Some Things Abominable To The Lord

By Mike Willis

There are some things which are said to be “abominable” to the Lord (cf. Prov. 6:16-19). The word “abominable” refers to something which is extremely abhorred. Hence, there are some things which Jehovah abhors extremely.

The concept that Jehovah would hate anything is foreign to some’s concept of the Lord. However, divine revelation testifies that some things are extremely abhorred by Him. We want to consider some of the things which the book of Proverbs lists as being abominable to the Lord.

Seven Are An Abomination Unto Him (Prov. 6:16-19)

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh fies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

1. A Proud Look (Prov. 6.17). Elsewhere the wise man wrote, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord . . . ” (Prov. 16:5). Pride stems from an attitude of the heart – an attitude of arrogance, superiority, boastfulness. The reference to the “proud look” refers to that arrogance which looks down its nose at those who are judged to be inferior. A feeling of superiority might come from one’s station in life: the wealthy might feel superior to the poor; the educated might feel superior to the uneducated; the ones in position of authority and dominion might feel superior to those under them. A feeling of superiority might come from one’s concept of his own righteousness; the Pharisee displayed an attitude of arrogant superiority toward the publican (Lk. 18:9-14). This attitude is still present when one displays a “holier-than-thou” disposition.

A Christian must display humility. He needs to imitate the humility of Jesus (cf. Phil. 2:2-3). Rather than feeling superior to others, the Christian recognizes that he is a sinner in need of the salvation which Christ brings, he is a man just like all other men – facing the same certain death and judgment to come.

2. A Lying Tongue (Prov. 6.17). “Lying lips are abomination to the Lord . . . ” (Prov. 12:22). A lying tongue stems from a dishonest heart. People lie for different reasons. Some He to take advantage of another person (for example in misrepresenting a product or warranty); some lie to cover their own sins (cf. Cain’s lie in Gen. 4:9); some lie to protect themselves from another’s anger (for example, a child might lie about his action rather than face the anger of his parent); some lie to keep from hurting someone’s feelings (for example, telling a terminally ill patient that there is nothing seriously wrong with him). Each of us has faced the temptation to lie and many of us commit the sin. The honesty and integrity of Nathanael’s character, whom Jesus described as “an Israelite . . . in whom is no guile” (Jn. 1:47), commends itself to us.

3. Hands That Shed Innocent Blood. “Shedding innocent blood” is a reference to I ‘murder.” God hates the murderer. We witness “shedding innocent blood” in our society frequently. Someone mugs an elderly lady in order to steal ,her purse and she dies; a family quarrel gets out of hand and someone shoots his own relative; a guard is killed during a robbery; a police officer is shot while on duty. These are stories likely to be on any news cast. Jezebel and Ahab were guilty of this sin when they slaughtered innocent Naboth in order to make his family inheritance, his vineyard, their own (cf. 1Kgs. 21).

Another form of “shedding innocent blood” has recently become commonplace. A physician – one trained to save life – uses his medical instruments to kill unborn babies (abortion). Those hands which should be healing and ministering to the sick are being used to slaughter the innocent!

Euthanasia is another form of shedding innocent blood. Doctors and family members reach the conclusion that the “quality” of human fife is inadequate and then proceed to kill innocent blood. The aged, crippled, and retarded are either actively put to death or allowed to starve to death.

The feelings which God has toward this sin is seen in His divinely revealed punishment for it – “by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen. 9:6) and in the fact that God said this was an abomination to Him.

4. A Heart That Devises Wickedness (Prov. 6.18). “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 15:26). Before wickedness is committed, it is planned and plotted. One example is given in Proverbs 1:

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil (1:11-13).

These wicked men devised wicked plans. Whenever a robbery is committed, someone devised wicked plans. Some make their living by devising wickedness. Every pornographic magazine is demonstration that someone spent his time devising wickedness; its cartoonists, editors, writers, etc. spent their time devising wickedness. God abhors this kind of heart.

5. Feet That Are Swift In Running To Mischief (Prov. 6.18). This condemns those who hastily follow through in committing the wicked devising of their hearts. Indeed, the Lord said, “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord” (Prov. 15:9). Those who have hardened their hearts toward the Lord’s will and scornfully rejected His word in order to brazenly commit wickedness are abominable to the Lord (Prov. 3:32; 11:20; 15:8-9).

