Those who walk in light have fellowship with Father and love other disciples too. But those who hate others walk in darkness. (I John 1:11) The Bible teaches to hate evil and not people. (Psalms 97:10) Hatred is to dislike, abhor, loath, detest and despise others. Hatred is the sin of the heart – it happens in the inner person – thoughts and emotions that are not expressed. The Lord commanded us to love enemies and not hate them. (Matthew 5:44) the Lord Jesus said that people will hate the disciples of Lord Jesus without reason as He was also hated. (Psalms 69:4; John 15:25)
1) Envy: Out of envy the religious leaders handed over Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified. (Matthew 27:18) Some people are disliked; they are talented or successful or rich. They could inherit such status or be achieved by hard work. Cain hated Abel, because he was righteous, and God was pleased with him. (Genesis 4)
2) Complex: Some people have superior feelings and treat others as inferiors. They ridicule and despise them for no apparent reason. There are others who have feelings of inferiority and blame others who are well off as their oppressors or deprivers.
3) Indifference: The Priest and the Levite ignored the dying man, thus hated him, while the Good Samaritan helped him. (Luke 10:25-37)
4) Unforgiveness: Hatred is caused by an unforgiving spirit. Believers ought to forgive others seventy times seven. (Matthew 19:21-22)
5) Popularity: King Saul was hurt, when the women sang in celebration. They credited the victory to David
who defeated Goliath, giving him 10 times more than Saul.! That immensely hurt Saul that he wanted to kill David. (I Samuel 18:29)
6) Progress and Promotion: Joseph was given a dream by God that spoke of his future in which he will excel more than his brothers. Envious brothers sold him into slavery. (Genesis 37)
7) Hurt feeling: Haman was hurt when Mordecai did not bow down before him. That became hatred that conspired to destroy all Jews in the 127 provinces of the Empire. (Esther 3:5)
Do I walk in love and light?