Let's Go Back to the Bible

Seven Things the Lord Loves (Part 1)

Solomon makes a list in Proverbs chapter six of seven things that the Lord hates. We often think of the list of seven deadly sins, but that is not a biblical list. That list is attributed to a fourth century monk. It should be stated that God hates all sins and no sin is greater than another. All sins will separate us from God if it wasn’t for the blood of Christ. While this list states the negative, in Hebrew Proverbs the opposite is usually understood to be true. Let’s look at this list as highlighting what God loves.

The first thing that God hates is a “proud look” or “haughty eyes” (Prov. 6:17). This is the idea of pride. We understand the problem that pride possesses to pleasing God. The proud will not subject themselves to God. The opposite of pride is humility. We are to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” and “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,” for “God is opposed to proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5-6).

The second sin is a “lying tongue,” the opposite of which is speaking truth (Prov. 6:17). Liars receive a scathing rebuke in the book of Revelation. They are listed among those that will burn in a lake of fire and not enter into heaven (Rev. 21:8, 27). We should be “laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor” (Eph. 4:25). We should also “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

The third sin is “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:17). The opposite of this is obvious. We should not kill innocent people. This also highlights another reason why abortion is sinful. However, another aspect in this is what we do with our hands. Our hands represent what we do. That is why men pray “lifting up holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). Lifting holy hands is not a posture of praise but a metaphor of a life lived in holiness. This passage speaks to the condition of the heart when leading the congregation in prayer. That is why the Bible says, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (Jas. 4:8). What we do with our hands is tied closely with the purity of our hearts or minds.

The fourth sin is “a heart that devises wicked plans” (Prov. 6:18). Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). We must have a pure heart. We can have one by pursuing “righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22). We need to “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23), being careful with what influences we have on our hearts. To please the Lord, we must do those things that He loves and take them to heart. We will look at the final three next week.