In this article, I will touch on the principle of feelings from Ecclesiastes 3 8. As said in Ecclesiastes 3: 8, there is a time to love and a time to hate.
About Hate and Love According to Ecclesiastes 3: 8
The man has in him an affected, emotional, sentimental capacity very dense: he can like to hate. There comes a time when we are animated by a love for a thing or a person strongly or weakly. Just like, we can be animated with hate strongly or weakly. It is not bad to love, but it depends on what we love, who we love, and how we love.
The word ” hate ” has a pejorative meaning in general. We are called to hate sin in all its forms and manifestations. On the other hand, we are not called to hate a creature of God […]. Our love must be on God first, then the celestial things and our neighbor, and finally on ourselves.
There Is More Happiness to Give Than to Receive
Far from the worldly thought which maintains that well-ordered charity begins with oneself. For God, according to his principles, well-ordered charity begins with others. Yes, Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, was the example: he was given for the salvation of humanity. It was Christ who was the first to offer us his life on the cross for our redemption. It is even written: ” There is more happiness to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
Forbidden Marriages Are the Basis for Bad Feelings
With regard to loving relationships, God, who has established this, has also made restrictions on forbidden marriages which are the basis for bad feelings. He also asks us to consult him before engaging in any love between a man and a woman. God forbids us to embark on a love that will ruin us. That nothing in a loving relationship is done out of pity but rather out of pure love. Often, we may end up hating a person or thing we love, and vice-versa. Between love and hate, from love to hatred, often deceives, discourages, and the weakening love.
O Man, I Urge You to Flee Hatred.
Hatred destroys. Hatred makes you unhappy. Hatred makes you cruel. Hatred makes a slave of evil. Hatred removes peace of heart. Hatred saddens the joy of living. Hatred breaks our personality. Hate affects our health. Hatred messes our thoughts. Hatred spoils our life. As much as possible, I beg you to avoid hate, anger, and resentment. We earn more from loving than hating our neighbor. Give meaning to your life by walking in love. Practice charity. Be kind to everyone regardless of skin color or social position.
Cultivate Good Feelings
What else could we learn from Ecclesiastes 3: 8? Life would be even more beautiful and pleasant if men cultivated good feelings between them. Suppose men were all immersed in the practice of the virtue of love. Notwithstanding, one must love oneself as well. And to love oneself is to live in such a way as not to destroy oneself, or to ruin oneself, or to mislead one’s soul. The one who really loves himself will think of his salvation.
From another angle, too, It is good also to love his activity and his work, especially when it is legal. Man is called to hate the works of the flesh. In this sense of the word, it reveals the renunciation of our bad habits and ways in favor of the embrace of the principles of God and his way. Whether it is time we love, where we are attached to a thing or a person, we must do it by considering the will, the time, and the way of God.
Let’s read the following passages: Psalm 97: 10 / Amos 5: 15 / Leviticus 19:15 / Matthew 5: 44-48 / John 15: 13 / Romans 12: 10 / Jude 1: 21 / Romans 13: 10 / Matthew 22: 37-38 / 1 Thessalonians 4: 9 / 1 Timothy 6: 10 / Hebrews 6: 10 / Hebrews 13: 1 / Hebrews 13: 5 / James 4: 4 / Isaiah 30: 1 /1 John 3: 17/1 John 4 : 3 / 2 John 1: 6.
Please click on the following link for the next article: (13) – The Principle of Struggles and Quietness.