During the recent Academy Awards, Sean Penn, who was given a "best actor" Oscar for his portrayal of the first openly gay politician, denounced those opposed to gay marriage as "haters." This is, of course, in keeping with the current trend among social liberals to denounce conservative Christian efforts to protect and defend real marriage as being motivated by hate. Well, Mr. Penn, you are more right (pun intended) than you know. 

In point of fact, love is merely one side of a coin the other side of which is hate. If a person loves anything or anyone, he/she will hate whatever seriously threatens the object of his/her affection. For their part, Sean Penn and many of his fellow Hollywood elites have chosen to embrace what is wrong (= relative, humanistic-based morals) and reject what is right (= the moral absolutes enshrined in God's inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible). And in the process they are doing nothing less than demonstrating the very hatred of which they accuse social and religious conservatives. In one respect they cannot help themselves, since a passion for what is wrong inevitably leads to a passion against what is right.  

In light of the relationship between love and hate, it should come as no surprise that the God of the Bible who loves us so much that he willingly sacrificed his only Son for a "lost cause" - the redemption of fallen, sinful, rebellious humanity - is also a God of hate. What does God hate? Whatever interferes with a real, personal, trusting relationship between he and us. (See especially "hate" in Psalms and Proverbs.) To cite just a few biblical examples: 

• "'You shall not bow down to [idols] or serve them, for I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments'" (Exodus 20:5-6, NET). NOTE: "The word rendered 'reject' is often translated 'hate' and carries with it the idea of defiantly rejecting and opposing God and his word. Such people are doomed to carry on the sins of their ancestors and bear guilt with them" (NET Bible notes).

• "'You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him'" (Leviticus 19:17, NET). NOTE: "The meaning of the line [about incurring sin] is somewhat obscure. It means either (1) that one should rebuke one’s neighbor when he sins lest one also becomes guilty, which is the way it is rendered here, or (2) one may rebuke one’s neighbor without incurring sin just as long as he does not hate him in his heart" (NET Bible notes).

• "And when the ark traveled, Moses would say, 'Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate you flee before you!' And when it came to rest he would say, 'Return, O LORD, to the many thousands of Israel!'" (Numbers 10:35-36). NOTE: "These two formulaic prayers were offered by Moses at the beginning and at the end of the journeys. They prayed for the Lord to fight ahead of the nation when it was on the move, and to protect them when they camped. The theme of the first is found in Ps 68:1. The prayers reflect the true mentality of holy war, that it was the Lord who fought for Israel and defended her" (NET Bible notes).

• "The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man through whom we can seek the LORD’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. …" (1 Kings 22:8, NET).

• "Arrogant people cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who behave wickedly. … The LORD approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence" (Psalms 5:5, 11:5 NET). NOTE: "The Lord 'hates' the wicked in the sense that he despises their wicked character and deeds and actively opposes and judges them for their wickedness" (NET Bible notes).

• "Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me! Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes!" (Psalms 35:19, NET).

• "From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way"  (Psalms 119:104).

• "Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life"  (Proverbs 29:10).

• "'I sent my servants the prophets to you people over and over again warning you not to do this disgusting thing I hate. But the people of Jerusalem and Judah would not listen or pay any attention. They would not stop the wickedness they were doing nor quit sacrificing to other gods. So my anger and my wrath were poured out and burned like a fire through the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. That is why they have become the desolate ruins that they are today'" (Jeremiah 44:4-6, NET).

• "'No one 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'" (Matthew 6:24, NET). "The term money is used to translate mammon, the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19. God must be first, not money or possessions" (NET Bible notes).

• "'Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. … But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you'" (Luke 6:22-23, 27-28 NET). NOTE: "The phrase when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil alludes to a person being ostracized and socially isolated because of association with the Son of Man, Jesus. … Love your enemies is the first of four short exhortations that call for an unusual response to those who are persecuting disciples. Disciples are to relate to hostility in a completely unprecedented manner." (NET Bible notes).

• "'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple'" (Luke 14:26-27, NET). NOTE: "This figurative use [of hating family members] operates on a relative scale. God is to be loved more than family or self. … It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection; see Luke 9:23" (NET Bible notes).

If we truly love what is right, we will truly hate what is wrong - including the sinful attitudes and actions "of those who hate the truth that could save them" (2 Thessalonians 2:10, The Message).