Hate what is Evil, Love what is Good
Title: Hate Evil, Love Good: Living the Christian Life with Discernment
Living the Christian Life
In our series on Holiness, we have been exploring what it means to live faithfully as followers of Christ. When we look into Scripture, we find that Christian living is, in one sense, simple: God wants us to be like Him. But the practical outworking of that is far from easy. How can we, as limited beings, live in a way that reflects an unlimited God? Christ, in His incarnation, gave us the pattern by taking on our limitations and showing us how to live as obedient children.
Christian living means knowing what to avoid, what to repent of, and also what to pursue. It means shaping our desires to match God’s own heart—to love what He loves and to hate what He hates.
Hate What is Evil, Hold Fast to What is Good
Romans 12:9 instructs: "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." After eleven chapters of theology and theory, Paul turns to how we ought to live. One of his first exhortations is about discernment: true love is not blind; it is moral. It knows the difference between light and darkness.
This idea makes many modern Christians uncomfortable. We are often told that to be loving is to be accepting of everything and everyone. To be accused of being "unloving" is perhaps one of the most feared criticisms today. But Scripture repeatedly calls us to a holy hatred—a hatred of sin and darkness. Love without discernment is not biblical love.
God’s people are often accused of being hateful when they speak against sin. But we must remember: rebuke and correction, when done in love and truth, are acts of mercy. The saying "love the sinner, hate the sin" has its limits, but it reminds us of a key principle: we must never make peace with what God hates. We should be able to love someone even in the midst of their most sinful attitudes and behaviors, we should be able to encourage them to come to the Lord, because we want them to be saved. We don't want them to be enslaved to their sin, we are supposed to hate that which is evil, and sin is evil
The Pattern of Scripture
This theme appears repeatedly in both Testaments. Consider 1 John 2:15-17:
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
Don't love the world or the things in the world, If anyone loves the world and the things in the world, they're opposed to God. If we love what the world loves, and desire what the world desires, we are outside of the will of God. We're standing in direct opposition to God when we love the world and the things in the world. And he gives three examples which really encapsulate every sin. The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life, these sins are of the world.
Discerning What We Love
Entertainment disciples us. What we laugh at, what we admire, what we share—these reveal our loves. And often, they cultivate in us a taste for evil. God calls us to examine what fills our minds. Are our eyes fixated on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable (Philippians 4:8)? Or are we entertained by sin? Are we embracing the desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, or the pride of life?
Parents, consider what your children are learning from their shows and songs. Even children’s media is not neutral. From "follow your heart" messages to normalization of disobedience and immorality, the world is constantly preaching. Are we letting those "sermons" of popular media go unchallenged?
The Prophetic Witness of Amos
Amos 5:14-15 gives us this timeless charge:
"Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate."
In Amos' day, God rebuked Israel for worshiping false gods, ignoring justice, and living in comfort while the poor suffered. His call was not just for religious performance, but moral clarity and obedience. He called His people to repent.
The Apostolic Warning of Ephesians
Ephesians 5 echoes the same call:
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (v.11)
"Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." (v.4)
Paul names sins plainly—sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, drunkenness, deceit, foolishness. He says those who practice such things have no inheritance in God's kingdom. He tells us not to partner with them, not to imitate them, not even to speak as they do.
Call to Action
If we truly love God, we must love His Word—all of it. We must not treat any passage as a problem. God’s truth is not a buffet to pick and choose from. It is our bread of life. We must be conformed to it.
If we love God, we must also love His people, even the difficult ones. We must learn to hate not just our neighbor’s sin but our own sin, and love not just God in the abstract but everything that proceeds from His mouth.
We must be a people who:
Love God and His Word
Hate evil with a holy hatred
Repent of cultural compromise
Walk in wisdom, not foolishness
Speak in edification, not corruption
Are filled with the Spirit, not the world
Conclusion
Let us be resolved: no matter what the world celebrates, we will love what God loves and hate what God hates.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Seek the Lord and you will live.
Interested in learning more about what it means to live a life that reflects God’s holiness? Join us at King’s Reformed Evangelical Church this Sunday or reach out with your questions. We'd love to share God’s peace with you.
