Can we hate evildoers?

[Dorothy_Vining]

I love Dr. Laura Schlessinger but she doesn’t believe in unconditional love. In fact she says she HATES evildoers. I think that, like God, we should love the sinner and hate the sin. Is it improper to hate evildoers?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I have not heard Dr. Schlessinger speak on the subject, so I cannot comment on her views. I can only say that even divine love is not unconditional. It is dependent upon our acceptance of God’s love. If we reject it, he will not force it upon us. That does not mean that God “hates” those who reject his love, only that he permits humans and angels to reject him because he has endowed them with the gift of free will.

Whether or not we should love evildoers is another matter. There must be a distinction between two different kinds of love: Affection is the love for others that is prompted by emotional feelings. Christians are not called to feel affection for evildoers. While nursing emotional hatred for evildoers may become acidic to the soul and cause bitterness and a desire for revenge (and thus foster sin in the Christian’s own life), Christians may feel righteous anger over the evil committed by others. At the same time, whatever their personal feelings, Christians are called to hope that evildoers will repent of their evil and find salvation. So, while a Christian may feel anger (perhaps even hatred) for a particular evildoer, he is called to will that the evildoer repents his sins before death and hope that the evildoer’s soul is not lost.

Recommended reading:

Forgiveness is For Giving by Rosalind Moss
Sinner Come Home by Kristine Franklin
The Wounded Heart Forgives by Alice von Hildebrand