"As Christians we are called to stand firm in our faith even in the
midst of turmoil and chaos of the world around us. Recent news of the
horrific massacre of six Christians including three young children in
Nashville, the news of President Trump’s sham indictment, and the conviction of Douglas Mackey
may be discouraging and disheartening, but in these moments we must
remember that our hope and our strength come from a higher power.
This week was a difficult week for me both as a Christian and as a
father of young children. I looked everywhere for a response from
so-called “Christian leaders” and at best I found silence while at worst
I found those supporting the “trans community” instead of our own
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Christians are called to respond to tragedy with compassion, empathy,
and love, but what happens when that tragedy is being celebrated by the
mainstream media, the culture, our own government, and perhaps even
some of our churches, friends, and family?
When trans flags are being risen at schools, organizations, businesses, and even government buildings
across our nation just days after a member of that community carried
out a horrific injustice against a Christian community—ending the lives
of six of our brothers and sisters in Christ—how are we to respond?
As my good friend Pastor Andrew Isker wrote this week, being windsome and nice won'tcut it anymore
Cowardly Christian “leaders” may be silent on these issues, but God’s
Word is not–and I refuse to be. The first thing we must remember is
that our hope and strength come from God. We must turn to Him in prayer
and seek His guidance as we navigate these difficult situations.
As the Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.”
In addition to prayer we must also remember the words of Jesus in
Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you.” Even when the media, businesses, schools, and the
government seem to be celebrating a senseless tragedy, we must respond
with love and compassion, not hatred or anger.
We must also take action to address the injustice that is being
celebrated by the wicked. This may mean speaking out against the
mainstream narrative, supporting organizations that are working to bring
about change, or even taking part in peaceful protests or
demonstrations. When we do these things it’s crucial that our actions
are rooted in love and compassion, not in anger or violence. We must be
bold and share the Gospel, speak the Truth, and let go of our fear.
We must remember that we are not alone in our struggle. This is what
our enemies want us to desperately believe: that we have no one standing
up on behalf of the victims and on behalf of God’s Word. Nothing could
be further from the truth. As members of the body of Christ we are part
of a larger community of believers who can support and encourage us. By
staying connected to other believers, we can find strength and hope in
times of struggle and persecution. I encourage you to do so not only in
your local Church and community, but also with believers around the
world on Gab and other online platforms. We need each other now more
than ever.
Reject the Blackpill
It’s very easy to feel demoralized and blackpilled when we see the
evil in the world around us. But as followers of Christ, we must hold
fast to the truth that Christ is King. He has overcome the world, and in
Him, we can find hope and strength to face whatever comes our way.
Christians are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves, to forgive
those who wrong us, and to turn the other cheek. However, we are also
called to hate evil with a righteous hatred while not giving in to
despair or hopelessness.
The Bible tells us in Psalm 97:10, “Let those who love the Lord hate
evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them
from the hand of the wicked.” But what does it mean to hate evil? Does
it mean that we should hate the people who commit evil acts? Absolutely
not. As Christians, we are called to love all people, even those who do
wrong. When we are commanded to hate evil we are being called to hate
the things that are contrary to God’s will and God’s character. We are
called to hate sin and all that it represents – destruction, death, and
separation from God.
We Are Commanded To Hate Evil
Many people in our culture, and even some Christian leaders, promote a
hippie version of love that emphasizes tolerance and acceptance at all
costs. They believe that love means accepting everyone and everything,
no matter how evil or wicked it may be. However, this view is not
biblical, and it does not reflect the true nature of God. The fear of
the Lord is a healthy respect and reverence for God, and it leads us to
hate what He hates.
God is often portrayed in our culture as being fully focused on love
and grace, but the Bible teaches us that there are indeed things that
God hates. While this might be a difficult concept for some to grasp, it
is important to understand that God’s hatred is not arbitrary or
capricious. His hatred is based on His perfect nature and His desire for
us to live according to His will.
While God loves us unconditionally, He hates the sin that separates
us from Him. Sin is anything that goes against God’s will, and it is
something that we should strive to avoid. When we sin, we are rebelling
against God and His plan for our lives. As Christians, we should strive
to avoid the things that God hates and to live lives that are pleasing
to Him. We should seek to love what God loves and hate what God hates,
and in doing so, we will be living in obedience to His will.
Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”
Romans 12:9 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Psalm 101:3 – “I will not look with approval on anything that is
vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.”
Amos 5:15 – “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.”
Proverbs 13:5 – “The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.”
Psalm 119:104 – “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.”
When we hate evil we are not allowing it to have a foothold in our
lives. We are not tolerating it or excusing it, but instead, we are
actively fighting against it. We are standing up for what is right and
what is just, even when it is difficult. When we hate evil we are
acknowledging the reality of the brokenness of our world. We recognize
that sin and evil do exist and that they cause pain and suffering. But
we also know that God has overcome sin and evil through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We should look to the example of Jesus Himself, who drove out the
money changers from the temple with a whip (John 2:15). He did not
tolerate their wickedness and corruption but took action to remove it
from the house of God.
By hating evil, we are living out our faith in a tangible way.
We are demonstrating our commitment to God’s values and His character.
We are standing up for justice, compassion, and righteousness in a world
that is often marked by selfishness, greed, and violence.
Now is the time for Christians to not only start hating evil again, but actively waging spiritual warfare against it.
We need to focus on building up our communities, praying for one
another, and growing together in faith. We must not let the news of the
day distract us from the work that God has called us to do. We are
called to be a light in the darkness, to love our neighbors as
ourselves, and to spread the good news of the gospel to all nations.
That is our mission and we must not take our eyes off the prize of
eternal glory with our King.
Ultimately we can take comfort in the fact that we can and will
overcome because Christ has already overcome. As the Bible says in 1
John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,
because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the
world.” No matter what happens in the world around us, we can have
confidence that God is with us, and that He will see us through to
victory.
Let us not be demoralized or blackpilled by the news of the day.
Instead let us focus on Christ and His Kingdom, and let us continue to
build, pray, and grow in our faith together.
By the grace of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Victory of
Jesus Christ our King we too shall overcome and see victory.
God bless you. Keep the faith.
Andrew Torba
CEO, Gab.com
Jesus Christ is King of kings" ( Christians Must Learn To Hate Evil Again, April 1, 2023, https://news.gab.com/2023/04/christians-must-learn-to-hate-again/ )