Devotional:  Things God Hates
by Tom Saluzzo

    February 3rd, 2007


    Thanks to Jim Strowe for helping me through the first part. We played the parts of Willie and Frankie, a couple of
    night security guards in an office building from a Saturday Night Live skit from 1985 as they trade stories about
    doing weird and painful things to themselves and saying how they hate it when that happens. This is analogous
    to the things we do, despite knowing they are wrong and us and/or God saying I hate it when that happens.

    Before continuing on the devotional topic, we discussed the importance of bible reading.

    Importance of frequent bible reading:
    God has purposely made the bible in its complexity to satisfy everyone where they are in their spiritual maturity.
    Everyone gets more out of it each time they read.

    Men are family leaders. We must be able to explain scripture to our family. We must be able to explain it to
    seekers.

    Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and
    who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.

    We should build our lives on his Word and build his Word into our lives. Believers who ignore the bible will
    certainly be ashamed at the judgment.

    All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so
    that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. (inspiration)

    Read it regularly to to discover God’s truth and to become confident in your life and faith. Our knowledge of God’
    s Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do good. We should study the bible so we
    know how to do Christ’s work in the world.


    Things God Hates, from Proverbs (noting how to the point these are)

    1. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the
    upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:31-32. (Violent people)

    2-8. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands
    that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false
    witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19. (Haughtiness
    (proud and vain to the point of arrogance), lying, murdering, scheming, eagerness to do evil, a false witness,
    stirring up dissension)

    9. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful. Proverbs 12:22. (Those who are
    untruthful)

    10. The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. Proverbs 15:8. (The
    sacrifice of the wicked)

    11. The Lord detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Proverbs 15:9 (The
    way of the wicked)

    12. The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him. Proverbs 15:26 (The
    thoughts of the wicked)

    13. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5. (Those
    who are proud)

    14. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent – the Lord detests them both. Proverbs 17:15. (Those
    who judge unjustly)


    In summary, Things God Hates:
    1.        Violent people
    2.        Those who are proud/arrogant
    3.        Lying/False witness
    4.        Murdering
    5.        Scheming
    6.        Eagerness to do evil
    7.        Stirring up dissension
    8.        Way/thoughts of the wicked
    9.        Sacrifices of the wicked
    10.      Those who judge unjustly

    These are mostly obvious, yet we do them regularly. Why do we and what can we do about it?

    Romans 7:14-25.

    14We know the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For
    what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is
    good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me,
    that is, in my sinful nature. 19For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is
    not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to
    do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me that does it.

    21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being, I delight
    in God’s law, 23but I see another ‘law at work in the members of my body’ (the sin deep within us), waging war
    against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a
    wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from the body of death? 25Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our
    Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.


    “The devil made me do it” and “I didn’t do it, the sin in me did it” sound like good excuses, but we are responsible
    for our actions. We must never use  the power of sin or Satan as an excuse, because they are defeated
    enemies. Without Christ’s help, sin is stronger than we are, and sometimes we are unable to defend ourselves
    against its attacks. If we look to Jesus for help, we will not have to stand up to sin alone.

    Whenever Paul felt lost, he would return to the beginning of his spiritual life, remembering that he has already
    been freed by Jesus Christ. Thank God that he has given you freedom through Jesus Christ. Let the reality of
    Christ’s power lift you to real victory over sin.