How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines aggression as a forceful action or procedure (such as an unprovoked attack) especially when intended to dominate or master. It’s a hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior, especially when caused by frustration. In psychology, the term “aggression” refers to a range of behaviors that can result in both physical and psychological harm to yourself, others, or objects in the environment. Aggression centers on hurting another person either physically or mentally. It’s against the fundamental message of the Bible which is to love God and love our neighbors just as Christ loved us.
Mark 12:28-31 says, One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 instructs us to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Jesus Christ in John 13:34 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Similarly, 1 John 4:8 says, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Thus, the Bible commands us to avoid all forms of aggression centered on hurting another person in any way.

How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility?

Brethren, the Bible commands us to love others and as such, we should not be aggressive toward them. Aggression is not a characteristic of love. Aggression is a demonstration of hatred and violence which are highly condemned in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Below are explicit characteristics of love from the Bible:

• Love is patient
• Love is kind
• Love is respectful
• Love is not envious
• Love is humble
• Love is selfless
• Love is trusting
• Love is calm
• Love is righteous
• Love is honest
• Love protects
• Love is hopeful
• Love is persistent
• Love banishes fear
• Love loves even those who don’t love it
• Love comes from God
• Love makes a great sacrifice
• Love loves through true actions
• Love loves itself
• Love binds a person’s good virtues in perfect unity
• Love gives you the confidence to face even the end of time
• Love is the greatest

What Does the Bible Say About Violence?

Violence is an extreme form of aggression. Aggression does not always involve violence, but violence always involves aggression. Violence is defined as “physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing,” and sadly, violence is a part of everyday life. It’s in our movies and television shows, and we live in a world where power is often established through violence. But for Christians, the way of the world is always trumped by the Word of God. Note that violence in the mind is just as hurtful as violence by the hands. Leviticus 19:17 says, “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” When we know that someone is in sin, is it more loving to keep it quiet and build up hate and resentment towards them? God says we should speak frankly.

Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 5:21-22 that murderous anger can lead the angry man to judgment from God as quickly as a physical blow. In fact, the violence he exhibits toward someone else can be brought back upon himself by the Lord God. What about violence in war? Exodus 20:13 had been incorrectly translated as “do not kill,” but it literally means “do not murder.” Notice that God has allowed for just wars throughout the history of His people. From Abraham to Deborah to David, the Lord God’s people have fought as instruments of judgment from a righteous and holy God. Romans 13:1-4 calls on us to submit ourselves to government authorities and that nations have the right to bear the sword against evildoers, both domestic and foreign.

Purposes and Signs of Aggression

Aggression can serve a number of different purposes, including:

• Expressing anger or hostility
• Expressing possession
• Intimidating or threatening
• Competing with others
• Reacting to pain
• Achieving a goal
• Asserting Dominance
• Responding to fear

Aggressive behaviors can be physical, psychological, verbal, relational, and/or passive-aggressive. Physical aggressive behaviors may include beating, kicking, hitting, or stabbing another person. Damaging property is also a form of physical aggression. Verbal aggressive behaviors may include mocking, name-calling, and yelling. Relational aggressive behaviors which are intended to harm another person’s relationships may include spreading rumors and telling lies about someone else. Passive-aggressive behavior is usually intended to allow harm to come to someone, rather than causing harm directly. While we often think of aggression in its physical forms, psychological aggression can also be very detrimental. For example, intimidating or verbally berating another person are examples of verbal, emotional, and mental aggression. Cyberbullying is another form of non-physical aggression that can be very damaging.

Violence occurs, but we must recognize the difference between the holy judgment on sin and our own personal vendettas against those we dislike, which is the inevitable outcome of pride (Psalm 73:6). While men are more prone to accept violence (especially as cultures depict real men as those who never cry, always have a plan, and carry a gun), the wisest man of all time wrote, “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways” (Proverbs 3:31). Love, forgiveness, kindness, humility, self-control, prayer and patience helps us overcome aggression, violence, and anger.

What the Bible Says About Being Passive-aggressive

Passive-aggressive behavior is usually intended to allow harm to come to someone, rather than causing harm directly. A passive-aggressive person is one who appears to comply with a request but actually resists it in subtle ways. The resistance can range from pouting to delayed vindictiveness. We all exhibit passive-aggressive behaviors at some point, usually as children when it was not safe to openly rebel. However, as we mature, we should be learning healthier behaviors such as setting boundaries and expressing disagreements more openly. Although the Bible does not use the term passive-aggression, it does give us character sketches of people who exhibited passive-aggressive traits and the results of that behavior.

King David’s son Absalom is an example of a passive-aggressive person (2 Samuel 14:28–33). After Absalom had murdered his brother Amnon (2 Samuel 13:20), David banished him from the kingdom. Even when he was allowed to return to the kingdom, David refused to have anything to do with him. But Absalom was full of pride and hated his father.
He summoned Joab, the commander of David’s armies, to send a message to David. When Joab twice refused the summons, Absalom set fire to his crops in the field. He then began plotting to take over the kingdom from his father, but he did so by feigning compassion and concern for the citizenry. He hinted that his father was not attending to the needs of the people, and that, if crowned king, he, Absalom, would see that their needs were met. Absalom’s plan was working, and “he stole the hearts of the people of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). Passive aggressive people are possibly more dangerous than openly aggressive ones because we don’t see the attack coming.

Biblical Facts on Passive-Aggressiveness

King Ahab of Israel demonstrated passive-aggressive behavior when he coveted the vineyard of a neighbor and was denied its purchase (1 Kings 21:1–4). His response to being denied what he wanted was to sulk and pout and refuse to eat. His passive-aggressive actions prompted his wicked wife Jezebel to scheme the murder of Naboth, the vineyard owner, and give her husband the land. The Lord God Almighty immediately sent Elijah the prophet to proclaim to Ahab that He had seen all that happened and that Ahab’s death would soon follow Naboth’s (1 Kings 21:17–22). Notice that it was Ahab’s passive-aggressive behavior that had begun the disastrous chain of events.
Passive-aggressive speech and behavior are cowardly ways of avoiding conflict. By pretending to be pleasant while inwardly seething with resentment, we fool ourselves into thinking that we are peacemakers practicing self-control. In truth, we are communicating contempt and disapproval without having the courage to openly say so. An ancient Chinese proverb presents passive-aggression like this: “Behind the smile, a hidden knife!”

Sadly, social media has turned passive aggression into an art form. We know what it means when we are “unfriended,” “unfollowed,” or blocked. Some people find it easier to vent their frustrations on social media than have a private conversation with someone who has offended them. However, what begins as passive aggression can quickly mushroom into online bullying. The internet and the proliferation of smartphones have created dozens of ways for passive-aggressive people to exact revenge from behind the relative safety of a screen. Whether acted, spoken, or typed, passive-aggressive responses are dishonest and harmful. We are pretending to be unoffended while secretly planning ways to get even.

More Biblical Facts

Leviticus 19:17 says, “Do not harbor hatred against your brother. Rebuke your neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him.” Brethren, the Bible instructs us to confront sin in a loving and humble way, taking someone with us if the offender will not listen (Matthew 18:15–17). We should be ready to forgive and restore when someone repents (Luke 17:3). Passive aggression bypasses those critical steps in a relationship and goes directly to judgment (John 7:24). Rather than openly confront the wrong and offer an opportunity to clear the air, passive-aggressive people slide silently into the judge’s seat and devise subtle ways to get even. Christians should not be jealous, envious, or backbiting, nor should we try to sabotage someone else’s success. According to Romans 12:15, we should, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” This should be done sincerely from a loving heart.

Behold, keeping Jesus’ Golden Rule would obliterate passive-aggression (Matthew 7:12). In fact, we are to treat others the way we want them to treat us, not the way they have treated us. Regardless of how someone else acts, we are to respond with kindness, patience, and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:31–32). When we stand before God one day, He will not ask us how we were treated, but how we treated others (Romans 14:12). With His help, we can recognize our own passive-aggressive tendencies and replace them with the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–25).

Did God Condone Aggression?

