A Requirement to Hate in the Bible #2

Eduardo Elizondo—April 5, 2025

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Last time we started to go into some things in Luke 14:26 and let's go there to read it again, to start this message. This is a verse that is very difficult to understand, where Jesus says the following:

Luke 14:26: "'If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers and sisters, and, in addition, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."

So, there is a requirement to do these things, and last time we talked about how we were going to focus—and we'll continue today to focus on—the last part of this verse, where it says "…his own life also…" that if we do not 'hate our own life also,' we cannot be His disciple!

We talked about the example in Job of someone who God worked with very closely, and Job was already a righteous and upright man who feared God, who departed from evil! That's what God said about him, and God says that about us, too, because we are His saints, as well, and we're striving to be upright and God fearing, just like Job was.

We are not always, but we're going to see that that's at the core of what this Scripture means in hating our own life also! We see how God showed Job a lot of things that he was still working on. God was still showing Job about who God is and who Job himself was and all the lessons.

We can only imagine the pain that he suffered in going through all of what he went through, but God refined him! He brought him out of that trial!

Just as much as God gave him double of everything that he had physically, He also gave him so much more wisdom and understanding of who he was as a person! There's a big lesson for all of us to learn.

We also went to Rom. 7, and let's go there to continue there, because there the Apostle Paul is talking about the same topic of what this is of 'hating our own life, also.' That's what Job said at the end of the book of Job in chapter 42, he says 'I have heard you by the ear, but now my eye sees you!

His conclusion says, 'Therefore, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.' That seems to be what Jesus Christ was saying in 'hating our own life also.'

Job was hating where He had been and the things that he could not see before, until God brought him through this trial. That there were more things in his nature:

• of justifying self
• of not being able to see certain things
• of not giving God the credit for everything that he was
• for the desire to become more like God

There's a difference between what we are naturally and what we are to become through this process of conversion.

Rom. 7, as I was mentioning, is where we left off last time when we read vs 14 & 15. This is something very important, because in understanding these Scriptures, we can get a greater understanding of what this means to abhor our own life or to hate our own life also, in order to come and be a disciple of Jesus!

Romans 7:14: "For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am carnal, having been sold as a slave under sin; because what I am working out myself… [that's the key] …I do not know…." (vs 14-15).

Job didn't know it either. He did not know what he was working out himself. God came and showed him that. It says:

"…For what I do not desire to do, this I do; moreover, what I hate, this is what I do" (v 15).

That is a key to understanding what Jesus was talking about in Luke 14, because the Apostle Paul himself came to hate the things that he actually did! He didn't want to do them.

The rest of the things that we're going to read here in Rom. 7, they're not to be used as excuses, and that's not how we take any of these verses. But we are also firstly establishing that the Law is good, and that's what he says in:

Verse 16: "But if I am doing what I do not desire to do, I agree with the Law that it is good."

So, he's establishing the Law is not the problem. The problem is me, the problem is myself. Job said the same thing.

If we all understand that about ourselves, as well, and see that we are the problem by nature that we are subject to this human nature, to carnality, to inherit the law of sin and death, as the Apostle Paul calls it. That's what it is, that nature, that is the thing that we hate! We hate the things that we do not want to do, but we still do, and that we're striving up against.

Verse 17: "So then, I am no longer working it out myself; rather, it is sin that is dwelling within me.'

This is not to excuse himself. He perfectly understood that; that Jesus told His disciples to pray:

• forgive us our sins
• forgive us our offenses
• forgive our debts every day

So, Paul understood that we sin, that we have to repent, that this is not an excuse, it's not, well, 'that's not really me.' He was not bipolar. That's not what he was. It's just that he understood that what it says in:

Verse 18: "Because I fully understand that there is not dwelling within me—that is, within my fleshly being—any good…."

This is very important for us to understand, to come to that realization that we're no different than Paul. We're no different than Job. If anything, they are better than us, but the human nature is the same.

Where they say that is within my fleshly being, there is not any good. Even David understood that. King David acknowledges the exact same thing about himself, about his nature, about who we are. That's what we have to realize, who and what we are apart from God on our own devices:

• when we're not trusting in God
• when we're not connected to God as much as we should be

"…within my fleshly being—any good…." (v 18).

Psalm 16:2: "I have said to the LORD, 'You are my LORD; I have no goodness apart from You.'"

Same thing! At first, he asked God; v 1: "Preserve me, O God, for in You do I take refuge"—so he sets a stage! We have to take a refuge in God.

But in recognizing this—it's a very, very critical part of the conversion process—to be aware of our nature! The psychology of this world tries to make us understand and be self-aware and all of these things. But the Word of God is the Truth! This is the truth of the matter because He tells us:

• that's why Job didn't mince words
• that's why Paul didn't mince words

when it came to understanding our nature but hate it; hate that nature! We are to desire the nature of God!

Verse 2: "I have said to the LORD, 'You are my LORD; I have no goodness apart from You.'"

He understood that apart from God there was no good. He understood what God was after:

Verse 3: As for the saints in the earth, 'They are the excellent ones in whom is all My delight.'"

