Hate what is evil. Romans 12:9 (NIV)
In a post-modern world, this is one of the most difficult things to do. It is also one of the most important. How do we decide what’s good and evil? Is it just a matter of personal opinion? Our post-modern world says, “It’s up to you to decide.” But Christians have a simple definition of good and evil: What God says is ‘good’ is good, and what God says is ‘evil’ is evil.
The book of Proverbs says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him” (6:16). That means, although this list is very specific, it is not exhaustive. The Lord hates “haughty eyes” (the look of a person who thinks they’re great), “a lying tongue” and “hands that shed innocent blood” (someone who uses his or her power to destroy others), “a heart that devises wicked schemes,” and “feet that are quick to rush into evil” (a person who is always exploring new forms of sin), “a false witness,” and “a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”
The reason God hates these things is that they’re all destructive to those He loves. God models the kind of love that hates evil. The Lord hates evil, and that means we have to take sides.
God says to us, “Hate what is evil.” If you are going to hate what is evil, the first step is that you must be able to identify it. Transformation begins with the renewing of the mind.
God has this question for your mind: “According to the Bible, does God love this or hate it?” If you choose to love what God hates, you’re taking sides against Him.
