It is time to look at anger and hatred. We see a lot of both in our world today. Although related, anger and hatred are two distinct emotional states. Anger is a basic human emotion, a response to a perceived threat, injustice, frustration, or provocation. It is usually temporary. In certain instances, anger is the impetus for healthy responses. It can motivate someone to address problems or defend themselves. Hatred, on the other hand, is a much more intense and enduring emotion. One of its key characteristics is its longevity. It can last a lifetime and even be passed on to subsequent generations. Another characteristic of hatred is that it often involves a strong desire for harm, destruction, or ill will towards the object of hatred. When the object of hatred is another human being, we have a serious problem.
Both our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, expressed anger. However, in the Old Testament, there are no direct instances where God expressed hatred. We can find numerous instances where God expresses His displeasure with the behavior of individuals or nations. God’s anger always led to God’s just judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus focused on love, compassion, and forgiveness. While He expressed anger when Temple priests desecrated “His Father’s House,” (John 2:16) there is no explicit instance in the New Testament where Jesus is described as hating someone.
Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” This suggests that anger is a natural emotion, but it can lead to sinful or destructive behavior. It also suggests that the prince of hatred is Satan. The hatred and ill-will are expressed biblically in 1 John 3:15, “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” This implies that hatred is seen as a much more serious matter, equating it with murder in terms of its spiritual consequences.
(James 4:1-4)1NIV New International Version Translations – “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
Our world does a good job of teaching us how to hate! When someone believes they have been wronged or mistreated, they may harbor feelings of resentment and anger. If these feelings are not resolved or addressed, they can fester and intensify over time, eventually turning into hatred. Our world takes advantage of anger and adds to its intensity. Societal or cultural factors can also play a significant role in the growth of hatred. If a society promotes intolerance or fosters division, individuals may be more likely to develop and harbor hatred towards those who are perceived as different or as enemies.
Repeated negative experiences with a person, group, or entity can also lead to the development of hatred. For example, consistent mistreatment, discrimination, or harm inflicted by someone or a group can nurture strong feelings of hatred. Hatred can be fueled by fear and prejudice. When individuals or groups are demonized or dehumanized due to differences in race, religion, nationality, or other characteristics, it can create fertile ground for hatred to grow. We see this today in our schools as “bullying.”
It is important to recognize that anger is usually a temporary emotion that arises in response to a specific situation or trigger. It can dissipate relatively quickly once the triggering event is resolved or as time passes. Hatred, however, is a persistent and long-lasting emotion that can endure for an extended period, even from generation to generation. Hatred may not even be tied to a specific event and can persist even when the object of hatred is no longer active. In summary, it is hatred that is inconsistent with God’s Truth, and our quest should be to find ways to both recognize and subdue hatred.
Our World Today
Misconceptions, stereotypes, and misinformation can contribute to the growth of hatred. Because of technology, misinformation travels at the “speed of light.” When individuals hold false beliefs about a person or group, it fuels negative emotions. We see this in the growth of anti-Semitism worldwide and even within our nation. When individuals also lack the skills to resolve conflicts or address grievances healthily and constructively, unresolved issues evolve into deep-seated, multi-generational hatred.
(Matthew 10:22) – “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Where you find perverse interpretations of God and Christ, you also find fertile ground for hatred. The history of religions, including Christianity, is filled with examples of destructive hatred. The Bible often emphasizes forgiveness and reconciliation. In Matthew 18:21–22, Jesus teaches about the importance of forgiving others: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times,’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Don’t misinterpret Jesus’ statement; He is not saying you have no right to self-defense. In Luke 22:36, Jesus tells His disciples to carry a sword “He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.‘” This verse acknowledges the need for self-defense or protection. In Exodus, when a thief is killed in the dark, there is a good chance that the homeowner acted without animosity or premeditation. But if a homeowner kills a thief when nothing in the circumstances hinders his judgment, he is without excuse. This would be an intentional act and be considered murder. The heart and one’s motives are everything to God! “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). Anger is justice, but hatred is revenge. Proportionality in self-defense is a reflection of God’s sense of justice, where the response should be commensurate with the threat.
(Exodus 22:2-3) – “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed. “
Accountability and repentance are still required by God. However, for the repentant thief, we are also to forgive. The Bible distinguishes between anger and hatred by acknowledging the presence of anger as a natural human emotion but warning against the destructive and sinful nature of hatred. It emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, love for enemies, and self-control in managing anger and avoiding the development of hatred.
In a world where social media reigns supreme, everyone should be careful of the “SHARE” button. “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.” (Leviticus 19:11). We should all strive to share God’s Truth. However, to stoke anger into hatred or to deliberately pass on provocative and hateful messages works against God’s plan for a just and peaceful world. James 1:19–20 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” Seeds of anger usually lead to negative consequences. We live in a world where some individuals find a perverse satisfaction or emotional release in hating someone or something, which only encourages the growth of hatred.
The Big Exception
(Psalm 97:10) – “Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”
God would like you to hate evil. The psalmist addresses the people of Israel who love God. However, despite their love for God’s righteousness and justice, they don’t have the same heart for righteousness and justice in their own lives. Humanity is often angry at the trouble sin causes but does not hate sin enough to repent and abandon sin. Where does this leave us? This study is about anger versus hatred. When we fail to understand the perspectives and experiences of all parties, it becomes easier to let hatred develop. But what happens if a group is so entrenched in hatred that it cannot be redeemed?
(Habakkuk 2:1-5) – “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.’”
The prophet Habakkuk argues with God about His apparent unfairness, letting other nations, who are even more sinful, harm Habakkuk’s nation, Israel. God’s answer to Habakkuk is the same answer we need to hear today. “I am in charge,” says God. “Stand back and watch Me,” says God. “I will punish all with the justice they deserve. However, it will be on My terms and at My timing,” says God. And what is our part in all of this as we wait upon our God? Without forgiveness, there will always be hatred. Without Christ, there can never be forgiveness. Our Savior sums it up for us so well! “Treat others just as you want to be treated” (Luke 6:31). It is really that simple. Share the Good News!
Contemplations
- Where have you experienced hatred?
- Ideas to Explore: School, work, family, etc. Give some time and think about whether you were witness to anger or hatred.
- Why does the hatred you noted above exist?
- Ideas to Explore: First, think about the perspectives of both sides. Was there ever an attempt on both sides to just forgive each other? Who stokes the hatred, and who profits from it?
- When the innocent are impacted, the hatred intensifies. Is that why the innocent are so often the victims?
- Ideas to Explore: Think of all the historic, unjust acts that harmed innocent people. In each one of them, who were the instigators, and who profited from the hatred?
- Why did religion harm so many people?
- Ideas to Explore: Were there causes that were just? Were there evil causes?
- 1NIV New International Version Translations