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Seven things God Hates
By peace | November 22, 2007
Seven things God Hates
A characteristic of ancient Hebrew poetry is to give a numbered list of items — ‘three things and four’, six things and seven’ — as representative of something larger. This feature occurs in Proverbs 6:16-19, where seven sins are listed as being especially hateful to God. They are not ’seven deadly sins’ in the sense that they can never be forgiven, but examples of destructive sin concerning which a wise teacher warns his young student.
In summary, the seven sins are pride, lying, murder, evil plotting, violence, false witness and trouble-making. The verses mention the eyes, tongue, hands, heart and feet, and show that the sins are concerned with attitudes, words, thoughts and actions. They serve as a warning that no sin can be treated lightly. One bad habit leads to another, till in the end, a person’s entire being comes under the control of sin. Jesus said,”Whoever commits sin becomes the slave of sin, and Paul echoed this in his teaching.
This is good reason for keeping close watch on our habits. The gross sins people commit are not normally out of keeping with the character they have developed. By carelessly giving in to an apparently minor sin, we increase the possibility of giving in again, till eventually a minor fault becomes a major problem. Negligence leads to ruin, a truth reflected in proverbs that speak of houses falling to pieces, stone walls broken down and farmlands overgrown with weeds. Their condition is not what the owners originally desired; it is the product of neglect.
To prevent being ruined by bad habits, we need to cultivate good habits. Then, as Paul goes on to say in the passage referred to above, the habit of obedience makes us slaves of righteousness. Instead of being in bondage to sins that are hateful to God, we produce the character that is pleasing to God.
Related Links
Original Sins and Its Effects
Personal Sins
Topics: Faith |