Some feet are swift in running to these forms of mischief: fornication, drunkenness, drugs, foul language, shoplifting, mixed swimming, dancing, gossip, backbiting, etc.

6. A False Witness (Prov. 6.19). A false witness is a special kind of liar. His lying assists in perverting justice. It is singled out for condemnation by the Lord. A man does not go to the civil courts to settle a matter until he has exhausted all other ways to obtain justice. He goes there hoping to receive justice and equity. The false witness distorts the truth and causes injustice to be perpetrated. The victim leaves the court without further recourse available to him.

In capital offences, the false witness could bring the death of the innocent. In the record of Jezebel plotting the death of Naboth in order to obtain his vineyard, lying witnesses testified that Naboth had cursed God and the king, resulting in his being executed (1 Kgs. 21). These false witnesses murdered Naboth just as certainly as did Jezebel. God hates the false witness.

7. He That Sows Discord (Prov. 6.19). The psalmist described the unity of God’s people as something both good and pleasant (Psa. 133:1). Those who disrupt the unity of God’s people are objects of Jehovah’s wrath.

The unity of God’s people is destroyed by gossips and talebearers. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife” (Prov. 26:20,21). “. . . a whisperer separateth chief friends” (Prov. 16:28; 17:9). Sometimes the unity of God’s people is destroyed by self-willed men who are bent on having their own way. Sometimes the unity of the church is destroyed by men who introduce things into its work and worship which are unauthorized. Men who disrupt the unity of God’s people are abhorred by the Lord.

Other Things Which Jehovah Abhors

1. Divers Weights (Prov. 11:1; 20.10,23). Each of these proverbs condemns dishonesty in business. Before modem scales were invented, weights were used in order to have fairness in business transactions. Sometimes a person would devise a means of stealing from others by using different weights. He might use a 10 pound weight when buying your grain but an 8 pound weight when selling it to others; in this way, he sold 8 pounds of grain at the price one would expect to pay for 10 pounds. Such dishonesty in business God abhors. Fair marketing laws are not an invention of modern man; God had them years ago.

2. Those Who Blur Moral Distinctions. “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17:15). The wicked seek to sanctify their immorality until it becomes socially acceptable. This has been done successfully in our society with reference to fornication, adultery (divorce and remarriage for reasons other than fornication), gambling, drinking, dancing, mixed swimming, and many other sins. Efforts are underway to make homosexuality, abortion, and euthanasia acceptable.

In the meantime, the wicked try to make righteous behavior look wrong. Those who oppose pornography are condemned as being guilty of “censorship.” Those who oppose abortion are criticized as trying to deny one’s freedom of choice. Those who preach one church are condemned as “narrow-minded bigots.” God abhors those who distort biblical moral standards.

3. The Worship of the Wicked. The Scriptures reveal that God abhors the worship of the wicked.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness (Prov. 15:8).

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? (Prov. 21:27)

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination (Prov. 28:9).

The wicked under consideration in these verses, whose worship is abhorred, are those wicked who refuse to repent of their sins. The wicked who repent of their sins and seek God’s forgiveness are acceptable to God. However, the disposition of mind which imagines that one is acceptable to God just because he offers a prayer or contributes money to the church, even though he persists in sin, is an abomination to the Lord.

Conclusion

Yes, there are some things which Jehovah hates. If God hates these things, we should hate them as well and diligently avoid committing them. Are these things abominable to you?

Guardian of Truth XXX: 15, pp. 450, 468-469
August 7, 1986

Why Be A Christian?

By Don Willis

Christ challenged the world. Never had there been one likened unto Him, and never will there be another like Him! His influence is upon every continent and is manifested in literature, architecture, music, art, and culture. Still, some have not dealt with the genuine issue of a personal commitment of their own life to the Lord Jesus Christ. They ask, “Why should I be a Christian?” To this question, we suggest three replies.

One’s Past

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Modern psychology attempts to deal with the inner emotional stress in mankind due to their former lives. They cannot get to the real root of the problem, for psychology cannot offer one complete escape from the convicted conscience.

