Hatred and Revenge
125
whether it be evil” (
Ecclesiastes 12:14
).—ST, Apr 15, 1886. (
Selected
Messages 1:217
.)
Murder First Exists in the Heart—Jesus takes up the command-
ments separately and explains the depth and breadth of their require-
ment. Instead of removing one jot of their force, He shows how
far-reaching their principles are, and exposes the fatal mistake of the
Jews in their outward show of obedience. He declares that by the
evil thought or the lustful look the law of God is transgressed. One
who becomes a party to the least injustice is breaking the law and
degrading his own moral nature. Murder first exists in the mind. He
who gives hatred a place in his heart is setting his feet in the path of
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the murderer, and his offerings are abhorrent to God.—
The Desire of
Ages, 310
(1898).
A Violation of the Sixth Commandment—All acts of injustice
that tend to shorten life—the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the in-
dulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts toward others or
causes us even to wish them harm (for “whoso hateth his brother is
a murderer”)—are, to a greater or less degree, violations of the sixth
commandment.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 308
(1890).
Satan Inspires With His Own Energies of Hate—When Satan
is permitted to mold the will, he uses it to accomplish his ends. He
instigates theories of unbelief and stirs up the human heart to war
against the Word of God. With persistent, persevering effort, he seeks
to inspire men with his own energies of hate and antagonism to God
and to array them in opposition to the institutions and requirements
of heaven and the operations of the Holy Spirit. He enlists under his
standard all evil agencies and brings them into the battlefield under
his generalship to oppose evil against good.—
The Review and Herald,
February 10, 1903
. (
Messages to Young People, 54
.)
World Hated Christ Because He Was Different—The differ-
ence between the character of Christ and the character of other men
of His day was everywhere apparent, and because of this difference
the world hated Him. It hated Him for His goodness and His strict
integrity. And Christ declared that those who manifest the same at-
tributes would be likewise hated. As we near the end of time this
hatred for the followers of Christ will be more and more manifest.
Christ took humanity and bore the hatred of the world that He
might show men and women that they could live without sin, that their