Is disliking someone a sign of no faith?

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "The apostle Paul made his dislike for Alexander..."

Too bad for those who reject the faith (1 Tim. 1:19, 20).

"Too bad." ~ Seth Brundle, The Fly

"1 Ti 1:20 Hymenaeus and Alexander. Hymenaeus is mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17 in connection with Philetus, another false teacher. Alexander may be the opponent of the faith referred to in 2 Tim. 4:14, 15. Nothing else is known about these two men (see note on v. 3). I delivered to Satan. Paul put both men out of the church, thus ending their influence and removing them from the protection and insulation of God’s people. They were no longer in the environment of God’s blessing but under Satan’s control. In some instances God has turned believers over to Satan for positive purposes, such as revealing the genuineness of saving faith, keeping them humble and dependent on Him, enabling them to strengthen others, or offering God praise (cf. Job. 1:1–22; Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 22:31–33; 2 Cor. 12:1–10; Rev. 7:9–15). God hands some people over to Satan for judgment, such as King Saul (1 Sam. 16:12–16; 28:4–20), Judas (John 13:27), and the sinning member in the Corinthian church (see notes on 1 Cor. 5:1–5). may learn not to blaspheme. See note on v. 13. Paul learned not to blaspheme when confronted by the true understanding of the law and the gospel. That was what those men needed. God, the inspired text seems to indicate, would teach them and show them grace as he had Paul. But that evangelistic work could not go on at the expense of the purity of the church.

2:1–8 The Ephesian church had evidently stopped praying for the lost, since Paul urged Timothy to make it a priority again. The Judaistic false teachers in Ephesus, by a perverted gospel and the teaching that salvation was only for Jews and Gentile proselytes to Judaism, would have certainly restricted evangelistic praying. Religious exclusivism (salvation only for the elite) would preclude the need for prayer for the lost.

2:1 supplications. The Gr. word is from a root that means “to lack,” “to be deprived,” or “to be without.” Thus this kind of prayer occurs because of a need. The lost have a great need for salvation, and believers should always be asking God to meet that need. intercessions. This word comes from a root meaning “to fall in with someone,” or “to draw near so as to speak intimately.” The verb from which this word derives is used of Christ’s and the Spirit’s intercession for believers (Rom. 8:26; Heb. 7:25). Paul’s desire is for the Ephesian Christians to have compassion for the lost, to understand the depths of their pain and misery, and to come intimately to God pleading for their salvation. See notes on Titus 3:3...

Tit 3:3 ourselves. It is not that every believer has committed every sin listed here, but rather that before salvation every life is characterized by such sins. That sobering truth should make believers humble in dealing with the unsaved, even those who are grossly immoral and ungodly. If it weren’t for God’s grace to His own, they would all be wicked. See note on 1 Pet. 3:15; cf. 2 Tim. 2:25. For other lists of sins, see Rom. 1:18–32; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Gal. 5:19–21; Eph. 4:17–19." MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1888). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

Response to comment [from a Christian]: [Is disliking someone a sign of no faith?]

Love for the brethern is a indication that you are a believer (Jn 13:34).

If you do not naturally love your brother in Christ, it is doubtful that you are a Christian. We don't care what odd traits you have. If you love the Lord, we love you.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [1 John 4:20].

"I didn’t say this; John said it. John says that if you say you love God and hate your brother, you are a liar.

"For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" There is a great deal of nonsense and pious hypocrisy going on today even in our fundamental churches. If we do not love our brother, then we do not love God either." McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 John) (electronic ed., Vol. 56, p. 138). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "Of course it begs the question "Who is my Brother?""

One who has put his trust in the Lord. 

1 Jn 3:14-15 J. Vernon McGee

Is disliking someone a sign of no faith?