One can spend a LOT of time examining ‘what the opposite of love is.’
Most of the world probably thinks “Oh, that’s easy: hate.”
And there’s a STRONG case to be built that HATE is the opposite of LOVE.
But, upon thinking on the topic a bit, one realizes that this is what man has been taught. NATURALLY, man would think that HATE is the opposite of LOVE, right?
One only has to examine a little of what men exalted by the world have to say on the subject.
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
“There’s not much difference between love and hate.”
—Ichiro Suzuki
“Love and hate have a magical transforming power. They are the great soul changers. We grow through their exercise into the likeness of what we contemplate.”
—George William Russell
So, HATE is most likely the front-runner in the race to find an opposite of LOVE.
HOWEVER, there is a popular school of thought–led by writer/activist Elie Wiesel–that it is NOT HATE which is the opposite of love, but INDIFFERENCE.
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
This version of the opposite-of-love seemed to be popular during the latter years of the 1900s.
An offshoot of the INDIFFERENCE-pushers is the HATE IS LOVE GONE BAD folks.
“Hate is just love gone bad. The actual opposite of love is apathy. When you don’t care a damn as to what happens to the other person.”
—-Amish Tripathi
[Tripathi’s quote sounds a LOT like country music song lyrics.]
Finally, there are those who believe that FEAR is the opposite of LOVE.
These seem to be mostly church folks.
“The opposite of love is fear. It is just that basic. For fear is the breeding ground — the simmering cauldron so to speak — of all the resentments, bitterness, anger, and destructive behaviors that constitute and give rise to hate.”
–Bishop Robert O’Neill
[Of course, it doesn’t help your argument if you claim that fear leads to hate.]
MORE: The Opposite of Love Is Not Hate, It’s Fear
So what does the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY have to say on the subject?
God’s Word seems to endorse the notion that the opposite of LOVE is FEAR.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
–1JOHN 4:18
This view is echoed in Second Timothy.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
BUT, God’s Word is clear and forthright. There is NO guessing among believers about God’s Word.
And so, HATE is VERY CLEARLY set out as the opposite of LOVE in the Bible. God’s Word does this most often by presenting a spectrum of behavior with LOVE at one end and HATE at the other.
“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you”
–Luke 6:27
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”
–Matthew 5:43-44
IN CONCLUSION, What is the Opposite of LOVE?
1- God’s Word positions LOVE and HATE so that they are opposing qualities.
2- God’s Word ALSO links FEAR with LOVE–but NOT in such a way that the two are opposites.
3- The Bible really has NOTHING to say about INDIFFERENCE and LOVE.
Which makes sense, since this idea is OF THE WORLD, not GOD.
HAS the reader EVER thought about what the OPPOSITE of LOVE might be?
WHAT does the reader think?
It is not YET too late: there is still a little time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: January 11, 2022.]
MORE
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- Will Modern Love Survive the End Times?
- Will Coronavirus Kill Modern Love?
- Modern Romance: Love Which Isn’t
- Marriages of Convenience: An Inside Joke
- Modern Love’s Many Imposters
- Crushing the Life You THOUGHT You Had
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- The Nature of Spiritual Deception
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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