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Hate and Evil
June 27, 2026

As a retired public educator, I pay attention to news stories and social media posts about public education. Some of those social media posts are based on understanding while others seem to be based on emotions abutting hate. If you are concerned about public education, the best advice I can provide is to know the laws of your nation and state regarding public education, to know the policies of your local school district, to attend school board meetings, and to share your opinions with the school board. The best advice I can give is to present an assertive and knowledgeable opinion as that type of information tends to garner the greatest attention from the school board, and to avoid what I think of as non-sensical screaming. For instance, if the school board is proposing a property tax increase do share why you think that is either a good or bad idea showing how it would benefit the students or negatively impact your family. Sometimes when school districts propose budgets and tax rates, some constituents will say things like if the school board can’t live within their current means they should first cut their salary by half before asking the taxpayer for more money. The problem with that is in Texas, school board members by law are not paid, so cutting their salary in half will do nothing for the budget and tax rate, and making claims like this will lessen the impact of whatever else you are sharing with the school board. This is what I mean by non-sensical screaming.

You may or may not have children enrolled in public schools, but most public schools and teachers work to establish communication with parents, and I recently saw a news article from Australia, and since I don’t live in Australia, I don’t know anything more than what is presented in the news article. It seems like social media and communication apps are being used by some parents in such a way that it is causing some teachers and administrators to feel threatened or abused, and it has gotten to the point where administrators can ban a parent from entering a school based on social media posts made on a particular app used more for person to person or group communication, and the law can compel the parents to delete defamatory or threatening posts. Like I said, I’m not sure what is happening in Australia, but it seems concerning. I can understand parents venting their concerns, but even that should never be reduced to defaming or threatening another person and I would encourage parents to instead pursue administrative, civil, or criminal action as appropriate.

Some types of social media posts are designed to elicit a rage or hate response while others are designed to get you to respond to incorrect information. A common type of social media post I have seen is one that asks for a correct answer from a multiple choice listing, and all provided choices are wrong. The question might read something like how many U.S. states begin with the letter Q with choices of one, two, three, or four. Looking at the responses it is easy to see that some have a hate or rage response to the post by calling into question the intellect of the poster. What people don’t realize is by responding to these types of posts, the social media algorithm will make more of these types of posts appear, and the person who posts these types of questions will eventually get noticed by the social media platform for all of the comments to the point they might actually get paid.

Some people defame and threaten others for no reason. It’s like they are filled with hate, so they direct their hate on the person they defame and threaten. Sometimes it begins when one person brings a concern to the attention of a second person, and the second person dismisses that concern as bullying. I think that is happening more and more, and the only thing that results from that narrative is mistrust, and mistrust if fed will grow to hate. Hate can be used to feed fear and insecurity. If there is something or somebody to fear, hate can be a common reaction just like if somebody or something makes us feel vulnerable and insecure. People who manipulate others know how to use hate to feed fear and insecurity. Using hate to feed fear and insecurity probably sounds strange to people of faith because when we read the Bible, we read passages like Proverbs nine verse ten that shows that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. When we think of fear, such as the fear of God, that comes from a position of faith that leads us to do what God expects of us. The demons believe as well, and tremble as is told to us in James two verse nineteen. Fear of God for the demons is based in belief, but the demons do not do what God expects. They have rejected God in favor of the lie told by Satan, and they hate those aligned with God and the forces of righteousness. Behind the scenes for each of us is a spiritual fight, with Satan and the demons desperately trying to destroy us, and God, Jesus Christ, and the angels working to bring us to salvation. Jesus told the disciples that if they experienced hate from this world to know that the world first hated Jesus, explaining that even though they lived in the world they were not of the world.

John 15:18-21
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If we have not experienced hate because of our faith, we know that at the end time, Jesus foretold of a time of hate for the faithful throughout the world, the kind of hate that would result in the death of some of the faithful.

Matthew 24:3-9
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

We are not at that point where in all nations we are hated for our faith, but Jesus showed that day is coming. How we live our life between now and then is up to us, and the Bible gives us direction in what we should be doing, and it doesn’t involve defaming and threatening other people. We are told to do no unrighteousness in judgment, and that is explained as not respecting people because of their financial status, whether they be rich or poor. It is explained as not being a gossip, or threatening the life of another person. We are not to hate others or wish evil upon them, or seek revenge. Instead, we are to love others as ourself.

Leviticus 19:15-18
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

We can see from the Bible that God hates the wicked and those who love violence. That might seem like a contradiction because we are told not to hate, but God hates the wicked and those who love violence.

Psalm 11:5-7
The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

When God hates the wicked and those who love violence, God’s hatred stems from righteousness. That same righteousness which causes God to hate the wicked and those who love violence also brings God to preserve the righteous. We are told to hate evil, and hating what is evil is different than hating people who are evil. God shows us as people to hate the action and not the person.

