Question: Should a Christian HATE someone who hates God?

As I read the below scripture in Psalms, I was puzzled by the word hate in the context it was used. I decided to look up the following scriptures and look in some study books to help me determine what the bible says about hate.

• Psalms 139:21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? [22] I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
  

  –Clarke’s Commentary = “Do not I hate them”… I hold their conduct in abomination. “With perfect hatred”…Their conduct, their motives, their opposition to thee, their perfidy and idolatrous purposes, I perfectly abhor. With them I have neither part, interest, nor affection.

  –Matthew Henry’s Commentary = He detests them (v.21,22): “do not I hate those that hate thee?”, and for that reason, because they hate thee? I hate them because I love thee, and hate to see such affronts and indignities put upon they blessed name. Note: Sin is hated, and sinners are lamented, by all that fear God.? “I hate them” (that is, I hate the work of them that turn aside, as he explains himself Psalms 101:3)

  2. Question: Will God punish you if you don’t HATE people that hate God?

• 2 Chronicles 19:1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. [2] And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
  

  –Clarke’s Commentary = “Therefore is wrath upon thee” … That is, Thou deservest to be punished. And who can doubt this, who knows that he did help the ungodly and did love them that hated Jehova? And is not the wrath of God upon all those alliances which his people form with the ungodly, whether they be social, matrimonial, commercial, or political?

  –Matthew Henry’s Commentary = (1)The prophet told him plainly that he had done very ill in joining with Ahab:? “Shouldst thou,” a godly man, “help the ungodly,” give them a hand of fellowship, and lend them a hand of assistance?” Or, “Shouldst thou love those that hate the Lord;” wilt thou lay those in thy bosom whom God beholds afar off? It is the black character of wicked people that they are haters of God. “Do I not hate those,” says David, “that hate thee?” Ps 139:21 Those whom the grace of God has dignified ought not to debase themselves. Let God’s people be of God’s mind. (2) That God was displeased with him for doing this; “There is wrath upon thee from before the Lord,” and thou must, by repentance, make thy peace with him, or it will be the worse for thee. He did so, and God’s anger was turned away.

  The Lord hates sin

• Zechariah 8:17 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.
  

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  • After reviewing the above Commentaries and scriptures, I concluded that you should “hate” the sin, not the sinner, hate the act, the ways, but never the person.

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  At this point, I wanted to see what the New Testament had to say about “hate”.

  • Jesus taught us not to hate each other, but to love and forgive

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  • Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. [44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; [45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? [47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? [48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
  • Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, [2] To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. [3] For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
  • 1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. [10] He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. [11] But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
  • 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. [15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. [16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

  We should HATE sin.

  • Psalms 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
  • Psalms 119:10? Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
  • Psalms 119:113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
  • Psalms 119:128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
  • Ecclesiastes?3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
  • Amos 5:15 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.

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  Bibliography

  • Matthew Henry, “The Matthew Henry Study Bible, King James Version, World Bibles, 1994
  • Adam Clarke’s, “The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” Commentaries, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN