Faith Friday: 7 Things God Hates

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Remember Miley Cyrus' song "7 Things"? The pop singer sang an angry list of the "seven things I hate about you". God also has an issue with the things we do against Him, but behind his "7 Things" list is a message of truth and a promise of blessing.

Proverbs 6:16-19 begins by saying, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him...." While the number of possible sins we can commit in a lifetime is far greater, these seven wrongs seem to stand out enough to make Solomon, the likely author of Proverbs, to discuss them separately. Why are these seven sins so important and so hated by God? Keep reading to find out.

1. Haughty eyes

It's often said that eyes are the window to the soul. In describing haughty eyes, Solomon was referring to an arrogant soul. In Isaiah 13:11, God says, "I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless." Bottom line: an I'm-better-than-you attitude will get you nowhere.

2. A lying tongue

Ever heard "honesty is the best policy"? Lying can get you -- and those around you -- into a lot of trouble. In Proverbs 12:22, Solomon says, "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are His delight." Being a delight to the Lord sounds like a way better trait to have than a pair of lying lips.

3. Hands that shed innocent blood

Perhaps not a struggle for most of us, but it's no wonder that destroying God's most treasured creation is a huge deal. The Bible makes it clear that the murder of the innocent is in no way acceptable. Exodus 20:13 says it plainly: "You shall not murder."

4. A heart that devises wicked schemes

God is always willing to forgive sins, but when we purposely rebel against Him, we are abusing the grace He gives us. Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of her heart produces good, and the evil person out of her evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart her mouth speaks." Simply put, a good heart leads to good things. A sinful heart leads to chaos and pain.

5. Feet that are quick to rush into evil

Going along with a rebellious heart, rushing into things that can hurt you or other people is a difficult problem to deal with because we don't always notice that we're doing it and never know exactly where our feet are taking us. Revelation 21:8 says, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

6. A false witness who pours out lies

A false witness is a person who purposefully lies or lies often. Lying is mentioned twice in this passage, so it's clear that Solomon is trying to draw attention to this issue. In Proverbs 19:5, God warns, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and she who breathes out lies will not escape."

7. A person who stirs up conflict

Some conflict is unavoidable, but when you purposefully create problems within a group, you are damaging to everyone around you. In Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul gives us a different charge by saying, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

God hates these sins not only because they hurt ourselves but they hurt other people on purpose. Each of these sins are a deliberate step away from God's best for you. Which of these do you struggle with most? This week, make an effort to do the right thing on purpose instead.


Faith Friday is a new GFG series. Stay tuned every Friday for more inspiration.