Holy Hatred Series

HOLY HATRED

PSALM 119:113-120

INTRODUCTION

A. If the title Holy Hatred did not grate against your Christian sensibilities, it probably should have (Matt 5:43-45).

B. Was David’s declaration of his hatred for the double-minded a prophetic utterance? Was it a weakness of the flesh at which God winked?

1. The KJV seems to have resolved the problem by translating, “I hate vain thoughts.” Forty-one other translations have David hating the person.

2. “Love the sinner but hate the sin” also seems to solve the problem but is it handling aright the text?

C. David is speaking from a troubled heart as he did in Psalm 39:2-5.

D. Our minds still may not be at ease with the term holy hatred—at least not when used about believers hating.

I. DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE SCRIPTURES

A. David hated, and he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

B. Note three additional Psalms (26:5; 31:6; 139:21-22).

C. The God who blesses all with sunshine and rain also hates some (Psa 5:5; 11:5).

D. While there may be occasions when we hate with holy hatred, God can do some-things we are forbidden to do (Rom 12:19-21).

II. DAVID ADDRESSED THE WICKED (v. 115).

A. The danger is not “out there.” David spoke to those of his own nation, those claiming to be the people of God.

B. Peter warns that the greatest danger to our faith is not the evil people of the world but the traitors within the body of Christ (2 Pet 2:1-3).

C. We learn from Solomon’s proverbs that there are seven things God hates (Prov 6:16-19).

D. We should preach good news to the world, and warn the church (1 Cor 5:9-13).

E. Some preachers claim to be gospel preachers who spend their time denouncing the digressive, condemning the sects, and assigning all to hell who disagree with them. Those against whom they preach are seldom present for the preacher’s rants. But, like all good politicians, they preach to the base to make them feel superior.

F. David was expressing righteous indignation when he said that he hated the double-minded. If we do not hate what God hates, we may not love what God loves.

III. RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION MUST NOT STAND ALONE

A. A minimum of four things must be valid to claim that our indignation at perceived evils is righteous.

1. God must be our shelter and shield: “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word (v.114).

2. God must be our hope: “Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope!” (v. 116)

3. God’s law must be in our hearts (vv. 117-119).

a. If we hate sin and love the sinner, we will hate sin in ourselves even more than in others (Rom 7:14-16).

b. When we weaponize the word of God and practice a scorched-earth policy, we not only mishandle the word, but we also bring condemnation to ourselves.

4. Godly fear must fill our hearts (v. 120).

a. Godly fear, like Godly indignation, comes from a pure heart (Heb 4:1-3)

b. John says that perfect love casts out fear, but we cannot love God and ignore His word (Heb 10:26-31)

CONCLUSION

A. Sometimes, when I thought I had a good handle on loving sinners and hating sin, it seems that God placed some old grouch in my path and said, “Now love them.”

B. Sometimes I discovered that I was looking in the mirror.