122 - Charles Jacobi Reexamining "Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner"

https://americanreformer.org/2023/12/hatred-holy/

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Summary

In this episode, Chase Davis interviews Charles Jacoby about the topic of 'love the sinner, hate the sin' and modern emotional pietism in evangelicalism. Charles shares his background and theological journey, highlighting his interest in emotions and their role in decision-making. They discuss the problem with the common phrase 'love the sinner, hate the sin' and how it can lead to an unnatural and incomplete understanding of emotions. They explore John Calvin's view on hatred and love, emphasizing the distinction between hating the sin and hating the sinner. Charles also delves into the concept of hating the wicked as haters of God while still extending benevolence to their personhood. The conversation concludes with a discussion on how Christians can approach their desire for justice and revenge, seeking God's justice and appealing to heaven.

Takeaways

Modern evangelicalism often promotes an unnatural and incomplete understanding of emotions, particularly through the phrase 'love the sinner, hate the sin.'
John Calvin's view on hatred and love provides a helpful perspective, distinguishing between hating the sin and hating the sinner.
It is possible to hate the wicked as haters of God while still extending benevolence to their personhood.
Christians should approach their desire for justice and revenge by seeking God's justice and appealing to heaven.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:05 Conversion and Theological Journey
05:27 The Role of Emotions in Christianity
09:48 Modern Emotional Pietism
15:21 The Problem with 'Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin'
18:14 Calvin's View on Hatred and Love
21:38 Distinguishing Hatred for the Wicked and Love for Their Personhood
29:12 Dealing with the Desire for Justice and Revenge
37:43 Reserving Hatred for Moral Injustice and Seeking God's Justice
41:03 The Importance of Having Categories for Justice and Resentment