Christians Are Full of Hate OR Racial Prejudice Is Murder (Part 2)
I believe that many Christians are full of hatred towards others. We have spoken about racial prejudice, and the hatred that is involved there. I want to keep racial prejudice in mind, but at the same time include hatred based upon other things such as gender, grudges, rivalries, social status, economic status, etc. The Bible says that hatred is the same exact thing as murder. Some of us will say, "Yes, yes I remember Jesus saying that." But I don't think we really understand why he said that. Here is what he said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. Matthew 5:21-22 Why does Jesus take such a strong stance on this and call these acts of hatred murder? I think that the answer lies in the heart condition of the "hater" and those actions that the heart condition will pour forth. Let's explore this a little bit.
I want to define hatred right from the onset of this writing, because I am make a very strong accusation that Christians are full of hate.
1hate \ˈhāt\ n
1a: intense hostility and aversion usu. deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury
b: extreme dislike or antipathy : loathing
------------------
2hate \ˈhāt\ vb
1: to feel extreme enmity toward
2: to have a strong aversion to : find very distasteful vi : to express or feel extreme enmity or active hostility.
Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
I wanted to define hate because every "good Christian" knows we are not supposed to hate so they always say, "Well I don't hate them, I just really really dislike them." Unfortunately hatred covers extreme dislike, therefore everyone one of us is guilty of hatred even though we don't want to admit it. Sometimes hatred is based on such silly things as skin color. However, more often than not hatred goes much deeper. Hatred most of the time, in my experiences, seems to derive from a sense of injury. We start hating someone because we feel like they did something wrong to us. This seems to be the prevelant form of hatred among those who are a part of God's church. We hate those inside the church because we feel as though they slighted us; we hate those outside of the church because they don't hold our beliefs. Hatred just seems to run more and rampant with every passing day.
Folks at this point may be saying that they don't agree with what I am saying. But let's dig deeper shall we? Have you ever seen someone, or been someone, who left a church because someone in the church, or the Pastor, hurt your feelings? Most of the time when this happens the person who has left never approaches the person to deal with the issue, they just decide in a moment of anger to leave. Many times they might even go so far as to not ever speak to the offender again. Or let us take a look at those outside the church that we hate. I hear American Christians always talking of how we just need to wipe out the radical Muslims with a bomb, or air raids. Isn't this hatred of them as well? Is this type of behavior acceptable for those who are inside the church? I would have to say no it is not, and I think the words of Jesus that we read earlier would back that up. These are just a couple of examples, the lists go on and on.
Why is this type of behavior, or hatred, considered murder. The reason is this plain and simple. If you feel that way about someone, whether they are Christian or non-Christian, what are the odds that if they are in need you will help them. If they are non-Christian what are the odds that you will ever share the Gospel with them? The odds are slim to none, and that makes you and I murderers if that is how we live and behave. If you have the words of life, the truth of the Gospel, and hold it back from someone because you hate them, and by holding it back I mean avoiding talking to them about salvation or any other conversation, then a murderer at heart you be. What bigger form of murder can you do than to seal the fate of someone by letting them go to Hell rather than telling them about how they might be saved. Even if the person is already saved if you feel this way about them then you would let them go to hell if they were unsaved.
I believe most Christians are full of hatred towards at least one other person if not more. If this were not the case then we would not ever be having church splits, rivalries and controversies in the church, or bitter dissensions. I am taking my own medicine here as well. There have been plenty of times when I would have rather seen someone go away and never come back than speak to them again, and this is an attitude of hatred that the Lord Jesus calls murder. May we quit playing word games with God, admit that we struggle with hatred, and ask the Lord to cleanse us all of this grievous sin.
Lord,
I am guilty of this sin, and I ask that you clease me that I may no longer be considered a murderer. Take away all bitterness from within me and make holy, and wholly yours. In Jesus' name, Amen!
I want to define hatred right from the onset of this writing, because I am make a very strong accusation that Christians are full of hate.
