Hate

Hate is defined as intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury. An extreme dislike or disgust. To hate is to intensely dislike someone or something, to feel extreme enmity toward, to regard with active hostility, to have a strong aversion to, to find very distasteful.

The Greek word for hate is μισέω (miseō) in Luke 6:22-23. Hate that is directed toward the mature believer is just as intensive as the hate that is directed toward the Lord Jesus Christ and His way of thinking. This hatred actually destroys the one exhibiting the hate while giving the believer involved some undeserved suffering as they maintain their fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

““Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.”  (Luke 6:22-23, NASB)

This hatred can also be exhibited by a believer out of fellowship or in reversionism or an unsaved religious type. The teaching of Bible doctrine does two things. Teaching of the Word of God brings out absolute hate and absolute love. This hate is never founded on facts, always on lies.

Special grace is given from God the Father in the Church Age to all believers through the Holy Spirit as our Helper, παράκλητος (paraklētos) in the Greek, who vindicates believers because of the Bible doctrine in their soul. John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-33.

““I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”  (John 14:16, NASB)

““But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  (John 14:26, NASB)

““When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,”  (John 15:26, NASB)

Don’t let the hate directed toward you cause you to stumble or move off course in your consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine. In John 16:1-2, “stumbling” is the aorist passive subjunctive of σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō). They will separate from you and oppose you.

““These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.”  (John 16:1-2, NASB)

Their actions indicate no salvation, or if saved, no Bible doctrine. You should be aware of hate before it comes to you. Forewarned is forearmed. John 16:3-4.

““These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.”  (John 16:3-4, NASB)

The plan of God includes hellos and goodbyes (sorrow), but no separation from the plan of God. John 16:5-11.

““But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”  (John 16:5-11, NASB)

Many truths could not be taught by Jesus Christ to the disciples until after He went to the Cross. Just as they had to grow as quickly as possible to get the facts, so it is with the Church Age believer. The Holy Spirit guides the believer in the function of the grace apparatus for perception and spiritual growth and by testifying of our Lord, glorifies Jesus Christ. John 16:13-14.

““But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”  (John 16:13-14, NASB)

Knowledge of the total plan of God is the greatest strength we can possess. Also, the intercession of Jesus Christ on our behalf carries the believer during hate campaigns. John 16:16-33; John 17, Acts 7.

Religion’s Hatred for Paul

Acts 25:24-25 exposes religion for what it is. Religious leaders hated Paul, were jealous of Paul, and had implacability and vindictiveness. Their antagonism was manifested by yelling and screaming for his death in the courts of the Jews and the Romans.

“Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. “But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.”  (Acts 25:24-25, NASB)

Without realizing it, Festus, in his opening remarks, unmasked religion. Religion always places great value on life until that life exposes them. Festus was willing to sacrifice Paul on the altar of political expediency. Festus had no concern for the proper administration of Roman justice. Festus was only interested in promoting Festus through ingratiation with religious leaders. But Festus then faced the dilemma of Roman law. Paul was no longer under the legal jurisdiction of Festus, but Festus had to provide a report which justified Paul’s appeal.