Articles
Hating Evil
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"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. . . . Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Rev. 2:2, 4)
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By modern standards, the church at Ephesus was what we would call a "sound" church. They were busy in the Lord's work, and patient in the face of adversity. Above all, they were death on sin. When wickedness showed its ugly head, they pounced on it. They "could not bear" evil men, and "hated" the deeds of the Nicolaitans (v. 6). Yep, this was the kind of church that Satan could not touch: fearless and faithful.
Except that the Lord was about to cut them off (v. 5). For all their militant posturing, the Lord saw them as a group that had "left their first love" (v. 4). Their faithfulness was defined largely by what they were against, not what they were for, and that oversight was enough to threaten their identity as the Lord's people.
There is no question that righteousness requires that we actively oppose evil. We cannot be indifferent to sin and expect God's blessing. But a religion that seeks its security chiefly by what it condemns does not reflect the character of God. It's a religion based on hate, and that is never a good thing.
Step back for a moment and consider the big picture of God's dealings with mankind. The Bible recounts many stories of God bringing judgment on intractable sinners; wrath is part of his character, no doubt. But the ultimate expression of His character is His love for humanity, culminating in the sacrifice of His Son for all of us. "God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8, 16), and it is that unquenchable compassion for a race of creatures so undeserving of it that draws us to God. We will not see His anger until He has exhausted every conciliatory means of reaching us.
Our religion must reflect that same spirit. For every word of rebuke that we administer, we should be giving out ten words of encouragement and comfort. For every false teacher we expose, we should be targeting twenty sinners who need counseling and guidance. We are in the business of saving humanity, not condemning it. Does our work display that priority?
Satan has spread an awful lot of misery in this world, and we must oppose him at every turn. But the best approach to achieving that mission is not to play defense, but to go on offense. Our job, both as individuals and as a congregation, is to exhibit the love of God before the world.
Hating evil is an unfortunate corollary to that primary mission. Let's not reverse the two.
--David
