I was casually flipping through the Bible the other day, looking for something interesting to read (you know, as if the whole Bible isn’t totally interesting).
I found myself in Proverbs, not my favorite book of the Bible, mind you, but I saw the words “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him…”
Wait. Say what? 7 things God hates. It seems that this list had escaped me. Perhaps you already know this list. Perhaps you are more spiritually astute than me.
But let me just say, this is quite the list. I did a little self-inventory against this list and, I’m not gonna lie, it stung a bit. Care to join me?
Here’s what Proverbs actually says:
“here are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to Him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.”
Okay, so let me break it down.
1. Haughty eyes-also known as pride. Check. That’s me. I often suffer from self-elevation and self-exaltation. I easily place myself above God, only to be reminded that this leads to destruction.
Sadly, but in truth, pride is often the root of most sin. We place ourselves, our own needs, wants, and fleshly desires above the Lord and His people.
2. A lying tongue-your standard liar. Uh, me sometimes. I mean, I am honest with those around me. I don’t like lying or liars. Never have. However, that’s not to say that I don’t lie to myself. I deceive myself into thinking I can go it alone or that God doesn’t really have my best interest at heart.
I’m not sure if this counts as a “lying tongue,” but it is self-deception, nonetheless.
3. Hands that shed innocent blood-also known as murder. I am glad to say that this one does not apply to me.
4. A heart that devises wicked plans-just your standard wicked person. The Bible also calls this type of person “depraved.” Jesus refers to the hearts of the Pharisees as wicked (Matthew 12:34, 35; 22:18). If I’m being honest, I have to admit that, yes, there is a little bit of Pharisee in me.
5. Feet that make haste to run to evil-the person running quickly in the direction of evil. Thankfully, this is not me, either. Although, I don’t always flee from evil as quickly as I should. Sometimes I dilly dally.
6. False witness who breathes out lies-a false witness is not only a liar, but someone who sets out to spread false information about an individual. A false witness also refers to anyone who misrepresents the truth about God. Ouch. This is not a place I would want to be. Ever.
7. One who sows discord among brothers-this is your basic I’m-gonna-create-division-and-disunity-among-the-Church-person. Sometimes, it’s gossip. Sometimes it’s spreading lies about a person or God (see #6). Sometimes it’s a person who brings about a spirit of strife and confusion.
Either way, God hates it. In fact, He hates all 7 of these sins. Sure, He hates all sin. We know that, but the scriptures make a special point to call out these 7 in particular. I’m glad I stumbled upon them…
What about you? Are any of the 7 on this list convicting to you? Have you struggled with any of these or been a victim of any of these? Why do you think God chose to highlight these particular sins?
