Abominations – Things God Hates

Sin is an abomination to God.  That means it is abhorrent to Him.  “The soul that sins must die.” Ezekiel 18:4   Because man in his sinful, fallen state has a tendency to call evil good and good evil; he must be confronted with his sins and with God’s moral standards. After all, what we think is right and wrong doesn’t really matter. What matters ultimately is what God declares as sinful. God pronounces woe upon those who attempt to confuse evil and good.  Isaiah 5:20  Proverbs 17:15  For example, some say that cutting down trees can be evil but aborting babies can be good.  God’s Word identifies  sin. His Word is final.

 

Consider those sins that God names as abominations to Him. All sin is abhorrent to God, but He chooses to name some sins as abominations.  As Christians, we should also learn to hate sin  as God hates it. Psalm 139:19-22    Even as we hate sin, we should reach out in love to sinners with the Gospel and seek to rescue them from going to Hell by warning them and giving them the Gospel.  Ezekiel 3:18-19;  Jude 21-23

 

We as Christians are not to tolerate blatant,  unconfessed sin in our churches.  The Apostle Paul warns in I Corinthians 5  that we are to remove from our fellowship those who claim Christ as Saviour and Lord, but reject God’s Word and continue in their sins.  Paul also teaches in II Corinthians 2 that we are to forgive and restore those who have repented and turned from their sins..  Those who lead churches as pastors, elders and deacons are called to a higher standard of conduct that they  might be examples to the flock.  I Timothy 3.

 

In Proverbs 6:16-19  God chooses to name seven sins as an abomination to Him.

 

THE BIG SEVEN ARE:

1. A proud look   

2. A lying tongue  

3. Hands that shed innocent blood  

4. A heart that devises wicked ideas 

5. Feet that are swift in running to mischief  

6. A false witness that speaks lies.  

7. Those who sow discord among brethren.

God hates them and calls them abominations.

 

There are other sins that God describes as abominations to Him.  Leviticus 18 lists some unspeakably vile sins, including homosexuality and bestiality. These may be life styles of choice as far as some are concerned; but they are abominations, as far as God is concerned.

 

Cross-dressing, as well as the unisex look in dress or hair style is an abomination to God. Deuteronomy 22:5 Men are to dress as men and women are to dress as women.  It is not wrong to be stylish; but it is wrong to be immodest. Jesus taught men should not lust after women; but the woman who dresses provocatively in public to provoke that lust is just as guilty as the man who lusts after her.  Matthew 5:27-28

 

God hates idol worship and warns us against having idols in our homes.  Deuteronomy 7:25-26  Fortune-telling, witchcraft, séances are all an abomination to God. Deuteronomy 18:10-12   Crooked business practices are an abomination to God.  Proverbs 11:1  and  20:23.

 

The sacrifices and prayers of wicked people are an abomination to God.  Proverbs 15:8  Those who attempt to worship God and pray to Him; but reject His Word, are particularly offensive to Him.  Proverbs 28:9  Isaiah 1:10-15  Of course, God welcomes the prayers of a repentant sinner.  Proverbs 28:13

 

In Revelation 20:11-15 we have the terrifying truth of the final judgment of all sinners who have rejected Christ and are not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  In Revelation 21:8 we are warned that “the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable, and murderers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

 

Preachers who deal plainly with sin are not usually popular.  King Ahab said of the Prophet Micaiah, “I hate him for he never prophesied good unto me.”  When God called Jeremiah and Ezekiel to preach He warned  that many of the people would not accept their messages.  Jeremiah 1:4-9  Ezekiel 3:4-11  John the Baptist was beheaded for daring to confront Herod with his immorality.  Matthew 14:1-12  Stephen was stoned for confronting people with their sins and declaring their need for Christ. Paul was eventually executed, no doubt,  beheaded in Rome for preaching the Gospel. Before Paul died he warned Pastor Timothy that many would reject the preaching of God’s Word to listen to false teachers  who give the people what they want to hear.  II Timothy 4:1-4   Nevertheless, God’s servants are charged to speak boldly, expose sin and preach the Gospel.  Isaiah 56:10-12;  58:1;  II Timothy 3:16-  4:5

 

Good news for the abominable!

 

Paul writes to the Christians in the Church of Corinth.  Follow along as we read from  I Corinthians 6:9-11. NASB  First, the bad news.  “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived;  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers,  will inherit the Kingdom of God. Here’s the good news!  “Such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified,  but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

 

Did you get that?  The Church in the City of Corinth was made of up of abominable sinners, just like churches today throughout the world. They had become convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sins and they had cast themselves on the mercy of God and received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.  God immediately  justified them. That is, He declared them absolutely righteous and fit for Heaven, by transferring their guilt and punishment to Jesus who died on the cross for their sins. At the same time He imputed ( put to the sinner’s account ) the very righteousness of Jesus. Romans 4-5. In addition to justifying them, He sanctified them. That is,  God’s Spirit cleansed their hearts, giving them a hatred of their sins and a new desire and power to turn from their abominable lives.  Romans 6-8

 

Dear friend, whether you are a swindler or a fornicator or a drunkard or a homosexual, or whether you are a proud, self righteous missionary’s kid like me; if you come to God,  admitting your sins and desiring  to turn from your sins, God will save you and cleanse you instantly as you trust in the blood of Christ that was shed to pay the penalty for our sins.

 

He will not only save you from eternal damnation in Hell,  but He will miraculously make the vilest sinner  a cleansed and  beautiful saint.

 

Are you sick of your sins? Do you desire to be cleansed and holy?  Trust Jesus right now. He will perform a miracle in your heart this instant.  He did it for a thief who died on the cross beside Him.

 

Read the story in Luke 23:39-43. In the moments before his death, he admitted his guilt and that he deserved to die, and he called out to Christ to save him.  Jesus saved him instantly and assured him, ” Today you will be with Me in Paradise!”   To understand the wonderful truth of salvation, go to SALVATION and read and study those messages.

 

Perhaps, you’re thinking!  Great!  I like that story of the thief on the cross who was saved by calling on Jesus to save him in his final moments.  I’m going to go on in my sins because I love them and then in the final moments before I die, I too will call on Jesus to save me.   DON’T BE SO SURE!   You have no control over your future. You know not what a day will bring forth.

 

One can only be saved as the Father draws him, we are warned in John 6:44.  Read I Timothy 4:1-2. There we are warned that you can say NO to God one too many times and as a result the conscience is seared or cauterized as with a hot iron. When one reaches this state,  he no longer has any feelings about sin and salvation.  He couldn’t care less.  When one reaches this state, it’s too late.  This can only happen to those who once knew the truth and in defiance to God, rejected it and went merrily on their own way.

 

Dear friend,  if you are troubled with a guilty conscience, thank God!  It’s not too late for you.   Run to Jesus. Admit your lost, helpless guilty state.  Cry to Him for mercy. Trust the blood of Jesus that was shed to cleanse  you of all your sins.  He will save you this moment and will give you a hatred for the sin you once loved.   He will give you a hunger for righteousness.  Feed on His Word. 

 

Take your Bible and use it as you get into these HIDDEN TREASURES of God’s Word.  Then find a church where the preacher exposes sin and preaches salvation through faith in the shed blood of Jesus.  Begin your journey of walking with Jesus right now.

 

“We then as workers together with God, beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain… behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is day of salvation”   II Corinthians 6:1-2