Loving God But Hating "some" Others?

Is it possible to Love God yet hate others?
i personally know someone who professes a true love for God, serves in the church, spends time in the Word, and has a prayer life.

Are those prayers getting past the ceiling?
Is the Word penetrating her soul?

Is it possible this is what Jesus was referring to when He said; "Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness."?

After all, the only law to break is LOVE, right?

Many, He says will come to me in that day saying; 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [n]miracles?’23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’


It's important to mention the context of Jesus' discourse at this time also.

He begins by saying; Do not judge! The golden rule! The narrow gate, and a tree is known by it's fruit.
It's interesting how Jesus says in Luke 8; To him who has more will be given, but to him who has not, even what he SEEMS to have (thinks he has) will be taken from him.

So, is it possible to do ALL the right things but let anger bitterness and unforgiveness disqualify you for the kingdom of God?
 
Ironically, a preacher was just talking about 1 John 2:9-11 on the radio just a few minutes ago. Also see I John 3:10-15. I think those verses are pretty clear. Still, I think it is possible for a sincere Christian to struggle with unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, etc. I would venture to say most of us do to some degree and at certain times. I know I do. But struggling implies a certain awareness of the issue and a desire and an effort to have a right heart with God and with our fellow man.

Some people seek to please God with works of service and the espousal of certain creeds. But I agree that the law for us is love. Jesus Himself said that the summation of the law was to love God and love your neighbor. We cannot do anything for God that He can't do for Himself, so even our most sacrificial or humanly monumental work is of no consequence outside of the degree to which it is an expression of love. For many, works are an attempt at self-justification, a way of feeling good about ourselves. Often this requires that we contrast our behavior with that of others ("Thank God I am not like the tax-collecters, the swindlers, the unjust, and the adulters").

Obviously none of us can see inside the deepest recesses of another person's heart and mind, and don't have the Book of Life available for our perusal, so we can't be absolutely certain of another's salvation, but I would say the answer to your question as posed in your last sentence is clearly "yes". Of course, the first order of business is to allow the light of the Holy Spirit to shine in our own hearts, that we might be right with Him and our works motivated by love and then we can, in love, reach out to others who are not yet complete in love.
 
I know this only touches on part of what you spoke about, but I have trouble loving all who I come across. It's very human to do so. For me it's a constant struggle.
 
You said "it's a constant struggle.". This person seemingly sees nothing wrong with her words, attitudes or behaviors.

So, again i ask; is it possible this person who is "doing" all the right ministry things to end up disqualified for maliciously breaking the law of LOVE?
 
There are passages which flatly say that God hates certain people. For example, Ps. 5:5 and 11:5, He hates all "workers of inquity." The Hebrew word that is used here is the most intense word for hatred in the Hebrew vocabulary. It is the same word used of Saul and his company's hatred of David as they were pursuing him for years trying to kill him. We have God's famous "Hate List" in Proverbs 6:16-19. If you look at that list, you'll notice that several items on it are people and not things.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was fulfilling his role as the divine judge by interpreting excerpts of the Old Testament Law. In 5:43-47 he defined what is divine love as meant by the Second Tablet of the Law. He begins by saying praying for others is an expression of that kind of love. The Father demonstrates his love for people by giving them sunshine on their crops and and rain on their gardens. This kind of love, He explains, should never be restricted only to those who love us.
 
This kind of love, He explains, should never be restricted only to those who love us.
The Bible doesn't say this is the "kind of love" that should never be restricted.

i think you may've missed the point of the post Jack.

Those God "hated" in the OT are pictures of "sin" under the new covenant and the LAW is now LOVE.

Those who break the LAW of LOVE are those who practice lawlessness and this is what Jesus said.

Those who AGAPE are of God and "know" God, for God is AGAPE.

AGAPE is only possible through the Holy Spirit as we are incapable of AGAPE in the flesh as the Bible describes it, and AGAPE is inevitable in the true believer, as it is a promise from God and is now commanded by God as there is NO EXCUSE for not living the LAW OF AGAPE by the Holy Spirit given to those who believe.

