There is so much hate and bitterness on the news these days. Christians need to be very careful of how they react to this as, “Once saved is not always saved!”.

Taken from my cousin’s post on Facebook in the USA

Tough news cycle today.

In fairness, I have seen a lot of hate spewed in recent months about a man who is a constant winner and overachiever, and that’s what the people who support him like about him. Yes, he’s been caught in lies and twisted the truth a little but he’s still out there proving his haters wrong time after time. Some people are jealous of someone who is successful, powerful, and has a lot of money. Throw in a hot foreign model at his side and they hate him even more. You may not have wanted him in his role, but he’s there now and there’s nothing we can do about it. I know it’s possibly going to get worse over the next several days, but like him or not, Tom Brady is really turning things around in Tampa.

Let us get back to the Bible to see what it has to say!

1 Samuel 18:6-9 As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. As they celebrated, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands. Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

No and Yes

No, only when it relates to hating sin and evil. We are at war with them, thus continue the fight against!

1 John 4:19-20 We love because God first loved us. Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates his brother is a liar. The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love the God whom he has not seen.

1 John 2:8-11 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1 John 1:6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

Is hating and bitterness a sin?

Yes it’s a sin when the hating relates to jealousy, envy, finding fault in everything others do, trying to make others look bad in front of others and by negatively criticizing them.

For the Christian what to do so hate doesn’t take you to hell.

1 Peter 3:16 Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.

Ephesians 4:32 Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Proverbs 24:1 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them

Proverbs 23:17 Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD.

Psalm 37:7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Make your focus on the Great Commission and you will see great thing happening.

Pray in all things

Dr Ian