In reading the Old Testament, many people are likely to ask why the Lord God ordered Moses and Joshua to be so aggressive that they killed thousands of people and plundered their cities. Behold, this is an issue that is clearly problematic and has been the source of discussion among theologians for centuries. One example of the passages that portray such comes from the sixth chapter of the Book of Joshua, where God is said to have authorized Joshua to march around the walls of Jericho until they had fallen, then to enter the city with the Israelite army and to slay its inhabitants. Some Biblical scholars might argue that the Canaanite culture was inherently immoral – given to bestiality, brutality, incest, and even human sacrifice – and that it, therefore, deserved God’s wrath. But the passage certainly does not seem to align with our Christian notions of nonviolence and peace.

Pope Benedict XVI addressed the topic in his 2010 apostolic exhortation “Verbum Domini”; in a section titled “The ‘Dark’ Passages of the Bible,” he explained that “God’s plan is manifested progressively and it is accomplished slowly, in successive stages and despite human resistance” – which is another way of saying that the fullness of truth is revealed only in the person, teaching, and ministry of Jesus Christ (No. 42). As such, we would draw an analogy to the passage in the Gospel of Matthew (19:1-12) where Jesus Christ is asked why Moses allowed divorce; Christ’s response was that it was because of the “hardness of your hearts.” God was working, over time, with imperfect people, gradually leading them to Christ.

How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility?

Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.“

James 1:19 – “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;“

Matthew 26:52 – Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.“

Romans 13:4 – “For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”

Ezra 10:4 – “Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.”

Matthew 21:12-13 – And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Group 1 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“

Galatians 3:27 – “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.“

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.“

Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“

James 1:22 – “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.“

1 Peter 2:12 – “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

Colossians 1:1-29 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, …“

Group 2 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.“

Psalm 16:1-11 – “A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. …“

Luke 22:38 – And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Titus 2:12 – “Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,”

Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,“

Luke 22:36 – He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”

Group 3 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,“

Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 2:4 – “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Proverbs 29:11 – “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.“

Colossians 3:1-25 – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. …“

Group 4 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

1 John 3:15 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

Deuteronomy 4:33 – “Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?“

Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.“

Matthew 5:44 – “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”

Mark 3:4-5 – Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

Group 5 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“

Mark 5:1-43 – “They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. …“

1 Timothy 4:12 – “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

1 Peter 2:21-23 – “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.“

1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.“

Group 6 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”

Colossians 2:1-23 – “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. …“

Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.“

Romans 13:10-14 – “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Group 7 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 16:1-40 – “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. …“

John 15:8 – “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.“

Romans 1:18-32 – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, …“

Group 8 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“

Mark 10:38 – Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”

Matthew 5:22 – “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Matthew 22:39 – “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.“

Mark 6:1-56 – “He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” …“

Group 9 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Isaiah 14:6 – “That struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.”

Proverbs 29:22 – “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.“

Isaiah 43:24 – “You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.”

Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“

Matthew 5:13-16 – “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“

Group 10 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Proverbs 18:13 – “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.“

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Proverbs 16:28 – “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.”

Proverbs 15:18 – “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.“

Psalm 37:8 – “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.“

Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

2 Chronicles 2:4 – “Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.“

Group 11 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

2 Chronicles 16:9 – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“

Genesis 6:1-22 – “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. …“

Group 12 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Colossians 4:1-18 – “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. …“

James 2:26 – “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.“

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Group 13 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Philippians 2:5 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“

Ephesians 6:4 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Galatians 5:22 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,“

1 Corinthians 13:5 – “Or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;“

1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“

Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

1 Corinthians 6:9 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,“

Group 14 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,“

Romans 8:9 – “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 12:17-19 – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Romans 1:26-27 – “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.“

Group 15 – How Should a Christian Respond to Hatred and Hostility

Luke 6:27 – “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,”

Luke 23:34 – And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.“

Luke 6:31 – “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Luke 16:13 – “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Luke 18:14 – “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Also Read

• What Does the Bible Say About the Golden Rule?
• What Does the Bible Say About Evil?
• Bible Verses About Respecting the Elderly
• Bible Verses About Goodness
• What is Agape Love in the Bible?
• What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness?
• What is the Age of Accountability in the Bible?
• Bible Verses About Compassion
• Bible Verses About Love
• What Does the Bible Say About the Law?
• What Does the Bible Say About Character Flaws?
• Bible Verses About Grace
• Bible Verses About Righteousness