You’ve seen it everywhere – social media, bumper stickers, TV commercials – “People learn to hate.” This is most often used as a challenge to racism. But, it’s just not true. The truth is that hate is a consequence of the fallen nature of humanity and is common to all.
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slave to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3 ESV).
“But the one who 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).
The first expression of hate is sibling rivalry. Even a small child cannot escape the grip of hate. Sibling rivalry is expressed in the story of Cain and Abel. We learn from this story that selfishness, jealousy, anger, and fear are the seeds of hate. The ultimate expression of hate is murder. “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer…” (1 John 3:15).
Hate is ubiquitous – it seeds every human heart and finds expressions in various ways. Racism, sexism, religious violence, political propaganda, oppression, war, etc. The social justice movement seeks to challenge “hate speech.” This defines hate in terms of politics and leaves the definition of hate to politicians. However, when politics defines hate, then hate becomes selective. Christians who teach that homosexual practice is a sin are guilty of hate speech. But homosexuals are politically justified in their hate of Christians.
Justified hate is a tool of resistance. That’s why a mock assassination of the President is a work of art. Hate provokes a white supremacist to drive into the midst of protesters. Hate compels Black Lives Matters protestors to chant, “Pigs in a blanket! Fry ’em like bacon!” Hate provokes anti-semitism with the words “From river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Hate speech transcends political ideology and is all too common. One political candidate refers to her opponents as “deplorables” (HRC) and another refers to his opponents as “vermin” (DJT). Political hate speech dehumanizes and demonizes one’s opponents. Hate as a political tool will provoke violence.
Jesus tells us that our speech reveals the condition of our heart. He challenges us to love our enemies. Jesus challenges the Black Lives Matter movement to love police officers, Christians to love Muslims, Muslims to love Jews, and Jews to love Gentiles. God is love, God loves his enemies, God loves our enemies, and God calls us to love our enemies. A heart filled with the love of God will be demonstrated by words of grace.
Political conflict or religious persecution is not an excuse for hateful speech. The Apostle Peter reminds us, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. . .” (1 Peter 2:21-23).
The cross of Christ is the symbol of human hate and Divine love. The sinless One, the One in whom there was no fault or guilt, was violently executed on the cross as an expression of human hate towards God. Even so, the cross is the symbol of Divine love. On the cross Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them.” On the cross God resisted the evil of this world through sacrificial love.
Hate must be resisted, but it must not be resisted by hateful speech. Paul wrote, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor… Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:9-10; 17-18).
During the civil rights movement, when non-violent protesters where being met with hate and violence, Martin Luther King, Jr. declared, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” I fear that we are witnessing the clash of hate in American politics. Christians must resist hate in all its diverse and evil expressions. Our voices must be firm, but tempered. May the Holy Spirit grant us the power and wisdom to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
