Psalm 97:10-12 You that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. The Spirit of Christ is love. Wherever He governs, love reigns. The Christian man is not allowed to hate any one. But we may and must hate a man's sins. Hatred is a power of manhood, and therefore to be exercised. And we may hate and sin not. We may have hatred in our hearts, only see to it that it run only in one stream, and that against evil. And we are to hate all evil, not merely some. It was said long ago of some professors that they did — "Compound for sins they were inclined to, By damning those they had no mind to."But it is a universal duty to which we are here called. I. HATE ALL EVIL IN THYSELF. Thou hast good reason. Think — 1. What mischief it has already wrought thee. It kept you from Jesus, it would have lost you your soul but that grace interfered. 2. How unbecoming it is to thee. Thou art of the blood royal of the Kingdom of God. Shall such a man as thou sin? Thou art set apart for God Himself. 3. How it weakens you. Can you pray after committing sin? You know you cannot. You have lost your power. Sin will make thee leave off praying or else praying will make thee leave off sinning. And if you try to engage in work for Christ, you cannot do it. An unholy man must be a useless one. 4. Hate it, because if you indulge in it you will have to smart for it (Psalm 51). If thou wouldest strew thy path with thorns and put nettles in thy death-pillow, then live in sin. 5. You will do hurt to others. The Church of Christ — how you will shame that: and poor sinners, how you will cause them to stumble and encourage them in their sin. And think especially — 6. How it grieves Christ. Now, if you would be rid of sin, the terrors of the law will not help you, but communion with Christ will. And get as much light as you can upon it. The housewife when she is busy about her house, with curtains drawn, may think everything looks clean; but she opens a little corner of the window, and in streams a ray of light, in which ten thousand grains of dust are dancing up and down. "Ah," she thinks, "my room is not so clean as I thought it was; here is dust where I thought there was none." Now, endeavour to get not the farthing rushlight of your own judgment, but the sunlight of the Holy Spirit streaming upon your heart, and it will help you to detect your sin — and detection of sin is halfway towards its cure. And if you have fallen into sin make confession of it, and when your mind is in a holy state seek to estimate sin aright. With regard to some sins, flee them. There is no other way. And if you would keep from sin, seek always to have a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. Old Master Dyer says, "Lock up your hearts by prayer every morning and give God the key, so that nothing can get in." And never palliate sin. II. HATE SIN IN OTHERS. Then, if you do, never countenance it, not even by a look. Often condemn it openly. Of course prudently. And do not get into it yourself. Those who live in glass houses, etc. And encourage all who are fighting against it. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. |
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