DRAWING NEAR
August 28
Holy Hatred
"Hate evil, you who love the Lord" (Ps. 97:10).
God's hatred of evil is an extension of His love.
After spending this month exploring fifteen characteristics of godly
love, it might seem odd to shift suddenly to the topic of hatred.
Additionally, "holy hatred" will sound like a contradiction in terms
to those who view all hatred as evil. But love and hate are
inseparable. You can't truly love something and be complacent about
the things that oppose or threaten it.
If you love your spouse, you hate anything that would defile or
injure him or her. If you love your children, you hate anything that
would harm them. If you love good, you hate evil. If you love unity,
you hate discord. If you love God, you hate Satan. That's why
Scripture says, "Hate evil, you who love the Lord" (Ps. 97:10) and,
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the
evil way, and the perverted mouth, I [God personified] hate" (Prov.
8:13).
Unquestionably God is a God of love. First John 4 says, "Beloved, let
us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is
born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know
God, for God is love. . . . Beloved, if God so loved us, we also
ought to love one another. . . . And we have come to know and have
believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who
abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (vv. 7-8, 11,
16).
How are we to respond to that love? The psalmist wrote, "From Thy
precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. . . .
I hate those who are double-minded, but I love Thy law. . . . I
esteem right all Thy precepts concerning everything, I hate every
false way. . . . I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Thy law"
(Ps. 119:104, 113, 128, 163).
Is that your prayer? Do you hate the things that oppose God? Are you
offended by what offends Him? Remember, holy hatred is as much a part
of godly love as any of its other characteristics. If you love God,
you must necessarily hate evil.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask God to increase your love for Him and your hatred for evil.
For Further Study:
Meditate on Psalm 119:101-104 and commit it to memory.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Psalm 119:101-104
101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep
Your word.
102 I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have
taught me.
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my
mouth!
104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate
every false way.
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
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and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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