AN OPEN BIBLE AND AN HONEST HEART (4)
When we open our Bible with an honest heart, we find out that there are things that God’s hates! "These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6:16-19) All seven of these things are hated by God because any one of the seven can mar the godliness and beauty of a Christian life. God hates these things because they violate every principle of decency and morality. They are sins against both God and man.
God hates a proud look. God is never pleased with prideful, haughty things. Pride is an offense against the holiness of God. Pride always leads to unkindness and irreverence. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) Pride causes overconfidence which triggers the downfall.
God hates a lying tongue. A lying tongue destroys through untrue statements. Lying always comes from an impure heart. Lies always hurt. They destroy good names, disappoint, and hurt others and God. Lying is one of the most prevalent moral problems of our day. “Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.” (Psalms 120:2)
God hates hands that shed innocent blood. Shedding innocent blood shows an ultra lack of sympathy for God's creation. Those who shed innocent blood are out of tune with their Maker. Nothing is more innocent than an unborn child. Abortion is murder and we have no right to take a child's life. We are created by God and therefore life is sacred. God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
God hates a heart that devises wicked plans. Such a life is spiritually rotten inside. When the heart is wicked, the life will be wicked. Some hearts are so bad they are always inventing ways to do evil. (Genesis 6:5)
God hates feet that are running to evil. Some are eager to do that which is unholy. They do not wait, they do not walk; instead they run to evil. They not only do wrong but they do it eagerly. The prophet wrote, “That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.” (Micah 7:3)
God hates a false witness who speaks lies. Because of false witnesses, good men have suffered and evil men have escaped. A slanderer is a thief as he robs others of good reputations and the confidence of friends. To the Jews God said, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” (Exodus 20:16) Bearing false witness is a sin. There is nothing like a “little lie.” In the eyes of God all liars and all lies are the same.
God hates the one who sows discord among the brethren. This person tries to undo the good done by faithful brethren. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1) God has always disapproved of religious division. Sin is involved in every religious division among the people of God! Though God hates all sin, division among brethren is an abomination to God.
To go to Heaven we must hate what God hates and love what God loves. To become a Christian hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized for remission of sins. (Acts 2:38) After baptism allow Christ to be formed in you. (Galatians 4:19) It takes an open Bible and an honest heart to go to heaven.
By, Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551 Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA