Proverbs 6:16

There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests:

We know that God is love (1 Jn. 4:8) and that He loves the whole world (Jn. 3:16) …so it can be difficult for many Christians to think about God as one who hates, but the Bible testifies to the facts: God hates sin and, as difficult as it is to hear, God hates the sinner, too (Psalm 5:5; Lev. 20:23; Prov. 6:16-19; Hos. 9:15).

God’s nature is love, but He is also righteous and holy. The very fact that He does not incinerate all of humanity for its sin against Him is due to his loving kindness. God doesn’t owe anyone anything. We are sinners and as such, we have offended Him because we have broken His laws — and His laws are a reflection of His character.

How serious is sin, then? Sin separates us from our Creator. Sin is the very antithesis of God’s nature. Sin entices us to seek worldly pleasure over God’s blessings. Sin blinds us to the truth. Sin lessens our love for God. Sin brings about death, destruction, and disunity. Sin grieves the Spirit of God. Sin enslaves us and can eventually destroy us. Sin is so serious that it required God to send His son to Earth to be ridiculed, mocked, tortured, and crucified in order to make a way for our sins to be forgiven. Is it any wonder that God hates sin?

Over the next several days we are going to unpack the list of sins that Solomon includes in Proverbs 6:17-19. If God made a point in the Bible to highlight a list of particular sins as something He hates, it would do our minds, bodies, and souls well to give them the serious attention they deserve. Here they are:

Haughty Eyes. A Lying Tongue. Hands that Kill the Innocent. A Heart that Plots Evil. Feet that Race to do Wrong. A False Witness Who Pours Out Lies. A Person Who Sows Discord in a Family.