Some mistakenly believe that it is wrong for Christians to express hatred. To a degree, this is true. Christians should not be hostile, cruel, unkind, or rude to others. To do so, is to be hateful; hatefulness violates some plain Scripture passages (Ephesians 4:32; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 3:12-14; 2 Peter 1:7).

Webster's dictionary defines the noun form of the word "hate" as:

• Intense hostility and aversion, usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury.
  Extreme dislike or antipathy.
• An object of hatred.

The verb form of the word "hate" is defined as:

• To feel extreme enmity toward <hates his country's enemies>
• To have a strong aversion to: find very distasteful <hated to have to meet strangers> <hate hypocrisy>; intransitive senses: to express or feel extreme enmity or active hostility.

Let us go to God's Word to learn what Christians must hate. Consider the following passages:

1. "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6:16-19) Godly people must hate these six things and cast them out of their lives.
   
   
2. The prophet Amos wrote, "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph." (Amos 5:14,15).
   
   
3. The Psalmist David wrote, "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore, I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:104)
   
   "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:128)
   
   God's word forever establishes what is evil and what is good; what is right and what is wrong. Man is not free to set his own standards (cf. Isaiah 55:8,9).
   
   
4. "I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." (Psalm 119:113)
   
   Let us think as Paul commanded, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
   
   
5. "I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love." (Psalm 119:163)
   
   Of liars, the apostle John wrote, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Revelations 21:8)
   
   Numerous New Testament passages condemn lying (cf. Acts 5:1-11; John 8:44; Romans 1:25; Colossians 3:9; Revelation 22:15).
   
   
6. "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward (perverted-tgm) mouth, do I hate." (Proverbs 8:13)
   
   Consider the parable of the proud Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14; cf. Matthew 18:1-6).
   
   Peter wrote, "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:5-7).
   
   
7. "And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD." (Zechariah 8:17)
   
   A Christian is to love his neighbor as Christ taught the lawyer in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
   
   Also condemned is evil surmising (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3,4).
   
   
8. "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity." (Psalm 5:5)
   
   Concerning God's Son, the Hebrew writer said, "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." (Hebrews 1:9) Iniquity is lawlessness. Sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4). All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). Iniquity includes any and all religious error (Matthew 7:21-23).
   
   
9. Of our love for others and for our own selves, Jesus taught, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25)
   
   In Luke 14:26, Jesus also taught, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
   
   The word hate, as used in these passages, means to love less. Hence, we must seek God first and lay aside our will and the will of those who are dear to us (cf. Luke 10:27).
   
   
10. To the Church at Ephesus, John the revelator wrote, "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate." (Revelation 2:6) Whatever the "deeds of the Nicolaitanes" were, the apostle John revealed that the Lord also hated them. We must do only righteous deeds and shun all that is evil (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1-3; Colossians 3:17; James 1:25; 1 John 3:18,19). Let us "hate the evil and love the good," as God does.

Conclusion: Can a Christian hate? Yes! Must a Christian hate? Yea verily! In order to be His disciples, we must hate what the Lord hates and love what He loves!