#578

The World's Gone Crazy Pt 2

And About What God Hates

There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven that are hated by Him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that kill those who are without guilt, 18 a heart that makes sinful plans, feet that run fast to sin, 19 a person who tells lies about someone else, and one who starts fights among brothers. (Prov 6:16-19, NLV)

While this list doesn’t encompass all the things that God hates, the list does make it clear about the ones enumerated here. And I look around the world I see that even in Christian circles, one or more of these show up even in sermons from ministers who should know better. For more clarity using other translations always helps:

Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hand that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. (MSG)

And in another translation we read it this way:

For there are six things the Lord hates—no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers. (TLB)

As I talked about Israel at war in my previous podcast, the terrorists are very good at doing all of these to their advantage in their desire to kill all of Israel. And as I alluded to earlier, there are believers who actually are sympathetic to people who espouse these things and do them themselves, which is truly sad.

It’s Political Season

I would love to not use this example but we are in that season where we elect our president in America and boy is there a lot of lying going on. One would think that with the Internet around a candidate would stay away from saying they believe something they support now which they clearly didn’t support before. And yet such is the allure and need for power that it is being done now. However, when we throw our support to such prevaricators we actually begin to love what God hates. And it gets even worse when we then repeat the lies they tell about those they run against. Clearly we need higher standards when it comes to these things, however the level of intentional blindness right now is hard to watch. To be certain no person is perfect and politicians are no different, but if they support things that God hates, well as a believer we need to take that into account when we cast our vote. One thing is their position on Israel which I talked about in my previous video at length. But the others are not right no matter who they are running against. Unlike Machiavelli, the ends don’t justify the means here regardless of how you detest who these candidates are running against. When a political campaign plots evil saying they are working for the ultimate good of winning pay attention. As a Christian God is watching. He won’t keep you out of Heaven over it, but He will deal with doing what He hates in this life and the one to come.

And About Abortion

Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hand(s) that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. (MSG)

I must point out that portion that states that God hates those whose hands murder the innocent. I don’t need to take a deep dive into the original manuscripts to tell you that abortion is part of one of the things the Lord hates. On this issue I have very strong convictions and not because I’m a conservative politically. In fact, abortion is one red line I refuse to cross when I vet anyone running for office. But it is also an issue that will not relent on when talking with other Christians. The church was mostly supportive of the overturning of the Roe V Wade decision by the Supreme Court but was eerily silent from the pulpits when it actually happened. I heard some ministers say that they didn’t want to offend people in their congregations over it. The logic of that Mea culpa is astounding. People who will leave a church because it believes in protecting the most vulnerable need to take a long hard look in their mirrors and in my opinion are not worth fighting over. I say let them leave. When we bow to their beliefs we are not hating what God hates and neither are the potentially offended. In fact we are guilty of loving what God hates by not addressing the slaughter of the innocents. It is like being okay with Herod or Pharoah ordering babies or young children being killed because we wouldn’t want to offend our leaders. But in a land where we vote for our leaders we can be held to a higher standard and by extension a harsher judgment.

Seek Out God

If you aren’t sure if this lesson is for you then do what anyone should do and ask God what He sees in you and your actions. Let Holy Spirit search you life as deeply and He needs to make sure you aren’t guilty of loving what God hates. The good news is that He will forgive us if we repent and help us get back on track. He is faithful that way, but it isn’t something where we simply stop sinning. We must also start doing what is right. Instead of having feet quick to sin we need feet that runs away from it and runs to what is righteous and then actively works to live that way in word and in deed. No mere lip service. And if we have hurt a brother or sister before because of our hatred for what God loves then we need make that right as well. Holy Spirit will not only make you sensitive to that but also give you the wisdom from on high to address them in a way that will bring you in right standing with them. You can’t undo something like abortion if you’ve had one or helped a woman to have one, but you can make sure you don’t support it going forward and then help pay for a woman to keep her child instead. None of these things are particularly easy, but they are worth it. And as I mentioned before, continue to let Holy Spirit root our why you don’t love what He loves. While we live in these earth suits we’ll be prone to making bad decisions. He will hep us cut down on that and give a true hatred for sin and love for Him.