Augustine wrote in Contra Faustum XIX.24:
Any and every unrighteous man must be the object of our hatred in respect of his unrighteousness and the object of our love in respect of his humanity; that by reproving the fault in him which rightly earns our hatred, we may liberate that in him which rightly earns our love, that is to say the human nature itself, and set right every fault in it.
John L. McKenzie in The Imprecations of the Psalter.
There is a lawful hatred of the sinner; and indeed there must be, since such a hatred is the obverse of the love of God. The love of God hates all that is opposed to God; and sinners--not merely sin--are opposed to God. And if such a sentiment is lawful, its expression is lawful; and one may desire that the evil in another receive its corresponding evil--provided that this hatred is restrained within the limits of that which is lawful. These limits are:
1. Hatred must not be directed at the person of one's neighbor; he is hated for his evil quality.
2. One may desire that the divine justice be accomplished in the sinner; but it must be a desire for divine justice, not a desire for the personal evil of another out of personal revenge.
3. The infliction of evil may not be desired absolutely, but only under the condition that the sinner remains obdurate and unrepentant.
4. It must be accompanied by that true supernatural charity which efficaciously desires the supreme good--the eternal happiness--of all men in general, not excluding any individual who is capable of attaining it. In a word, the sinner may lawfully be hated only when he is loved.
5 comments:
If you do not believe that the "world" God so loved isn't everyone than you can make that leap. And also if you fail to recognize the "Hebrewism" in the word "hate", like "hate your mother" or you cannot be my disciple. God loves the sinner (see the cross for reference).
This concept is a Calvinistic over reach to help God's justice. God doesn't need any help, the sovereign thing, I think you're familiar with that term?
Yeah - I knew this idea is not universally held and can be controversial.
I had not reckoned this was a Calvinistic position. I was a Calvinist for quite some time before I started thinking this 'hate' perspective may be true. But perhaps it was my Calvinism that opened the door and this thinking is just the logical outcome.
Seriously, I am one that doesn't read "world" to mean "world" and yet reads "hate" to mean "hate".
If you post on your blog something that may change my mind, be sure to flag that to me, I'd be happy to hear you out.
Do we really need to increase the hate in the world. If all the law hangs off "love your neighbour as yourself", then this seems to me to be the sort of theological maneuvering that made the Pharisees unhelpful.
I don't think we need any excuses for "hating" people: at the risk of being really simplistic, I really do think that loving people should be the first priority, which ends up including a hate for the sins that are causing problems. Now if that approach is unbiblical: I'll sign up as a heretic any day.
Geoff - there is far too much hate. We don't need to increase it. We need to increase love. I guess the challenge here is that love be proper and if it is proper, is there a place for hate.
How do you see the verses dealing with "God hated Esau" or this particular Psalm?
Like Spike says, "I'll forgive, but I won't forget."
http://thejesuscrucible.blogspot.com
Select: Then the penguin said...
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