Blessings,

His servant
 
Because you 'personally know someone......'this is not a hypothetical.
I will share something with you. Not to answer your question, because there probably is no answer at a human level.
Years ago, my sister (sibling) betrayed me in a very very hurtful way. For many years, I was not prepared to forgive her for what she did. As time went by, I came under conviction by the Holy Spirit to forgive her, but guess what? I couldn't even though I was now trying and praying. After a time, I took myself to a 'healing service' and asked for prayer to enable me to shed the hate that I was harboring, and to forgive her. During the laying on of hands, it felt like a tree or a shrub or something with roots anchored throughout my body was pulled up and out of me. From that point on I was free of my 'cherished hate' and fully forgiving of her.

Hate will fester like a poison branch in our souls, ultimately destroying us.
Never mind what might happen at the day of reckoning, she needs to get rid of hate now. Please feel free to share this brief but true story with her. Remember it is not just what might happen to her later, it is what is happening to her now.
 
Yes, it is like nothing ever happened. Forgiveness is so complete. It is ever so much deeper, more complete than just a purposeful forgiveness on my part. It is a completely wholehearted wiping clean of the slate....much like we are told our forgiveness for sin by Jesus is. What I'm trying to convey is that the forgiveness was a thing wrought in me by the Lord, not something of my own manufacture.
So yes, now our relationship as brother and sister is fully restored to what it used to be....maybe better:cool:
I should maybe add that I at no time required or needed an apology from her for her actions.
 
That is my point exactly, Calvin.
If I may, you were willing to see your need
to forgive, willing to see your sin in not forgiving, &
desiring to be right with God, yes?

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:23-28 NASB)

Look at the words mercy, lawlessness & self
indulgence & remember the words of Jesus just a few verses prior to these
woes.

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36, 37, 39, 40 NASB)

Unfortunately, not all have ears to hear & so election stands, we
read from the psalmist, Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. (Psalm 40:6 NASB)

Blessings,

His servant
 
How does forgiveness work when you know the person you forgive will just betray you again. You can forgive but do you trust that person back into your life again. What does Jesus say ???
 
We are to simply obey the Word of God and allow God to work out the details.
Jesus didn't break fellowship with judas. Rather He called judas friend up to the garden.

We are to emotional when we use words like "what if".
i believe it's simply because we've made this world our home and our feelings our guide, which goes directly against
scripture.
The only place "feelings" are mentioned in the bible are when Jacob's led him astray.
We should take note of that, don't you think?

Jesus was also really good at expressing His thoughts on anything that was going on around and simply said, YOU FOLLOW ME.

Blessings,

His servant
 
That is my point exactly, Calvin.
If I may, you were willing to see your need
to forgive, willing to see your sin in not forgiving, &
desiring to be right with God, yes?
Blessings,

His servant
Yes, you may.

The important lesson from my experience is that bitterness and hate can destroy a person, and it can take control and negate our own native strength. That is why this person you know must be encouraged to shed all hatred and bitterness now. Not because she might be in strife when she stands before the Lord, but because it has the power to destroy her now.
Gen 4:7.
When someone wrongs us, Gen 50:19,20. is good to meditate on.
 
Unfortunately Calvin, her bitterness has been pointed out, but she just waves it off and says, "oh I've forgiven all.", and continues to be harsh, rude, judgmental and comparative.
She says things like, "you'll always, etc." "I've never, etc." and "you'll never, etc."

Its actually quite sad, because for years she's been warned about this bitter root growing inside her and rather
than deal with it, she fed and watered it, to the point i believe, it's no longer her who has bitterness, anger, etc., but now those things have her.

Make sense?

Blessings,

His servant
 
Unfortunately it makes perfect sense. I have been where she is and the scenery is not nice. All that you can do is continue to uphold her in prayer. I can, and have testified to the Lord's power and willingness to do a bit of weeding, but she will need to open up and let Him in.
So sad, but I can't be judgmental of her, remembering my past.
It wasn't me that overcame, it was the Lord and all glory to Him.....But I can empathize with her.
God Bless
 
Perhaps, you will pray for this person. We will call her "Hanna", as you probably know very
specific areas to pray for her.

Would you mind?

Blessings,

His servant
 
It would be a privilege to pray for her to have victory over bitterness and hate. You might consider dropping me a PM with a few details for me to focus on. The Lord knows her situation, however I'll find it easier to focus.
 
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