The Hazards Of Hatred

 

"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."(1 John 2:9) 

 In one "Peanuts" cartoon, Lucy says to Charlie Brown, "I hate everything!, I hate everybody, I hate the whole world!" Charlie Brown says, "But I thought you had inner peace?" Lucy replies, "I do have inner peace, but I still have outer obnoxiousness!" 

There is so much hatred in our world today. We see a great deal of it in our country. In government, in communities, in families, in marriages, hatred is showing it's ugly head. 

 John writes in his first letter, that those who hate, live in a state of spiritual "darkness." And that is a state of being separated from God. Hatred is a terrible sinful attitude, that darkens our understanding. 

If we have a proper relationship with God, we will be positioned in the light. We will have a proper understanding of how we are to feel, and act toward others. We will value others as more important than ourselves. 

If we will have the mind of Christ, we will be like our Lord, and treat people as He did in the Gospels. One who is in the light, will not have the darkened attitudes of selfishness, dominance, jealousy, prejudice, etc. We will treat each other with love and respect, instead of using people to gain our own agendas. We will agree to disagree, instead of threatening to do harm, or even to murder, if someone doesn't see things our way. 

 Where will this dark path of hatred eventually take us? Paul writes in Galatians 5:19-21, concerning the acts of hatred. Having these attitudes, and pursuing these actions will not allow us our inheritance of the kingdom of God. I believe that the darkened path of hatred, will eventually take us to hell!. Is that what we want? I wouldn't think so! GP 

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The Path Of Hate

"But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." 
(1 John 2:11)

 Can we disagree with people without hating them? That is the question that many are wondering about these days.

We've seen in the election of our new president, such avid hatred directed towards him, and his family. I do not want to make this post political, or have it be an endorsement for President Trump. I don't agree with everything he has said, or done.
But I do not hate him.

I want to address the attitude of hatred, and how damaging and destructive it is. The Apostle John writes in our text that if someone hates his/her brother, he/she is in darkness. This is spiritual darkness. They are destitute of spiritual light. They are not walking a path that is lit by the Jesus, (The Light of Life - John 8:12) but they are walking a path of selfish destruction.

Where hate is a destructive attitude, love is a building virtue, and one of productivity. How can get rid of the hatred in our hearts? By looking to Jesus, who is our great teacher of love, and concern. He did not agree with the Pharisees & Sadducees (The religious governing body of Israel, Matthew 23) but He did love them.

When we read Matthew 23:37, we see Jesus mourning over the city of Jerusalem (It's leaders, and the people) because of their lack of love and mercy, and their sins. He wanted to gather them to Him, as a hen gathers her chicks, but they would not let Him.

The path of hatred will never lead to peace and unity. That is what the Lord prayed we would have (John 17) Isn't that what we should want too? GP

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