This is not to discourage us, brethren; this is actually to continue to progress in this conversion and transformation process. Not by our own means, but by the very words of God! By the things that are here in the Bible where it says: "As for the saints in the earth, 'They are the excellent ones in whom is all My delight.'"

You and I, brethren, we are the delight of God, because we are His most precious possession; the saints:

• those who are yielding to Him
• those whom He is working with
• those whom He is actively involved with
  • that we have a relationship
  • that we are praying constantly to God
  • that we are studying His Word
  • that we have a strong relationship
  • that we know who God is
  • that we have faith in Him
  • that He will complete the work that He has begun

But an acknowledgement here by David that there is no goodness apart from Him!

Let's go back to Romans, because that's exactly what the Apostle Paul, and that's why it's amazing that the Word of God everything connects. Everything is so deeply tied in a spiritual level that when we see some of these connections, we're just amazed. How did they say the same thing thousands of years apart, thousands of worlds apart and roles apart? Because it's the same God and the same Spirit! He works in the same way with all of His saints.

Romans 7:18: "Because I fully understand that there is not dwelling within me—that is, within my fleshly being—any good…." That's exactly what we just read in the Psalms!

Then He explained why He said: "…For the desire to do good is present within me; but how to work out that which is good, I do not find" (v 18).

None of us find it by ourselves; none of us! We may think we do, but look where we end up. Look where the world is now calling 'evil good and good evil,' abominations and aberrations they're saying that 'it's good,' and that are evil, those that denounce those things that go against the Word of God! That's is just a self-deceit that is on another level!

Verse 19—this is the struggle. This is what Jesus was talking about when

• the one that does not hate his own life also cannot be My disciple
• the one that doesn't understand that their nature is inherently evil and that He has to change it
• that He has to come and dwell in us and through the Holy Spirit, He can actually cleanse us and transform us

Unless we do that, we cannot be His disciples!

We're not really going to learn. When things get hard, we might depart. Many departed from Him!

Remember in John 6 when He was talking about Him being the Bread of Life, and His body being truly food and then His blood being truly drink and many departed because they didn't understand these were spiritual things and they were thinking carnally, physically!

Verse 19: "For the good that I desire to do, I am not doing; but the evil that I do not desire to do, this I am doing."

He acknowledges and we have to acknowledge it too, because from time-to-time, we miss the mark! We sin! We do not practice sin; that's a different thing. That's not the way that we operate;

• we don't believe that that's going to get the results that we want
• we don't believe that that pleases God
• we don't believe that that's how we're going to be transformed
• we don't believe in sin; we hate sin

That's why we have to come to hate: the sin within!

Verse 20: "But if I do what I do not desire to do, I am no longer working it out myself, but sin that is dwelling within me."

Understanding that sin that is within is critical; it's step one! But sometimes we haven't even gotten to that step—repentance—and God shows us that.

But step one in this deeper layer of understanding the process of conversion, that God wants your heart and your mind, all of it!

• not just part of it
• not just in the external
• not just in the letter of the Law

but in the Spirit of the Law

• in your deeper thoughts
• in the deepest parts of your being

Verse 21: Consequently, I find this law in my members…. [a law] …that when I desire to do good, evil is present with me." That is what we are to hate!

If evil is present with us—that is what Jesus Christ was referring to: that we have to 'hate our own lives also'—and evil is that what moves us sometimes to miss the mark, to respond in a way that is not the way that Christ showed us:

• of turning the other cheek
• of going the extra mile
• of doing all of these things

That's why it says: '…when I desire to do good, evil is present with me."

It's a law! And it's the law of sin and death! Until we come to hate that law of sin and death within us and see for what it really is, not as an excuse, not separating from ourselves, but owning it! Knowing this is me, this is part of my life and I hate it!

• I want Your Life, God
• I want what You want to put in me
• I want Your Spirit
• I want Your Word
• I want Your Law
• I want Your Commandments
• I want Your Judgments
• I want to walk righteously
  • not for my own glory
  • not for my own self

I know I cannot do it by myself!

Only WHEN we acknowledge that it is God that can do that, THEN we're on the way to conversion, and it's a long process. But that's where Job was at the end of the book of Job.

That's what Paul is seeing here; that's what he's coming to grips with: this hating of his own life also!

Verse 22: "For I [Paul] delight in the Law of God according to the inward man."

We do too! Not everybody does as far as the world, but those of us who have been called, we are sincere, that is true for us too! We "…delight in the Law of God according to the inward man."

• we love His Commandments
• we love the Sabbath
• we love the Holy Days
• we love the fellowship with the brethren
• we love the indwelling of the Spirit
• we love all these things; we do
• we delight in the Law of God according to the inward man

It brings us such tremendous joy just to be studying these things and knowing these things and understanding the depths of the wisdom of God in His mind.

But here comes a contrast in v 23, and this is that part in Luke 14:26, when he talks about hate, your own life also,

Verse 23: "But I see another law within my own members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin that is within my own members."

