Are we even allowed to say that?
The very statement itself - “Stuff
God Hates” – seems to be a taboo these days.
The very thought that there might be hate within God’s character seems
almost heretical. We are all about God’s love.
After all, “God is love.” In
fact, according to some, “love wins.” How could God be the embodiment of love and
still hate?
Certainly, love did win at the cross and scripture itself says that God
is love, but does that automatically mean that there are not things that God
hates. Truthfully, scripture tells us
that there are things that God hates and it is more specific than just a
generic “God hates sin” (which he does).
The question we have to ask ourselves, though, is how we are to respond
when we find out about something that God hates. If there is something in my life that God
hates, what does that mean to me?
Certainly God does not hate me – but He hates that particular thing in
me? That seems harsh, but it is true to
scripture.
If God truly is the embodiment of love and if there really are things
that God hates, then those things must be so horribly bad for me that it is more
loving for God to hate those aspects within me than to love me in spite of
them. What that means to me is that my
response should be to also hate that particular thing about myself and to trust
in Him to remove them from my life.
What, then, are these things that are so bad that a loving God would
display hatred towards them. It turns
out that Proverbs chapter 6 identifies 7 of them by name.
Proverbs 6:16-19
16 There are six things that the Lord
hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
Haughty eyes
We do not often go around saying someone has haughty eyes. In fact, some of us might not even really
know what haughty means. According to the dictionary, haughty means to be disdainfully
proud, arrogant, snobbish, or scornfully arrogant. Haughty eyes, therefore, would be defined as
showing arrogant superiority to others. Are
you always trying to be better than other people? It’s one thing to strive to do your best – we
should all strive to do our best at everything we do – but it is another thing
to always think we are the best and better than everybody else. When we look
down on others or think we are better than others, we are setting ourselves up
for a fall. Psalm 118:27 says “For you save a humble people, but the haughty
eyes you bring down” (ESV). Instead, we
are to consider others as being more important than ourselves. As it says in Philippians
2:3, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others
more significant than yourselves” (ESV).
A Lying Tongue
I used to watch the TV Drama, House,
before it was discontinued. Dr. Gregory
House used to always say “everybody lies.”
Of course we would all agree that being hurtful or intentionally
deceptive for our own benefit and gain is wrong, but what about a little white
lie? Shouldn’t we lie if it is in the
best interest of the other person? The answer might surprise you. When we lie,
we are speaking the language of hell.
When he was speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said in John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and your
will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and
does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he
speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (ESV). Personally, I do not want to be caught dead
speaking the language of hell. Instead, Peter says in 1 Peter 3:10, “Whoever
desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and
his lips from speaking deceit” (ESV).
Hands that Shed Innocent Blood
When we think of “hands that shed innocent blood” we immediately think about
killing an innocent person. The most
egregious act to fit this description today of course must be abortion. So many millions of innocents are being
slaughtered each year. However, there is
more to this than just killing the innocent.
This is really referring to any act of violence taken against another innocent
person. This could include random acts of violence, bullying, spousal or child
abuse, etc.
A Heart that Devises Wicked Plans
Have you ever noticed that every good story has an evil genius – that
is, someone who crafts the most intricate, deceitful, confusing plan to accomplish
some wicked end? Why do we love such
stories? Is it because we like seeing good win over evil or is it because we
love to see the intricacy and genius of the complicated plans of the wicked? Let’s be honest with ourselves. Who hasn’t thought about planning the perfect
crime – in jest and fun of course? I
love crime dramas such as Bones and Castle.
I like where the intro to Castle
speaks about how murderers and crime novel writers sit around thinking up the
perfect crimes. This, however, only
points out the darkness within us.
Indeed there is much wickedness within all of us. Jeremiah 17:9 says “The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand
it?” (ESV) God hates this. Evil thoughts become evil desires. Evil desires become evil intent. Evil intent becomes evil plans. Evil plans become evil actions. Instead, we should take Solomon’s advice in Prov
4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”
(NIV).
Feet that Make Haste to Run to Evil
Unfortunately, one of our biggest problems is that we like being
bad. Teenage girls love the “bad boy.” Teenage boys want to be the “bad boy” so the
girls will love them. We grow up
thinking “Bad is Cool” and “Good guys finish last.” By contast, Psalm 1:1-2 says “Blessed is the
man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of
sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the
Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” It may not make us cool, but it is what God
wants from us. Instead of running to the
evils things, we should run away from them. 1 Timothy 6:11 says “But as for
you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, steadfastness, gentleness.”
A False Witness Who Breathes out Lies
Bearing a false witness is similar to lying in general, but it is about
lying for the sole purpose of hurting another person. This is essentially injustice, which is
another thing that God hates. Additionally,
this is actually one of the 10 commandments: “You shall not bear false witness against
your neighbor” Exodus 20:16 (ESV).
One Who Sows Discord Among Brothers
This is one I want you to really pay attention to. God considers a person that thrives on strife
and likes to create division and controversy an “abomination.” If you are the type of person who likes to
stir up trouble or manipulate other people into getting in trouble, this is
talking about you. Titus 3:10 says “As
for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have
nothing more to do with him” (ESV). By
contrast, Matthew 5:9 says “blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be
called sons of God” (ESV). Likewise Romans
12:18 says “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all”
(ESV); and Hebrews 12:14 says “Strive for peace with everyone” (ESV).
What I find most interesting about these seven things is that at least
two of them, a false witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord
among brothers, are referring to people and not to abstract ideas. Likewise, the other five could be argued to
be referring to a type of person and not an abstract idea as well. That makes this really problematic because
the implication is that God hates those people and considers them an abomination.
I cannot begin to try to address the potential paradox of the fact that
God can both hate and love at the same time.
It is certainly beyond my theological capabilities. However, what I can say is that I have no
desire to be even remotely associated with anything that the God of the
universe, the creator of all things, whose wrath is awesome and fearful, might
even possibly hate. Will he forgive me
for it if I display these characteristics?
Actually, since my faith is in the blood of Jesus Christ he already
has. Nevertheless, I want it gone.
Lord, help me to remove any hint of these abominations from my life!
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