Neither paganism nor Judiasm could find the remedy for sin. Their animal and human sacrifices were futile. Centuries were spent in vain attempts to find solutions to this problem. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). Now, there is a way out of sin!

The affirmation of the efficacy of the blood of Christ is revealed. When one understands the “shadow” sacrifices of the law bringing ceremonial cleansing, “. . . how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14)

This is what I need; therefore, it is a reason for me to be a Christian!

One’s Present

Life is short. Inspiration compares life to a vapor that appears for a while, then vanishes away (Jas. 4:13ff). Job said that man would fly away as a dream, and shall not be found (20:8).

Life is for living, enjoying, expecting! A.P. Gouthey said, “The most glorious thing in life is to be a Christian. The most exalted privilege in life is to have intimate daily, hourly fellowship with God.”

Christianity is a new way of life, a transformed being living a God-accepted lifestyle. It is a life more than just a religion!

Alexis Carrel said, “Only religion proposes a complete solution to the human problem. Christianity, above all has given a clear-cut answer to the demands of the human soul.

For centuries it has calmed the restless curiosity which men have always felt concerning their destiny. Religious inspiration, divine revelation and faith brought certainty and peace to our forefathers.”

The Apostle Paul, by inspiration, assures us, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6). Joy comes to one when he becomes a Christian (Acts 8:39; 16:34), and will abide with one as he walks the God-accepted course of life.

One’s Future

Someone has said, “I do not know what the future will hold, but I do know who holds the future.” That is very reassuring to the Christian. That confidence has permitted Christians to be faithful even unto death, because they had the promises of God.

David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Psa. 23:4).

Jesus said, “I go and prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:1ff). Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, God’s people. That is why I need Christianity.

Jesus is the Great Physician. Jesus is the remedy for sin. As with disease, many die who are not adequately treated. Without Jesus, one must face eternity with his own sin. But, Jesus died for me. His blood will completely wash away my sin (Acts 22:16). He is the propitiation for sin (1 Jn. 2:2). Not everyone will be saved, that is the reason I need Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Without Him, I am doomed!

Patrick Henry, nearing the end of his physical life, said, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion. If they had that, and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich, and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor.”

S.T. Coleridge also responded, “I have known what the enjoyments and advantages of this life are, and what are the more refined pleasures which learning and intellectual power can bestow; and with all the experience that more than threescore years can give, I now, on the eve of my departure, declare to you, that health is a great blessing; competence, obtained by honorable industry is a great blessing; and a great blessing it is, to have kind, faithful and loving friends and relatives; but that the greatest of all blessings, as it is the most enabling of all privileges, is to be indeed a Christian.”

Isn’t it time for us to give more serious consideration to this great question? Make a proper commitment to the Lord! Submit ourselves to Him! He is the potter, we are the clay!

Guardian of Truth XXX: 14, p. 431
July 17, 1986

The Pharisees Believed In Faith-Only Too

By Terry Partain

There is a familiar ring to the Protestant approach to James 2:21 in the “faith-works” controversy. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” The well informed Protestant has learned to say, “Abraham was justified by works but only before men; not before God.” His basis for this approach is Romans 4:2, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” Aside from the mutilation of both contexts, the truly distressing thing about this approach is its similarity to the thinking of the New Testament Pharisee.

The single greatest fault of the Pharisee was his faith in the “circumcision principle” to satisfy the demands of God even while he angered God by neglect of the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy and faith (Matt. 23:23). To the Pharisee, works were done to be seen of men (Matt. 23:5). John the Baptist shook the wilderness rafters with his demands that they repent of their unfaithful faith. “We are Abraham’s seed, ” they said. Said John, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:7-10). Work or else be cast into the fire. Their legal standing did not exempt them from obedience to God.

The single greatest fault of the Protestant is his faith in the “faith principle” to satisfy the legal, requirements of justification before God even while he angers God by neglecting the weightier matters of ” the faith” such as obeying the Lord in the worship and work of the church. Ask a Protestant even about moral matters such as dancing, drinking, and divorce and you will hear: “Your sins might take away ‘your witness’ but your eternal destiny is still secure.” That my friend has the fragrance of Phariseeism.

