“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”
Love must be sincere. No fake love allowed. But also…hate what is evil.
We live in a world to hate something that is evil is considered equivalent to hating the person who is doing the evil. Therefore if you hate evil, you are hating a person, and therefore you are the evil one.
This is a false equivocation. And worse, it is a powerful means of which to silence a believer.
If you hate evil, then you are ___________ phobic.
If you hate children being given life altering drugs and cutting off body parts when they are young, then you are transphobic.
If you hate the teachings of Islam where their prophet at 53 marries a 6 year old and has sex with her at 9, then you are Islamophobic.
If you hate children being killed in the womb because it is modern day human sacrifice, you are being “hateful” to women.
People don’t like being labeled haters. Or accused of being hateful to people. So they start becoming more silent. And they stop hating that which is evil.
Add to that modern day rhetoric where “love” is defined as tolerance and acceptance of anything and everything, including evil. No matter what a person does, you just have to be “nice” to them. Crime is barely prosecuted. What is prosecuted is a person who stands up to evil and peacefully says no to it.
It’s why Charlie Kirk is dead. He spoke against evil.
Culture does not define the Christian life. The truth of God’s Word does. And he says to hate that which is evil.
There are things God hates.
“There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers”
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
In Romans, Paul doesn’t say hate the person. He doesn’t say bring harm to them. But he does say hate evil.
That means we speak against it. We try to end it. We want it out of our society. We do what we can so that it has not place among us.
Yes, we will be accused of being __________ phobic. But we press on.
Yes, we will be accused of not being loving if we stand against evil. But we press on.
God’s command is clear. Hate what is evil.
Sincerely love people. Don’t take revenge on them. Love them.
But hate evil. And say no to it. It’s our duty.
PS. Evil always comes after the most vulnerable first and foremost. Ever wonder why women and children are the greatest targets?