Psalm 97:10-12
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

We see from another psalm how lying was hated and abhorred, but the law of God was loved. If all we do is hate sin, it doesn’t automatically mean we love the laws of God. A person can be so busy finding fault with another person they never consider if how they live their life is aligned to what God expects, they just assume.

Psalm 119:161-168
Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.

To be fair, there are psalms that talk about hating an evil person. We will look at some of those psalms and also consider what Jesus taught about having mercy. In one psalm of David we read of how he hated the congregation of evil doers, and how he would not sit with the wicked. Not sitting with the wicked is good advice because there is this concept in society of guilt by association. David, a man after God’s own heart, asked for mercy for himself while proclaiming his innocence, while hating the congregation of the wicked.

Psalm 26:1-12
Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

In another psalm, David explained how he hated those who regarded lying vanities because he trusted in God. When David saw God more solid than a well-built fortress and trusted in God, David hated those who believed the lie.

Psalm 31:1-6
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

David also wrote how he would not know a wicked person. A wicked person would not be a friend of David. He might have known of a wicked person, but David would not befriend a wicked person. He expressed his contempt for those who slandered their neighbors through gossip as well as people who were just full of themselves. He saw it as his responsibility to remove wickedness from Israel.

Psalm 101:1-8
I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

David, as King of Israel, had a responsibility to enforce the law of God, and so he did. Today, each of us has a responsibility to do what God expects of us, but we are not in a position to enforce others to do the same. We live in countries that are governed by the laws of man and not God, and from time to time we will encounter evil. Proverbs tells us not to repay evil, or to even think that way, but to rely on God who will save us from evil.

Proverbs 20:22
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

Jesus taught that instead of hating those who hate us, that we should do good to them. In other words, even when others hate us, we are to continue living our life as God would expect us to live. There is no free pass given to us to hate just because somebody else hates us. We also are to love our enemies, and if people hate us, that makes them one of our enemies. We are to bless those who curse us and pray for them who despitefully use us, showing mercy to them because God has been merciful to us.

Luke 6:27-36
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Jesus showed we are to be merciful, but sometimes it is not our right under the law to extend mercy. If somebody commits a criminal act, that crime will be prosecuted by the government, and only the government can decide if charges will or will not be brought against the person. In criminal matters, only the government can decide on the topic of mercy, so in criminal matters, I always encourage referring the matter to the government.

When we examine what God hates, we do see people connected to what God hates, but from Proverbs we can see the action that God hates. For instance God hates a proud look, lies, violence, evil thoughts, and eagerness to do what is wrong. When it rises to people that God hates we see a false witness speaking lies and God finds it abominable when a person sows discord among the brethren.

Proverbs 6:16-19
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.

From Proverbs we know that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and we can also see that the fear of God is to hate evil which includes pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. From that we can tell that God hates evil, but he also hates pride. What is being talked about is where an individual is arrogant and gloating about what they have done. It’s perfectly fine to recognize accomplishments, but not to be arrogant and gloating about what was done. When we think of the arrogance that God hates, we can think of it as seeing oneself as being better than other people, as if other people should bow down in their presence. Arrogance should not be confused with merit-based accomplishments. What is evil and perverse is probably easier to understand, and we need to remember what society sees as evil and perverse would probably be much different than what we would see as evil and perverse.

Proverbs 8:12-13
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Hatred is on the rise in our society. All we need to do is look at social media posts to see the rise of hatred. We are told hatred stirs up all types of strife, but love covers sins. When we see fierce social media debate that is fueled with harsh words, that could be bordering on hatred. While we cannot control the words others use, we can control the words we use, and we need to remember that the Bible paints a picture of the mouth of the righteous as being a well of life, but that violence comes from the mouth of the wicked.

Proverbs 10:11-12
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Proverbs gives us more information about people who hate. They tend to speak with disrespect and disregard, and they act with deceit. People who do not give honor to whom honor should be given are people who act with disrespect and disregard, and Proverbs links disrespect and disregard to hate. Even if the person who shows disrespect and disregard otherwise seems like a nice person, Proverbs advises us to take caution because hatred is covered by deceit.

Proverbs 26:24-26
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

Hate will always be hate, and if a person reacts with hate to something small like a social media post, that person can react with hate to something or somebody much more significant. Once we allow hate to control our thoughts it really won’t matter what we think because hate will be behind those thoughts, even those thoughts on the surface which seem right and pure. If we are of the faith, having been given the Holy Spirit and are led by it, we need to be doing what God would expect of us at. We cannot walk in darkness and pretend to be children of the light.

1 John 1:5-10
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

John later clarified in the same letter that if we hate others there is every reason to question whether the truth of God is in us, and a logical conclusion that a person could come to is that a person who hates other people is a liar. John asked how could a person love God whom he has not seen while hating his brother whom he has seen? The expectation for us is that if we love God, we also have to have love for people as well.

