“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies and he that soweth discord among brethren.” — Proverbs 6:16-19.
The book of Proverbs notes 14 types of people and actions that God hates: violent people; the seven things listed above; the sacrifice of the wicked; the way of the wicked; the thoughts of the wicked; those who are proud; and those who judge unjustly. Let these be guidelines of what we are not to be and do.
How perverse we have become as a nation and in such direct opposition to God and man. Murder, mayhem, slaughter and violence have become too prevalant. People move recklessly and carelessly throughout their days without deliberation regarding their actions and behavior.
Each word we say, every action we take, and the body language we express has an outcome. Is it positive or negative? Am I selfless or selfish? Is everything I do based on my wishes and desires, or do I think of others first?
Selfishness is considered the emblem of narcissism and, therefore, shunned. Selflessness is deemed to be a virtue. Our world is filled with acts of selfishness, selflessness and self-respect. It feels like the selfish ones are winning these days.
Solomon described in Proverbs 6:12-15 the personalities of cruel, wicked and inhuman people. “A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart — he always stirs up dissension. Therefore, disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.” They want to improve their pocketbooks or status through their behavior or to do evil deeds to those around them.
To quote Matthew Henry regarding these evil persons: “He says and does everything very artfully and with design. He has the subtlety of the serpent and carries on his projects with a great deal of craft and management with his eyes, with his feet, with his fingers. He carries on his plot; those about him, whom he makes use of as the tools of his wickedness, understand the ill-meaning of a wink of his eye, a stamp of his feet, the least motion of his fingers. He is a cunning man, and he has a language by himself, which an honest man is not acquainted with nor desires to be.”
God hates every sin. Pride, falsehood, and fraud are loathsome to God and all good men. Hands that shed innocent blood are an abomination to God because they represent the true spirit of the devil. The most loathsome is “he that soweth discord among brethren.” The God of love and peace hates discord. He does not expect disagreement among those expected to cooperate as family, friends, and community.
But why does God hate sin so? Because it is 100% against His nature. Psalm 5:4 describes God’s hatred of sin this way. “For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; neither will the evil (man) so much as dwell (temporarily) with you.” The Bible presents God’s attitude toward sin with intense feelings of hostility, disgust, and utter dislike. God hates sin for the simple reason that sin separates us from Him.
Another reason God hates sin is that it closes our eyes to the truth. Jesus told His disciples to leave the Pharisees alone because they were blind to God’s truth. Anyone listening to their teaching would risk spiritual blindness as well. Not all religious leaders see and understand God’s truth. Make sure your spiritual leader follows the principles of Scripture.
It is not my role or authority to judge another. I must look to the Scriptures to learn how to live my life and to project positive conversation, behavior and body language. Everything I say and do has an impact on the world around me. Each of us can and does influence others. Let it be a positive force.
Pat Throckmorton is a resident of Perquimans County.
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