Haters Gonna Hate

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3).

“Haters gonna hate.” This little three-word ditty is everywhere. Folks drop it to justify themselves when they believe other people are putting them down. Other times, our friends try to encourage us when we’re being criticized by reassuring us. What else would we expect from those losers? Haters gonna hate. The dissenters will inevitably abhor. But you might be surprised that you find this idea in Bible. Yup, two thousand years ago, our man Paul wrote about this very same notion to his buddy Titus. But instead of getting cocky and thinking we’re hot stuff, the apostle used it to remind us of where we’ve been. We were fools. We were rebels. We were easily duped. We were all about doing what feels good. We were bullies. We were haters. We were hateful. In other words, haters gonna hate. And haters gonna be hated.

As he tells Titus what’s in the curriculum of teaching Cretans how to be Christ followers, Paul makes sure history is one of the classes. Every believer needs to know our own history before Jesus jumped in and saved us. Don’t forget who we were and what we were before God came to our rescue. It’s critical to know who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. He lived the spotless and perfect life that I totally failed to live. He died a cruel and brutal death for my sin that I totally should have died. He rose to a glorious new life that I totally do not deserve. But I also need to where I was before God got involved in my life. I need to know where I would be if God left me on my own. Let’s take a quick look, shall we? Fool. Rebel. Dupe. Slave. Bully. Hater. Sheesh, no wonder folks hated me. I’m pretty sure I would hate me too.

Let’s take a little walk down Memory Lane and get a little closer look at who we used to be. First of all, we were “once foolish” (v3). We didn’t have a clue of what to do. We didn’t think things through. In other words, I was a knucklehead and a moron. Folks would watch what I would do and sit back and shake their heads. We were “disobedient” (v3). Nobody was going to tell me what to do. You’re not the boss of me! We were “easily led astray” (v3). I was an easy mark for the latest con. Before Jesus rescued us, we were “slaves to various passions and pleasures” (v3). I did what wanted, when I wanted, with whom I wanted, with what I wanted. Damn the consequences. I lived for the right here and right now. I thought I was in complete control of my life when in fact my glands and my ego were running the joint. We were “passing our days in malice and envy” (v3). My hobby was meanness. I looked for trouble. And when you look for trouble, it always finds you. 

Here at the end of this history lesson, Paul lists the detestable dynamic duo. We used to be “hated by others and hating one another” (v3). When we see “hated” in the ESV, the apostle actually writes stugnetos, which means despicable, reprehensible, and loathsome. Before Jesus, I could play the title role in “Despicable Me.” Let’s face it, if I fit the previous description of being a fool, rebel, dupe, slave, and bully, that really is somebody that’s easy to hate. And if that’s not enough, we’re haters. We’re hated and we hate. We return the favor. This is the the Greek verb miseo. It describes detesting something or someone with hostility. It’s hate that does something. Jesus says that when we’re hated, we shouldn’t hate back. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate (Gr. miseo) you” (Lk 6:27). Haters gonna hate. But our Savior is gonna save. Christ saves us when we were still haters (Rom 5:8). As a result what He’s done for us, we the hated and hating should now forgive and love. Stop worrying about retribution. Stop plotting the Big Payback. Haters gonna hate. But the former hated and hating should forgive and love. Forgiven gonna forgive. Loved gonna love.

We all need a history lesson. We all need to know where we come from. We all need to remember where we would be without Jesus. Otherwise, haters gonna hate.