliver a package somewhere, or any small deed that can make a dent in the critical attitude we may harbor to start destroying hate. This action is the first step we take towards emulating God in Jesus on the cross, Ephesians 2:16.
• Brotherly love involves us in trying to sincerely understand the person who is hated or resented, 1st John 3:10-15. The phrase “Try walking a mile in his moccasins” is said to come from a poem written by Mary T. Lathrap, 1838-95, originally titled “Judge Softly”. It exposes the hatred bred from ignorance towards Native Americans, and is a principle that is proven to help rid hatred in prejudiced hearts.