1 John 4:20-21
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

We are not to hate other people, and we have already seen that the fear of God is to hate evil which includes pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. We are to hate what is evil, but we are not to hate other people. When other people do what is evil, we hate the evil they do, but we don’t hate the person. Based on whatever evil they do, we will take necessary precautions to protect ourself and our family and as possible to protect others as well. In hating what is evil but not hating the person, that does not mean we become like that person and also do the evil they do. When others turn from God, we don’t hate them, but we stay faithful. When others become morally loose and do whatever pleases them, we do what is expected of us. When others are focused on lust and serving themselves, we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. When others embrace the lie, we hold fast to the truth. We do not allow hate and anger to have any place in our life, and we never cede any part of our life to sin and the workings of Satan. We instead grow the fruit of the Holy Spirit, treating others with kindness and compassion, and instead of holding a grudge, we forgive, because through Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of sin.

Ephesians 4:17-32
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

As we live in a time when each day brings us closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the end time prophecies, we can take to heart the words of Amos which describes the godless as persecuting those who do and say what is upright, even going as far as to personally enrich themselves when bringing harm to the upright. We live in a world where truth spoken on social media can bring its share of hate. Amos advises that there will come a time when the prudent will keep silent because evil will be so intense, and with evil comes hate.

Amos 5:7-13
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name: That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Knowing the truth, and knowing we are to hate what is evil and not the person, how we respond can make a huge difference. There are those who see what is evil and they through words attack what is evil almost as if they are also attacking the person. Proverbs reminds us that a soft answer turns aways wrath and that harsh words fuels anger. How we approach what is evil can make a difference in whether that evil gets returned to us in the form of anger.

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

If the first time a person finds out we are a person of faith because we are attacking what is evil and possibly people who do what is evil, they are probably going to be very cautious around us because most people whether they call it sin or not have some type of problem or situation in their life they are trying to work through. Others might think of us as a judgmental Christian, and because Satan is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelation twelve verse ten, I don’t see an advantage to being thought of as a judgmental Christian. I am perfectly fine with others thinking I am a bit weird for keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days while believing in the resurrection and the Kingdom of God instead of going to heaven when we die. When others might ask about what we believe, especially if they know we are somewhat different in our beliefs, we could go into a very long explanation about everything we believe even explaining why we are right and they are wrong, but I don’t think that would be received well except for people who are trying to remain polite. A better strategy to explain what we believe is to share something they are likely to agree with, and a great verse to do that is found in James, where James advises us who think we are religious to bridle our tongues, and then he mentions that pure and undefiled religion is to visit the widows and orphans in their troubles, and to keep oneself unspotted from this world.

James 1:26-27
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

There will come a time when people will hate us for the truth, but people will not hate us for helping people in need while keeping ourself away from what is bad in society. From there we can extend the conversation on truth as appropriate. We don’t hide the truth, but how we share the truth and what truth we initially share is important. For purposes of work more might need to be explained when time off is needed for the Sabbath and Holy Days, but most people you work with won’t need that information. If asked why we keep the Sabbath and Holy Days or anything else about what we believe do explain, and remember James advises to bridle your tongue while Amos reminds us to be prudent in what we say.

We will hate what is evil, and we will cling to what is good. It’s not good enough to just hate what is evil, we have to cling to what is good, and the neat thing is Paul gives us a pretty good list of what is good that we can use in everyday life whether interacting with others of faith or not of the faith. Cleaving to what is good includes being kind and affectionate with one another in brotherly love. Give honor to those closest to you. When you are working, do your job and do it well. Never forget we have been given the Holy Spirit and must be led by it. Whatever we do we need to remember we serve God. We focus on what can be through hope and endure life’s challenges. When others despair, we remember to pray. We help others, especially of the household of faith, and are welcoming in our approach to others. When others treat us badly, we still treat them kindly. We are empathetic rejoicing with others when they are happy and weeping with those who are sorrowful. We seek unity and not division. We never forget the small person and welcome people who have less into our circle. We do not think highly of ourself and do not seek revenge. We are honest in what we do, and seek peace with all people, including those who do what is evil. We do not allow evil to overcome us, and instead we overcome evil by doing good.

Romans 12:9-21
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Hate is a very strong emotion. We are to hate what is evil, but we are not to hate people who do what is evil. When Jesus died for our sins, it was not because He hated sinners. He hated sin, but not the sinner. When Proverbs speaks of the fear of God, the fear of God is to hate evil which includes pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. Those are all actions. We hate evil that is done by people and not the person. Because of the evil done by some people we might be cautious, extremely cautious around the person, but we don’t need to hate the person. If there is a person in our life we find ourself hating, or maybe just not liking very much, instead of allowing that hate or extreme dislike to continue, we need to understand what it is they do that we don’t like, because that allows us to separate that person from what they do that is concerning to us. Finally, we need to remember what Jesus taught about mercy, to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. Instead of being overcome by evil we need to overcome evil with good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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