Loving God, Hating Evil

Loving God, Hating Evil…

Ye that love the Lord hate evil. — Psalms 97:10

This verse from the Psalms isn’t a suggestion; it’s a profound truth about the nature of a genuine relationship with God. It tells us that loving the Lord isn’t merely an emotion or a passive belief; it’s an active, transformative force that reshapes our desires, our priorities, and our very affections.

If we truly love the Lord, then a natural, indeed, an inevitable outflow of that love is a deep and abiding hatred for evil.

Consider what evil is: it’s everything that stands in opposition to God’s character, His will, and His perfect design. Evil is what brings pain, destruction, injustice, and separation. It’s the antithesis of all that is good, true, and holy. How then, can one genuinely love the author of all goodness and simultaneously tolerate, or even delight in, that which opposes Him?

Our love for God isn’t just about what we embrace; it’s also about what we reject. To love Him means to align ourselves with His heart, and His heart is fiercely opposed to evil. This “hatred” for evil isn’t a bitter, vindictive emotion in the human sense, but rather a righteous indignation that springs from a deep reverence for God’s holiness and a fervent desire for His kingdom to come. It’s a spiritual discernment that recognizes evil for what it is and actively recoils from it.

This verse challenges us to examine our own hearts. Do we truly hate evil? Do we actively resist the temptations and influences of darkness in our lives and in the world around us? Or do we sometimes compromise, rationalize, or even flirt with things we know are contrary to God’s will?

The call of Psalms 97:10 is a call to moral purity, to a radical alignment with God’s righteousness. It reminds us that our love for the Lord is proven not just by our worship and our words, but by the tangible choices we make to turn away from sin and to stand for what is right. As we grow in our love for Him, our hatred for evil will naturally deepen, leading us to live lives that truly honor His name.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts that desire to love You more deeply. Forgive us for the times we have tolerated evil, compromised with sin, or failed to stand against that which opposes Your holy character. Ignite within us a fervent and righteous hatred for all that is evil, just as You hate it. Grant us the wisdom and the courage to discern evil in all its forms, and the strength to turn away from it, both in our own lives and in the world around us. May our love for You be so profound that it compels us to actively pursue righteousness and to shine Your light in a dark world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.

In the context of Psalms 97:10, indifference to evil is a form of not loving God because a true love for God necessitates an active hatred of that which opposes Him.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