These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Prov. 6:16-19)
There are sins that the Lord hates because they grieve the Spirit of God. Those sins might be seen as little things in the eyes of men or a normal daily scenario but God sees them as an abomination.
Pride is a serious offense before the Lord. This is the grievous sin committed by Satan in the beginning. The Lord resisted the pride but gives more grace to the humble A pride heart exalted himself and intend to share in the glory that belongs to the Lord. Pride is undue self-esteem, and vanity is the exhibition of it. Nothing is more preposterous and marvelous than human pride, and very few things are at a greater removal from the spirit of Christ. It manifests itself in ten thousand ways; but wherever it exists, it is an effectual barrier against the exhibition or existence even of the spirit of Christ.
A lying tongue is not just the ordinary lies that men told. This is lying to the Holy Spirit and making direct resistance to the truth whenever it has a personal application. Men often manifest no opposition to any issue that has no direct bearing upon themselves. But when they perceive it what strive against their ego, they manifest the spirit of the Pharisees when they exclaimed, “Thus saying thou reprovest us also.”
This lying tongue also includes a way of life that justifies the resistance to the truth for a personal reason. Such people consider themselves rather as persecuted than as being seriously called upon to repent. Their business seems to be rather to repel an injury than to confess and forsake a fault. Though this does not justify harsh and abusive language or any unreasonable attacks upon the character or conduct of individuals or classes of men either public or private. But rather when faults are pointed out in love, though the reproof is not more public than the committed sin, the affected are so far from having any right to complain. This was the case of Ananias and Saphira, who despite the fact of their errors do not accept the reproof with all thankfulness of heart.
The shedding of innocent blood includes condemning others outside the framework of a critical mindset. Jesus compared assault, insult, discrimination to the shedding of blood (Matthew 5. 24). Thus those who are judging and condemning those around them instead of judging and condemning themselves might be seen in the eyes of the Lord as one murdering his brother.
A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, known as ill will grieve the Holy Spirit. This is the direct opposite of benevolence or the spirit and temper required by both the law and the Gospel. Benevolence is good-willing. Malevolence is ill-willing. A heart that devises wicked imaginations and will evil to any being under the sun is the opposite of all that is lovely. Definitely, a God of infinite benevolence would be grieved with the malevolence of any of his great family. Thus it is an abomination to him to see one of his children manifest the ill will to others of his offspring. How this would enkindle his grief and indignation! The infinite heart of God glows with grief and indignation when you are found with a spirit of retaliation or revenge rankling in your heart.
Another thing that God hates is the feet that are quick to do mischief. Every neglect of duty is an attempt to hurt someone or damage things. Christian duty is to do good. We leaned In Ephesians 2:10 “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning (Jame 4:17). Christian Faith consisted in the discharge of relative and social duties. Many people seem to overlook this part of the Christian faith and content themselves with what they call devotion to God. What they mean by devotion is praying, reading the Bible, attending church services, giving their money to benevolent objects, but doing this in the carnal temper without the spirit of Christ.
The Scripture teaches men to discharge all their social and relative duties. Now it is certainly a part of religion to do everything incumbent upon us at the right time and in the right manner, and any and every negligence in this respect is sin. Have you an appointment to meet a neighbor at a particular hour for the transaction of business; be there at the moment, lest you hinder him and all others associated with you in the affair. The same also applies for a Church or any other religious meeting, for worship or the transaction of business; be there at the moment, lest you interrupt or hinder the business or devotion of others? Have you engaged to do anything for your neighbor or for any man or woman on earth, see that you do it just when and as it ought to be done. And in short, no man can keep a conscience void of offense – no man can fulfill the law of love – no man can abstain from grieving the Holy Spirit but by a most faithful and constant discharge of every duty to God or man.
A false witness that speaks lies, and evil of the brethren or of any human being, or even of the devil himself, grieves the Holy Spirit. By evil speaking, I do not mean speaking the truth when manifestly called to speak it. But speaking falsehood is always evil speaking, or telling truth in regard to the faults of others, when uncalled for, is also evil speaking.
The seventh abomination to the Lord is the spirit that sows discord among brethren. This is usually motivated by the spirit of selfishness and carnality. The book of James 4: 1 read “what leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members? Thus we see that spirit that sows discord among brethren is selfishness. Selfishness grieves the Holy Spirit. The scripture taught that selfishness and sin are synonymous terms. Selfishness is when self-love or desire for appetite becomes supreme, and leads you to sacrifice greater interests, for the sake of promoting your own. This selfishness in whatsoever form it is cherished or exhibited, is an utter abomination to God.
How odious and detestable does selfishness appear to God, when he sees it exercised among his children in their intercourse with each other. If you are a parent, you know how you are grieved and offended, if you see one of your little ones bent upon gratifying himself at the expense of the good or happiness of the rest of your children. Now “if you being evil” are so stung and grieved with such a spirit as this, how much more shall your Heavenly Father be grieved at such an exhibition of selfishness among his children?