That's the law, the law of sin, or also called the law of sin and death, because without repentance it produces death.

Now that's where conversion and the precious blood of Christ interferes with that process. To receive forgiveness, to not result in death, eternal death! But it's "…the law of sin that is within my own members"—Paul  is explaining it! He does a wonderful job of explaining this. Not just to explain it for others to see that he understands it. No, but:

• for us to learn from that
• for us to take it personally
• to understand that we do sin
• that we do have the law of sin

But this is another law within our members, and the Apostle Paul is explaining that we have that law of sin within us. That's what we are to hate; that's what he said. 'What I do that I don't want to do. That's what I hate.'

That's what Jesus was pointing out, that the one that doesn't hate what he does, the one that doesn't really look inside and be able to see that we are basically like the Laodiceans: miserable, wretched, poor, blind and naked!

Unless we see that, we cannot be His disciples! Unless we see the need, just like David saw in Psa. 16—there's no goodness apart from Him—unless we see that, He's not going to be able to make the change that we truly need to have done in us by God, by God the Father and Jesus Christ; through the operation of the Spirit.

That's why it's that law is warring within us. Paul says within my own members, it's a law! That's why sometimes we feel like we can't help ourselves, but it's not to excuse ourselves, it's to repent!

That's exactly what Job did; he said 'therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.'

Those things have to go together. It's not a pity party. It's not woe is me! It's not to excuse ourselves, 'that's not me.'

That's not the reason that God is showing us these things, and that Paul is explaining these things for us to understand. So we come to hate ourselves and love God and repent to God so that He can do a deeper work in our mind and in our heart. This is how bad it was.

Verse 24: "O what a wretched man I am!…."

I think we can all say the same thing, what wretched people we are by ourselves with what is in ourselves apart from God. Apart from God we are all wretched! That's the way we are. We're not better than the Apostle Paul; we are certainly not.

"…Who shall save me from the body of this death?" (v 24). Because there's a law of sin, and there's a body of this death; we are no different.

Then he understands, he's not only explaining this conflict within us of this law of sin within us that pushes us to go against God. It says that it's enmity, the carnal man is enmity against God, and cannot be subject to His Law! But the Spirit of God:

• leads us to repentance
• it leads us to Truth
• it leads us to obedience

Then he gives us hope; v 25: "I thank God for His salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…"

Basically saying everything comes from Jesus Christ: the desire, the will and to do what is right!

• He tells us
• He enables us
• He empowers us

through His Holy Spirit to be able to do that! He paid for the penalty for our nature. That's why Paul says:

Verse 25: "I thank God for His salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…"—the salvation of God the Father through the precious blood of His Son!

"…Because of this, on the one hand, I myself serve the Law of God with my mind…" (v 25)—and so do we!

We delight in that Law and we love that Law! We are to meditate on that Law and grow in grace and knowledge.

"…but on the other hand, with the flesh, I serve the law of sin" (v 25).

We all still—in more or less capacity—serve that law of sin—in higher or lower degree, depending on:

• what's happening in our lives
• how close we are to God
• how much are we praying
• how much are we studying
• how much are we fasting
• how much or how little we're serving the law of sin

But that law is still there, and that law is what we are to abhor! Jesus knew about that that law. He knew when He was in the flesh, He knew that that law of sin was also in Him. BUT He did not sin! I want to make that abundantly clear. He did not sin, but the law was written in his members because he inherited that nature from Mary, His mother!

Now the reason He did not sin is because He was full of the Holy Spirit without measure, and always subjected Himself to the Father in everything, without measure! He was being led by the Holy Spirit and He was obedient in everything. That is the difference! That's our example, obviously.

The more of the Holy Spirit that we have, the more that we can overcome this nature. But we see this nature. We are to hate this nature.

John 2:23: "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover—this is Jesus during the Feast] …many believed on His name, as they observed the miracles that He was doing. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men; and He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man" (vs 23-24).

He Himself knew because He was living it. He knew what was in man! It was something that was not trustworthy! That's what He said.

• He did not entrust Himself to them
• He knew all men
• He knew what was in man
• He knew it was not good
• He knew it was human nature

It was sin! It was going against the will of his Father!

• He knew all of that
• He saw that
• He abhorred that
• He abhorred sin
• He was able to read minds
• He was able to see what they were thinking

That's why many times He rebuked them. That's why He told them why they were wrong. Without even people saying that, even His disciples or the Pharisees or whoever He was with. That's what He did!

So, today we've seen a little bit more about what does it mean to hate his own life also in order to be Christ's disciple.

Next time we're going to talk a little bit more about this verse and then read some other verses that go with these things because there's more Scriptures that talk about this sin within, that we are to literally hate in order to desire what God has for us.

But for now we'll leave it here and we'll see you next time. I hope everybody continues to have a great Sabbath.

Scriptural References:

• Luke 14:26
• Romans 7:14-18
• Psalm 16:2, 1, 3
• Romans 7:18-25
• John 2:23-25

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Job 42
• John 6

EE:bo/po
Transcribed: 4/9/25

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