What to Love and What to Hate
FROM the religious pulpit you have doubtless heard over and over again the old refrain of “love”. But sectarian use of the term often proves weak and meaningless. At times they apparently cannot find enough things to love. They love God, man, their neighbor, the world, everyone and everything—so they say!
But seldom does this affection run very deeply. It usually covers a ‘multitude of sins’ such as gossiping, backbiting, envy or cheating in business. Let a war come and the pulpit from which the “love song” echoed becomes a recruiting platform. With little consideration of the interests of love, sectarians are rushed off to kill foreign members of their own and other sects. A politician makes famous the words “I hate war!” The clergy parrot them repetitiously the world over. Yet their love of peace is not strong enough to prevent what they claim to hate.
On an occasion Christ Jesus three times asked his apostle Peter if he had affection for him, and to Peter’s affirmative reply Jesus answered, “Feed my little sheep.” (John 21:15-17, NW) One look at the scattered, spiritually neglected flocks of religious Christendom assures that their “spiritual shepherds” have not been feeding them, hence must not love them.
The worldly sentimentalist thinks he knows what love is. He selects another human creature for whom he professes much adoration. Before long his “love” for this creature of the opposite sex has become a subtle form of creature worship and, according to the careless habits of a reckless world, is likely accompanied with immorality. Rather than love, God’s Word calls such a course “earthly, animal, demonic”.—Jas. 3:15, NW.
In striking contrast, true Christian love is unselfish and is free of all of the boastful, indecent, grudge-bearing tendencies of the old world. (1 Cor. 13) Such love was exemplified in the highest sense when Jehovah God offered his Son, “that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” Jesus, in turn, lovingly did his part, willingly offering his life in accord with God’s purpose. With such examples as these to go by, no true Christian could allow himself to love what God hates or establish a greater love for any created thing than for God.—John 3:16; Rom. 1:22, 23, NW.
Very well, then, where does God’s love stop and his hate begin? Sectarian interpretation that God gave his Son for this old system of things is totally without foundation. Therefore, no Christian is obligated to love the selfish political enterprises or degrading social practices found so prevalent in this world. The same book of John records Jesus’ words to politician Pilate: “My kingdom is no part of this world. . . . my kingdom is not from this source.” The same writer clearly states: “Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”—John 18:36; 1 John 2:15-17, NW.
Simply for upholding these Scriptural principles, Christians are frequently charged with carrying on a “hate campaign” and being “against everything”. (John 15:19) By contrast, worldlings, in display of their own righteousness, will point to their institutions for the care of the blind, of the aged, of children and of animals. Yet, what do these things really prove? Are they not only blank admissions of the imperfect, selfish conditions abroad that prompt their need? For example, during its toll-taking wars, this system of things reaps a great harvest of widows. It is not unselfish love so much as natural duty that the ones responsible should later care for these widows.
While not denying the contributions of science and medicine to more comfortable living, Christians at all times remember that there is a place for everything, and the “place” for science, medicine and their allies is definitely not in the field of worship. That they must reserve for God and Christ Jesus alone. Remember, science may reduce your chances of contracting certain diseases, or improve treatment or opportunities for recovery; but it cannot regenerate the physical organism itself. Yet such regeneration, even to the point of everlasting life, God guarantees to bring about for those seeking it.—John 17:3.
The whole idea of embracing this world, loving it, trying to “convert it” and make it usable for Christ’s kingdom is a false notion for long injected into people’s minds by Christendom’s clergy. Jesus was offered kingship in this world by the people of his time, and he would have none of it. Moreover, he was offered powers as a great world dictator, authority which would have dwarfed the mighty Caesars to mere satellites beneath him. This temptation was held out to him by one with authority to give it, “the god of this system of things,” Satan the Devil. But the price was the same as now: such ruler must recognize Satan as supreme and almighty. Jesus’ answer needs no explaining: “It is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” (John 6:15; Luke 4:5-8, NW) Jesus knew that God had decreed destruction for the old satanic “system of things”. His love and hope lay in the ‘new heavens and new earth where righteousness is to dwell’.—2 Pet. 3:10, 13, NW.
Harmoniously, Christians who love God must respect his Word. They cannot love something that God has assigned for destruction. Abominations that claim world rulership instead of God’s kingdom, false doctrines corrupting the proper understanding of God and misrepresenting his purposes and sinful practices that mock God’s Word, they must detest. But while awaiting the new world for themselves, they will not selfishly hole up in some monastery, shutting out their hope from others.
Like Jesus, Christians today prominently display their light as from a lampstand. God’s glorious new world, its program for true world betterment, the visible organization now given them for the work of praising God, God’s Word the Bible, their fellow workers, the people of good will flocking into the ever-expanding theocratic organization—all these things true Christians love with their whole souls or lives. Their lives are given that others may learn this and have life.—Matt. 5:14-16, NW.