Here’s a hard truth: you cannot hate people and love God at the same time. Yet, many Christians live as if the two can coexist. We lift our hands in worship on Sunday, but hold grudges in our hearts on Monday. We say, “I love God,” but secretly despise the very people He created in His image.
So let’s wrestle with the question: Can you love God and hate others? The Bible gives us a clear and sobering answer.
What the Bible Says About Love and Hate
1 John 4:20 (KJV) puts it plainly: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
There’s no wiggle room here. Hatred toward others cancels out the claim of loving God. Why? Because the very essence of God is love (1 John 4:8). To love Him is to reflect His nature, and His nature compels us to love others—even when they’re hard to love.
The Story of Jonah: Loving God, Hating People
Jonah is a perfect example. He was a prophet of God, chosen to deliver His word. Jonah claimed to serve God, but when God sent him to preach to Nineveh, Jonah ran. Why? Because he hated the people of Nineveh.
Jonah wanted God’s mercy for himself but God’s judgment for others. Yet God, in His compassion, taught Jonah that His love extends even to those we dislike.
Jonah’s story is a warning: it’s possible to claim love for God while harboring hatred in our hearts. But God calls us higher.
Why Loving Others Proves Our Love for God
- We’re All Made in God’s Image
Genesis 1:27 says we are made in God’s likeness. When you hate someone, you are despising the very image of God. - Jesus Commanded It
Jesus made it simple in Matthew 22:39 (KJV): “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It’s not optional—it’s a command. - Love Is the Evidence of True Faith
1 John 3:14 (KJV) says: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Our love for others is proof of our salvation.
The Hard Truth About Hatred
Hatred is poison—it doesn’t just hurt the person you despise, it destroys you from within. Unforgiveness hardens the heart, blinds your spiritual eyes, and creates a barrier between you and God.
That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 (KJV): “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
Loving people who love you is easy. Loving people who hate you? That requires God’s grace—and it is the true test of whether His love really dwells in you.
A Call to Reflect
So, can you love God and hate others? According to Scripture, the answer is no. True love for God always overflows into love for people.
If you find yourself struggling with hatred or unforgiveness, take it to the cross. Ask God to soften your heart, to remind you of the mercy He showed you, and to help you extend that same mercy to others.
Remember: to love God is to love like God.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35, KJV).
Subscribe for Daily Email Devotionals
