“You love righteousness and hate wickedness” (Psalms 45:7)  

“Be angry, and do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26) is one of many scriptures that acknowledges the problem saints have with distinguishing righteous thoughts and feelings from sinful thoughts and feelings. That’s why reading and obeying the Word of God is critically important. “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). 

 A saint must hate sin, but not the sinner. He must hate lies, but not the liar. He must hate wickedness, but not the wicked. “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). If you have bad thoughts or feelings about sinners, be proactive, take control of your thoughts and feelings, and pray for their salvation. Praying for a sinner’s salvation is the best way to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). 

Jesus hated sin in others, but He showed His hate more often in tears of pity than in words of correction; yet what language could be more stern than, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation” (Matthew 23:14)? 

Christ hated wickedness so much, He suffered and died not only so you wouldn’t have to go to Hell for it, but to enable you to overcome it. The Father “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Father sent “His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4). 

 If you obey the teachings of Jesus, you’ll be able to hate sin while loving the sinner. As warm as is His love is to sinners, so hot is His hatred of sin; as perfect as is His righteousness, so complete shall be the destruction of every form of wickedness.