Overcoming Hatred
Overcoming Hatred
Leviticus 19:17, Matthew 5:43-44
Introduction:
1. Hate is a sin because it is directed toward an individual rather than sin.
2. Hate directed toward man is a heart disease that will kill.
3. The story of Cain and Able teaches us the dangers of this heart malady.
4. Cain, envious of his brother’s sacrifice, hated and killed his brother.
5. Had Cain turned his hatred toward his own sin, sinful worship, then Cain would have been at peace.
6. This is the lesson we need to focus on.
7. Hate towards sin is necessary for godly growth.
8. But hate towards others will only destroy them and us.
9. Let us examine how hate kills and that love overcomes this heart disease.
I. Nature of Sinful Hate
A. It is an unregenerated work of the flesh.
B. It is a characteristic of the foolish man.
1. The fool who hates is cruel.
2. The fool who hates is immature
C. Sinful Hate leads to other evils.
1. Rooted in Envy
2. Stirs up Trouble
3. It destroys others
a) Leads to murder and assassination
b) Leads to sins of the tongue
c) Leads to bitterness, resentment and retaliation
II. Cure: Love of the Sinner
A. Consequences of Hate need a cure.
1. The hateful man is robbed of his happiness.
2. The hateful man is a slave to his own hate.
a) He is a self-centered person.
b) He commits spiritual suicide.
3. He is kept from heaven by his hate.
B. We must accept that God provides no middle ground.
1. Luke 9:50 - But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you."
a) Either hate or love.
b) Overcoming hate means we must implant, instill, and nurture love in our hearts.
2. Love is a badge of discipleship.
a) John 13:33-34 - Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' (34) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
b) Love is the second greatest commandment.
c) Matthew 22:39-40 –
3. Love is the mark of true spiritual life
a) 1 John 3:14 - We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
b) It signifies the converted man revealing the heart of the saint.
4. We are therefore to love man but much more the brethren.
a) John 13:34 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
b) That love is to be a fervent love
c) 1 Peter 1:22-23 - Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (23) since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
d) We are to love Christians genuinely and unhypocritically
e) That love must come from a pure heart.
5. Ultimately we show our love for man and Christians by our deeds and not in words only.
6. 1 John 3:18 - Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
III. Cure: Love in Action
A. It cannot be stressed enough that we show our love by praying for others.
1. Matthew 5:44 - But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
2. It is difficult to continue hating someone when you are constantly pleading on their behalf.
B. A good deed can begin the healing process of this heart disease.
1. Exodus 23:4-5 - "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. (5) If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
2. We can begin small with a card of encouragement or compliment.
3. We can invite them to a party or over for dinner.
4. We can offer to go out of our way to help them.
5. By doing so we can put a dent in that hateful attitude.
C. The healing process continues when we try to understand the other person
1. In order to understand you have to talk to them.
2. Hate is for the immature.
a) Matthew 5:43-48 -
b) The word perfect comes from the Greek word for mature.
c) The loving individual is mature.
d) In order to be mature adults we must be loving rather than hateful.
D. Personal evaluation is required to continue the healing process.
1. Hatred is rooted in envy and envy is rooted in hate.
a) It is a cycle pattern that one cannot escape without putting down both.
b) We cannot be envious and expect to love.
c) We cannot love and expect to envy other people.
2. We must be able to examine ourselves and see if we have either of these directed toward others.
a) Asking if we are envious of others money, relationships, jobs, physical abilities is a great way to begin.
b) Asking ourselves if we hate people rather than sin.
3. God expects us to hate sin but not the sinner.
a) The Bible teaches us that we must hate sin.
b) Jude 23 - save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
c) Amos 5:15 - Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
d) Even God hates sin
e) Proverbs 6:16-19 - Pro 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, (19) a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
f) But God loves the sinner
g) John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
4. We may ask ourselves how this is possible.
a) But we do it to ourselves.
b) We do not hate us rather we hate the things we do.
Conclusion:
1. The story of Cain and Able can teach us a great deal about the problems of hate.
2. Unless we are able to learn to overcome such a damaging heart disease then we will surely die.
3. By incorporating love into our lives we can reverse the damages that can be done by hate.
4. Jesus himself epitomizes that idea in his sacrifice for us.
Posted in: Christian Behavior, Christian Growth, Love, Sermon Outlines