--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So there is such a thing as perfect…" description: "\"So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred for God's enemies, not our own enemies..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png" --- # So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there… ![“So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred for God's enemies, not our own enemies. It is entirely free of all spite, rancor and vindictiveness, and is fired only by love for God's honor and glory.” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png) > “So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred for God's enemies, not our own enemies. It is entirely free of all spite, rancor and vindictiveness, and is fired only by love for God's honor and glory.” [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A divine hatred that targets those opposing God, distinguished from personal animus, driven by reverence for divine honor rather than selfish spite. **In simple terms:** Divine hatred vs. personal spite Key Takeaway Love for God's honor fuels a pure, righteous hatred. Themes theology ethics spirituality justice motivation Mood solemn reverent intense Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - preaching - personal reflection - conflict resolution - moral decision‑making Key Concepts divine honor righteous anger spiritual purity Practical Applications - theological education - ethical counseling Questions to Reflect On - How does this view of hatred affect interpersonal forgiveness? - Can love for a higher purpose justify hostility? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Righteous anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous-anger/) ## Related quotes > [I watch CNN, it's so much anger and hatred and just the hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/i-watch-cnn-it-s-so-much-anger-and-hatred-and-just-the-hatred/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [“All hatred is self-hatred, just as all healing is self-healing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-micha-el-leventhal/all-hatred-is-self-hatred-just-as-all-healing-is-self-healing/) [Eric Micha'el Leventhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-micha-el-leventhal/) > [I had come out of a church that was filled with petty arguments and hatred. I just wanted to meet with some friends and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/i-had-come-out-of-a-church-that-was-filled-with-petty-arguments-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [That you just mad at you man, you aint really mad at me. You took the hatred of yourself and just projected out. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/that-you-just-mad-at-you-man-you-aint-really-mad-at-me-you-took-the/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [Thought is a garment and the soul's a bride That cannot in that trash and tinsel hide: Hatred of God may bring the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/thought-is-a-garment-and-the-soul-s-a-bride-that-cannot-in-that-trash/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“When the wicked plot against the righteous, fueled by jealousy and hatred, God turns their destruction back upon themselves, for He is the shield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaila-touchton/when-the-wicked-plot-against-the-righteous-fueled-by-jealousy-and/) [Shaila Touchton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaila-touchton/) > [No true Christian can carry within his heart hatred for any of God's children . . . I am as aware as any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/no-true-christian-can-carry-within-his-heart-hatred-for-any-of-god-s/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [At the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/at-the-heart-of-liberalism-really-is-a-hatred-for-god-and-a-belief/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [The devil doesn't fill us with hatred for God, but with forgetfulness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-devil-doesn-t-fill-us-with-hatred-for-god-but-with-forgetfulness/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Of the love or hatred God has for the English, I know nothing, but I do know that they will all be thrown out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-of-arc/of-the-love-or-hatred-god-has-for-the-english-i-know-nothing-but-i-do/) [Joan of Arc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-of-arc/) > [...it is presumptuous ridicule of God if someone thinks that only the person who desires great wealth chooses mammon. Alas, the person who insists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/it-is-presumptuous-ridicule-of-god-if-someone-thinks-that-only-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Everyone wants a happy life without difficulties or suffering. We create many of the problems we face. No one intentionally creates problems, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everyone-wants-a-happy-life-without-difficulties-or-suffering-we/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Anger, hatred and jealousy never solve problems, only affection, concern and respect can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-hatred-and-jealousy-never-solve-problems-only-affection-concern/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We cannot overcome anger and hatred simply by suppressing them. We need to actively cultivate the antidotes: patience and tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-cannot-overcome-anger-and-hatred-simply-by-suppressing-them-we/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [One can overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, by cultivating their counter-forces, like love and compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/one-can-overcome-the-forces-of-negative-emotions-like-anger-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by John Stott > [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Mission arises from the heart of God Himself and is communicated from His heart to ours. Mission is the global outreach of the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/mission-arises-from-the-heart-of-god-himself-and-is-communicated-from/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [ \[Christian rebellion\] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doctrine-of-mankind-made-in-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousn ess, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/all-of-us-have-inflated-views-of-ourselves-especially-in-self/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [A deaf church is a dead church: that is an unalterable principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-deaf-church-is-a-dead-church-that-is-an-unalterable-principle/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The reason I am a Christian is not that it is nice, but that it is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-reason-i-am-a-christian-is-not-that-it-is-nice-but-that-it-is-true/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“Unless some people are commissioned for the task, there will be no gospel preachers; unless the gospel is preached, sinners will not hear Christ’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/unless-some-people-are-commissioned-for-the-task-there-will-be-no/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“many former sins have become crimes’, so that responsibility for dealing with them has passed from church to state, from priest to policeman (p.50),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/many-former-sins-have-become-crimes-so-that-responsibility-for/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [When we look at the cross we see the justice, love, wisdom and power of God. It is not easy to decide which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/when-we-look-at-the-cross-we-see-the-justice-love-wisdom-and-power-of/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [If God speaks to us about himself and his own glorious greatness, we respond by humbling ourselves before him in worship... If He speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/if-god-speaks-to-us-about-himself-and-his-own-glorious-greatness-we/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [There is something inherently inappropriate about cherishing small ambitions for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/there-is-something-inherently-inappropriate-about-cherishing-small/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Every powerful movement has had its philosophy which has gripped the mind, fired the imagination and captured the devotion of its adherents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/every-powerful-movement-has-had-its-philosophy-which-has-gripped-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“A guilty conscience is a great blessing, but only if it drives us to come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-guilty-conscience-is-a-great-blessing-but-only-if-it-drives-us-to/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-concept-of-substitution-lies-at-the-heart-of-both-sin-and/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Nobody can call himself a Christian who does not worship Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/nobody-can-call-himself-a-christian-who-does-not-worship-jesus/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) [Explore all 198 John Stott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## More Hatred quotes > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Only those who hate the Negro see hatred in the Negro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/only-those-who-hate-the-negro-see-hatred-in-the-negro/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. We feel anti-Semitic hatred in the continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/we-witness-anti-semitic-attacks-in-the-heart-of-europe-we-hear-anti/) [Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [If the mind is dominated by hatred, the best part of the brain, which is used to judge right and wrong, does not function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-the-mind-is-dominated-by-hatred-the-best-part-of-the-brain-which/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [The hatred of those who are near to us is the most violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-cornelius-tacitus/the-hatred-of-those-who-are-near-to-us-is-the-most-violent/) [Publius Cornelius Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-cornelius-tacitus/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [Too many years of feeling degraded now hatred's the only feeling that comes~~~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-years-of-feeling-degraded-now-hatred-s-the-only-feeling-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [“It’s a continual revelation when you come to understand that the only thing you can expect in return for your own dignity is hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/it-s-a-continual-revelation-when-you-come-to-understand-that-the-only/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Hate is a lack of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/hate-is-a-lack-of-imagination/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everybody-loves-to-talk-about-calmness-and-peace-whether-in-a-family/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Browse all 3,825 Hatred quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred for God's enemies, not our own enemies. It is entirely free of all spite, rancor and vindictiveness, and is fired only by love for God's honor and glory.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Stott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hatred" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/john-stott-1926_hatred_so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatr_77272.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a…” — John Stott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Stott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So there is such a thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```