YE THAT LOVE THE LORD, HATE EVIL, Part 5
by Rev. Fred Di Lella, B.S., M.A., Th.M.
Covenanted Reformation Church,
Hebbronville, TX
“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:” (Psa. 97:10).
In contrast to hating evil, the ungodly “abhorreth not evil” (Psa.36:4). It was, after all, the heretics who first promoted “tolerance.” The heretics continue to make pleas for toleration. The dangerous and sinister slogan: In essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, Liberty; and in all things, Charity.” What good construction can we place on the term: “Non-essential?” Are there any commands or teachings in God’s Word that are NON-ESSENTIAL? Is there anything in God’s Word that really doesn’t matter. Is there anything in God’s Word that is LESS true or LESS important than anything else God has spoken in His Word? What “super-spiritual” individual would be able to decide what portion of God’s Word is essential and what part is not essential. After all, God says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. God also repeatedly states: “Thus says the Lord” and “It is written.” Saying that there are “non-essentials” in God’s Truth is blasphemous, and a ploy to institute heresy and to make it “acceptable and respectable.” (Yes, placing the “non-essential” tag on large portions of God’s Word is blasphemous. That is not even to mention the oath-breaking of “reformed” elders that vowed that they believed the teaching of the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity; and also vowed that they would teach, uphold, and also defend these faithful confessions and catechisms.)
The “non-essential” slogan is the antithesis of the teachings of God’s Word, which are accurately and faithfully outlined Reformation Confessions and Catechisms. The “non-essential” slogan very much sounds like the devil saying: “Did God really say?” A Christian’s response is: Yes, God said it. That settles it! God said it, and He always and immutably means what He said!
With false piety and pretentious love and very commonly a way to make their weak (or non-existent) subscription to orthodoxy or their own heretical “beliefs” appear to be acceptable; multitudes of heterodox people are employing the above slogan to justify false views (often their own false views) of the Church (e.g., Dispensationalism), Idolatry and other forms of false worship, the Gospel (e.g., accepting Arminianism as Christianity), the denial of the completion and sufficiency of Scripture (e.g., accepting the Charismatic movement as a valid Christian sect), false teachings on justification (e.g., Auburn Street theology), denying exclusively male headship (and thus, leadership positions) in the Church and in the home (and verily, in society as a whole — see the woes in Isaiah 3:12), disdaining the Biblical administration of the Sacraments (e.g., the prevalent Anabaptist/Baptist movement), the Sovereignty of God in all matters (e.g., God never fails, nor changes His mind — the Dispensational view of God’s “alleged” temporary failure with the Jews, and his need for a parenthetical New Testament church, thus denying the One people of God, the One Church of God, namely, the Israel of God. ), the mandate for Christian education, the Person and Work of Christ, Christian living in the home, modesty, women elders and pastors,
The intro to the Westminster Standards: An oath to uphold and present an outline of the true christian religion.
A good king in Judah was one that worshipped God according to the Regulative Principle of Worship (Viz., We may only worship God in the way that He has commanded in His Word. We may not add anything to His worship, nor take anything away from it.)
All the above issues matter greatly. God says they are essential. They are, therefore, essential. There is ONE God, ONE Lord, One faith, One Baptism. We are to praise God with ONE mind, heart, and one voice in unity, contending for THE faith once delivered to the saints.
Sadly, the Church has time and again bought the lie of open-mindedness (allowing her courts to become permissive), in spite of the commands and warnings of Her Lord and Master, and in spite of the calamitous consequences of toleration that are consistently found in the Bible and in the rest of Church history. She has suffered the razor sharp dividing line between truth and error to become more and more dull and hazy in her pulpits, courts, publications, seminaries, and families.
Instead of fearing her Lord, who demands her to detest evil, she fears being “narrow-minded”, “intolerant”, and “unloving”.
Instead of being “the pillar and ground of the truth”, she has neglected (and even detested) the continual commands and admonitions of God to love the truth and hate error repeatedly found in the Scriptures; and in the first four General Councils, Creeds, the Reformed Confessions, the National and Solemn League and Covenants, and in the torturous and brutal persecutions and executions of the martyrs.
Instead of being the holy Bride of Christ (“the glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish”), she has granted admittance to false teachers; closed her eyes to man-made worship; neglected her responsibility to discipline heretics and all other evil workers; has “lovingly” and “tolerantly” recognized (in opposition to the entire witness of Scripture and the consistent testimony of the Church in her purest and most highly blessed days) heretical pastors and their congregations as true churches, as “true branches of Christ’s Church; and has openly (defiantly) and even proudly (shamefully) wed herself to (committed harlotry with) these “dear, sincere brethren” (false teachers, heretics, savage wolves, apostates).
Instead of heeding the Lord’s command to “bind up the testimony” and “seal the law among My disciples”, the church has tragically ignored the Word of God and the example of men who lived and even died for the truth.
We must never allow ourselves to forget that whenever the church has become tolerant of false teachers, she has borne the inevitable (and promised) vile fruit of her open-mindedness (i.e., her disobedience, her spiritual harlotry):
1. False Doctrine;
2. False Worship;
3. Disobedience to God’s Law in everyday living.
Broad-mindedness is not the way of the Scriptures. The Christian is to “abhor that which is evil” and “cleave to that which is good.” He is to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” He who loves the truth must also hate error. There can be no waffling on this critical matter.
