“Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgment in the gate; it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.”
(Amos 5:15)
In John 3:16 the Apostle proclaims, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Though God demonstrated a love beyond measure through the gift of His Son, Scripture also reveals God’s hatred for sin and the sinner. Psalm 5:4-5 declares, “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all evildoers.”
This dual reality—God’s love for His elect and His hatred for sin—reveals the depth of His holiness. Sin, rooted in our nature from birth (Ps. 51:5), is a condition that permeates our being, making us repulsive to a God whose eyes are too pure to look upon evil (Hab. 1:13). Our sinfulness renders us objects of His righteous wrath, utterly at odds with His perfect nature.
Yet, in His infinite mercy, God looks upon His chosen through the lens of Christ’s righteousness. He poured out His wrath on His innocent Son, the Lamb of God, so that sinners might be clothed in His perfection and brought to glory. This act of substitutionary atonement is the pinnacle of divine love, transforming rebels into redeemed children.
Because of this, we are called to reflect God’s character, hating evil and loving good as Amos 5:15 commands and Paul echoes in Romans 12:9, “Abhor that which is evil.” Our hatred of sin and love for righteousness evidence our devotion to the God who saved us.
This call is essential for God’s people. Proverbs 15:9 states, “The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him that follows after righteousness.” David’s zeal in Psalm 139:21-22, “Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies,” reflects a heart aligned with God’s.
William Gouge explains, “Christ’s love of the righteous and hatred of the unrighteous manifests the righteous government of his kingdom, in that he deals with everyone according to his works, rewarding the righteous (which is a fruit of his love) and punishing the unrighteous (which is an effect of his hatred) and both according to their works, which is the evidence of his justice and righteousness.”[1] As heirs of this kingdom, we must shine as lights in a perverse world (Phil. 2:15), loving God by hating what dishonors Him and pursuing what glorifies Him.
Contemplations:
- Doing good, not just avoiding evil. It is not enough to avoid evil; we must also do good. The Law of God is positive as well as negative. Inherent in every command are both precepts and prohibitions, that we might serve God as well as renounce the devil. Help me live out both, Lord, actively pursuing righteousness while rejecting sin, to honor You fully.
- Keeping Your ways. It is my duty, Lord, to keep Your ways and not depart from Your statutes. True godliness consists in this, according to Isaiah 1:16, “to cease to do evil” as well as to learn to do well and to keep Your ways. Guide me to walk steadfastly in Your truth that I may reflect Your holiness in all I do.
- Loving good, hating evil. We see You time and again, Lord, directing us to hate evil and love good; that is, to hate the one and love the other with all our heart’s affection. Stir my heart to abhor what dishonors You and to cherish what glorifies You, aligning my desires with Yours.
- Grieving over sin. Lord, I see the difference between the sinning of the godly and of the wicked. The godly sin daily, and therefore are taught to seek daily forgiveness. But their sinning is due to their frailty and not sins of presumption as are those of the wicked. For a true believer grieves over their sin while the ungodly sin with delight. Grant me a heart that mourns my sin and seeks Your mercy daily.
Prayer (Adoration)
O righteous and holy God, You are the fountain of all goodness, whose purity cannot abide sin and whose love redeems the unworthy. Your hatred of evil and delight in righteousness reveal Your perfect justice, while Your mercy in Christ transforms sinners into saints. I worship You for Your infinite holiness, which despises all that defiles, and for Your boundless grace, which clothes me in Your Son’s righteousness. You are the God who poured out wrath on Jesus that You might pour out love on me, and I stand in awe of Your righteous kingdom, where justice and mercy reign supreme.
I confess that my heart has not always hated sin as You do. I have indulged in evil thoughts and actions, failing to abhor what You despise. Too often, I have been indifferent to my sin, lacking the grief of a true believer. My love for You has wavered, distracted by the world’s allure. Forgive me for these failings, for not reflecting Your hatred of evil and love for good. Cleanse me through Christ’s blood, renewing my heart to align with Your holy will.
Lord, I plead for grace to love You fervently and hate sin fiercely as David did. Help me pursue righteousness with all my affection, doing good as an act of worship to You. Deepen my devotion through Your Spirit, that I may walk blamelessly in a perverse world, shining as Your light. Guard me from presumption and keep my heart tender to Your conviction.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further References for Amos 5:15:
Psalm 97:10; Joel 2:14; Rom. 12:9; Exodus 32:30.
[1] William Gouge, A Commentary on the Whole Epistle to the Hebrews, vol. 1, Nichol’s Series of Commentaries (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; J. Nisbet & Co.; G. Herbert, 1866), 63.