1hate \ˈhāt\ n
1a: intense hostility and aversion usu. deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury
b: extreme dislike or antipathy : loathing
------------------
2hate \ˈhāt\ vb
1: to feel extreme enmity toward
2: to have a strong aversion to : find very distasteful vi : to express or feel extreme enmity or active hostility.
Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
I wanted to define hate because every "good Christian" knows we are not supposed to hate so they always say, "Well I don't hate them, I just really really dislike them." Unfortunately hatred covers extreme dislike, therefore everyone one of us is guilty of hatred even though we don't want to admit it. Sometimes hatred is based on such silly things as skin color. However, more often than not hatred goes much deeper. Hatred most of the time, in my experiences, seems to derive from a sense of injury. We start hating someone because we feel like they did something wrong to us. This seems to be the prevelant form of hatred among those who are a part of God's church. We hate those inside the church because we feel as though they slighted us; we hate those outside of the church because they don't hold our beliefs. Hatred just seems to run more and rampant with every passing day.
Folks at this point may be saying that they don't agree with what I am saying. But let's dig deeper shall we? Have you ever seen someone, or been someone, who left a church because someone in the church, or the Pastor, hurt your feelings? Most of the time when this happens the person who has left never approaches the person to deal with the issue, they just decide in a moment of anger to leave. Many times they might even go so far as to not ever speak to the offender again. Or let us take a look at those outside the church that we hate. I hear American Christians always talking of how we just need to wipe out the radical Muslims with a bomb, or air raids. Isn't this hatred of them as well? Is this type of behavior acceptable for those who are inside the church? I would have to say no it is not, and I think the words of Jesus that we read earlier would back that up. These are just a couple of examples, the lists go on and on.
Why is this type of behavior, or hatred, considered murder. The reason is this plain and simple. If you feel that way about someone, whether they are Christian or non-Christian, what are the odds that if they are in need you will help them. If they are non-Christian what are the odds that you will ever share the Gospel with them? The odds are slim to none, and that makes you and I murderers if that is how we live and behave. If you have the words of life, the truth of the Gospel, and hold it back from someone because you hate them, and by holding it back I mean avoiding talking to them about salvation or any other conversation, then a murderer at heart you be. What bigger form of murder can you do than to seal the fate of someone by letting them go to Hell rather than telling them about how they might be saved. Even if the person is already saved if you feel this way about them then you would let them go to hell if they were unsaved.
I believe most Christians are full of hatred towards at least one other person if not more. If this were not the case then we would not ever be having church splits, rivalries and controversies in the church, or bitter dissensions. I am taking my own medicine here as well. There have been plenty of times when I would have rather seen someone go away and never come back than speak to them again, and this is an attitude of hatred that the Lord Jesus calls murder. May we quit playing word games with God, admit that we struggle with hatred, and ask the Lord to cleanse us all of this grievous sin.
Lord,
I am guilty of this sin, and I ask that you clease me that I may no longer be considered a murderer. Take away all bitterness from within me and make holy, and wholly yours. In Jesus' name, Amen!
posted by Pastor Jerry at
10:03 PM
3 Comments:
WOW! This is absolutely amazing. PI am such a wretch. Thank you for this article.
By
Anonymous, at 5:31 PM
Would you then question whether a person is a christian if they have these hatreds or what ever you choose to call them?? Jesus calls us to a higher standard than man or the Law does. What does that say about being a christian?? Should we accept everyone regardless of their lifestyle choices and/or actions against christians?? How do we differentiate between the sinner and the sin?? These are hard questions.
By
Anonymous, at 12:14 AM
I guess that it is not really up to me to question who is a Christian and who is not one. If someone had this type of hatred in their life I would try to genlty point it out and let them know what the Bible says about it. I know that as a believer I sometimes struggle with hatred, as the blog article pointed out, even though it hurts to call it hatred. And I know that I am a Christian. Christians still sin and that is a sad fact. As a shepherd I just have to point out the pitfalls and pray for them that they might repent. In the end God will decide who was a Christian and who was not. I know that makes it about as clear as mud, but that's all I've got.
By
Pastor Jerry, at 8:33 AM
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