The Christian must hate all error: ARMINIANISM; DISPENSATIONALISM (which is often Arminian; always Antinomian; and contains serious errors in its Bibliology, Ecclesiology, Soteriology, Pneumatology, Christology, Eschatology, and in its false views of worship and sanctification); THE wicked FEMINIST MOVEMENT (which totally denies and defies God’s designed and commanded roles for men and women. Feminism has been viciously destroying the family; is the major cause for the abundance sodomites, otherwise effeminate men, and the LGBT perversion. The abhorrent, reprehensible, and perverse feminist movement is the instigator and biggest defender of murdering babies in the wombs of their mothers: Abortion.), THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT (which is almost always Arminian, Baptistic, Antinomian, & disobedient on the role of women in the church; is consumed with its “miraculous gifts”; is overly preoccupied with physical prosperity and health [For them, healing is a part of the atonement, and, thus, almost an obligation for God to perform]; denies the Sufficiency of Scripture; and practices false worship); BAPTISTIC VIEWS OF THE SACRAMENTS (Baptistic churches do not administer the sacraments properly [They employ “immersion” — The Greek word Baptizw categorically never ever signifies immersion in the New Testament. Furthermore the Jews did not bury people under the ground – Goodbye, therefore, to the Baptist immersion/burial illustration]. Baptists do not rightly understand the actual significance of the Sacraments, nor the correct method for applying them. In addition, many of the families in these congregations are covenant breakers, refusing to apply the circumcision of Christ to their children [Gen.17; Colossians 2:11] and denying the consistent covenant promise to their offspring) …Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Acts 2:38, 39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.; ALL MODERNISM (LIBERAL THEOLOGY); ALL FALSE WORSHIP (True Worship is only what God has appointed in His holy Word. This would eliminate all images [e.g., crosses, any visible representations [[like pictures, statues, figurines, or nativity scenes]] of any of the 3 Persons of the Godhead] and all other “worship” of human origin [e.g., man-made hymns, liturgies, drama, skits, dance, invitations, church calendars, and “holidays”]); ALL OATH BREAKING AMONG MINISTERS (Grievously, many contemporary ministers swear falsely to their ordination vows [whether wittingly or unwittingly]. The Scriptures are very pointed on the importance of making and keeping vows. The Lord does not take lightly the violation of a vow. The enormity of the situation is further compounded, when we recall that the heretical Arians and Arminians had enough integrity [more than today’s “evangelical and reformed” ministers?] not to subscribe to the Orthodox Creeds, Confessions, and Covenants); ALL SABBATH VIOLATIONS (e.g., “Sunday” sports, church outings, frequenting various venders, eating at restaurants, and utilizing public transportation) and, especially, THE ROMAN CHURCH (THE CITADEL OF IDOLATRY, FALSE DOCTRINE, and ANTICHRIST).
We cannot sinfully permit ourselves to grant credibility to any of these erroneous teachings and practices. We cannot disobediently call them “evangelical” or “dear, sincere brethren”. (After all, Christ’s true sheep hear His voice and follow Him. They will not hear the voice of a stranger, but will flee from him.)
We cannot join hands with them. We cannot align ourselves with error, with falsehood, with sin, whether in membership, mutual ministry, or “worship”. We cannot allow ourselves “just to overlook our “differences” (i.e., our Orthodoxy and their heresy) for the sake of “peace and unity”. (What unity can light have with darkness?)
As the Lord declares: “Thou shalt not pity them.” We cannot yield to our human emotions in picking and choosing our friendships and alliances (Deut.20:17, 18; Prov.12:25; 13:20; Amos 3:3; 1Cor.15:33; etc.). God’s Word must guide us:
“Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore… He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed…. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.¬.. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident… The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul…He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord…Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge… Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Psa.37:27; Prov.13:20; 14:7, 16; 16:17; 17:15; 19:27; and Rom.12:9)
Brethren, if you truly love the truth, you will hate evil (in all its various forms). Brethren, if you truly love the truth, you will hate evil. If you truly love and fear the Lord, you will hate evil (e.g., Prov. 8:13). God commands you to abhor evil. Brethren, if you truly love the truth, you must detest evil.
Psalm 45:7 KJV “Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness.
Psalm 97:10 KJV “Ye that love the Lord, HATE EVIL.”
Psalm 119:103, 104 KJV “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”
Psalm 119:127,128 KJV “Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all [thy] precepts [concerning] all [things to be] right; [and] I hate every false way.”
Psalm 36:4 KJV “He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way [that is] not good; he abhorreth not evil.” (Ps 36:4 AV)
Proverbs 8:13 KJV “The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Amos 5:15 KJV “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.”
Romans 12:9 KJV “[Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”
1Thessalonians 5:22 KJV “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Isaiah 5:20 KJV “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” AMEN
Rev. Fred Di Lella is pastor of Covenanted Reformation Church in TX which is part of The Biblical Reformed Synod of Christ the King.