Context of James 2

Let’s return to the context of James 2:21. Before whom did Abraham offer Isaac his son upon the altar? There was not a single human witness. Only God saw the work and justified him by it; that is, because of it. That work made his faith perfect (complete). That work fulfilled the Scripture “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.” The works of James 2 were works of mercy. Are these the works that God will be indifferent about? Look at Matthew 23:23 again.

Context Of Romans 4:2

What about Romans 4:2? The works at issue in this context are the works that substitute for obedience: specifically here circumcision. Abraham was uncircumcised in Genesis 15:6 when he was given the promise. He became the father of all men who walk in the steps of that faith which he had while still uncircumcised Romans 4:10-13. The Judaizers that Paul here exposes were like the Pharisees in that they put their trust in certain portions of the Law of Moses and refused to be faithful like Abraham to the whole counsel of God. Consequently they excluded the Gentiles contrary to the Law and rejected God’s grace offered in Jesus in defiance of the Prophets (Acts 15:10-18).

Brethren, let’s not be baited into taking the old Protestant line that our security does not depend on our “works.” The history of Israelite unbelief is deeply rooted in the same notion. You can call it “salvation by faith” or you can call it “salvation of Abrahamic birth” or like those of Jeremiah’s day you can just stand there and cry “the temple, the temple. . . ” (Jer. 7:4) but it really is disobedience to the will of God.

Guardian of Truth XXX; 14, p. 436
July 17, 1986

Morals On Poll

By Frank Jamerson

The following clipping was copied from the local newspaper of December 3, 1985. It is a summary of an article in the December 9, 1985 issue of U.S. News and World Report.

One in four Americans cheats on his tax returns, but most say it’s wrong to cheat on a husband or wife, a new poll indicates.

Marriage vows apparently make all the difference, since a clear majority says there’s nothing morally wrong with premarital sex.

The poll, conducted by the Roper Organization for this week’s issue of U.S. News & World Report, suggests laxness on some moral or ethical matters but also shows that Americans continue to hold clear views on other issues.

For those who see moral failings in the younger generation, the poll does show young people as more likely than their elders to tell lies or steal.

The survey said that twenty-four percent admitted to cheating on income tax returns, but seventy-two percent said that it is always wrong to cheat on your wife, or husband. The same report said that sixty-one percent believes that premarital s” is not wrong. In the younger ages (18-29), seventy-eight percent said that premarital sex is not wrong. On truthfulness, the report said that twenty-two percent admit to lying often or once in a while to family members; the same percentage as believed that under certain circumstances it is all right to steal from your employer. Thirty-three percent admitted to calling in sick when they were not.

Considering the propaganda that has been drilled into our heads through public education, TV and radio, and the words of songs, I suppose we should not be surprised at these statistics. For years our young people have been taught that we are just dignified apes and that the situation determines right or wrong.

Humanism has become the philosophy of the leaders in education. This system of religion denies the existence of God and an absolute standard of right and wrong. Each person is a “law unto himself,” and no one has the right to “moralize.”

Is this an excuse for Christians to cheat, lie, commit fornication, steal, etc.? Certainly not! But the sad fact is that too many church members would fit into these statistics. There is a lack of faith in God and His standard of right and wrong.

One who truly believes that God is all-knowing and everywhere present is not going to lie to his fellow man. Who would be willing to spend eternity in hell for telling a lie to make himself look better before men? Who is going to “save a few dollars” on income taxes if he really believes that stealing will cause him to lose his soul? The article in U.S. News & World Report said that one of the problems is that we “are less influenced today by authority figures. More and more, people seek guidance from one another.” Polster George Gallup, Jr., said, “Church attendance makes little difference in people’s ethical views and behavior with respect to lying, cheating, pilferage and not reporting theft.” I wonder how much difference “church attendance” makes among us!

When men turn from God’s standard and become “a law unto themselves” there is no real standard of right and wrong. When church members ignore God’s law, and feel somehow that their situation justifies disobedience to that law, they cannot be salt and light unto the world.

Brethren, there is a standard of right and wrong, and we should love God too much to wilfully disobey His word. And, if our love is not that strong, there needs to be a wholesome dread of eternal torment that would cause us to turn from evil.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 14, p. 435
July 17, 1986