"To fear the Lord is to hate evil." Proverbs 8:13
Today's word is really important for us, brothers. In the world that we live, and sadly, in the Christian world, we find that sin isn't addressed in the same way that God addresses and views sin. Please listen to the words of Dr. Jerry Bridges:
Hate is such a strong word we dislike using it. We reprove our children for saying that they hate someone. Yet when it comes to God's attitude toward sin, only a strong word such as HATE conveys an adequate depth of meaning. Speaking of various sins of Israel, God says, "I hate all this" (Zechariah 8:17). Hatred is a legitimate emotion when it comes to sin. Because God is holy, HE HATES SIN!
We often say, "God hates sin but loves the sinner." This is blessedly true, but too often we quickly rush over the first half of this statement to get to the second. We cannot escape the fact that God hates sin. We may trifle with our sins or excuse them, but God hates them.
Therefore every time we sin, we are doing something God hates. He hates our lustful thoughts, our pride and jealousy, our outbursts of temper, and our rationalization that the end justifies the means. We need to be gripped with the fact that God hates all these things. We become so accustomed to our sins we sometimes lapse into a state of peaceful coexistence with them, but God never ceases to hate them. God, being infinitely holy, has an infinite hatred of sin.
We need to cultivate in our own hearts the same hatred of sin God has. The more we ourselves grow in holiness, the more we too hate sin. David said, "I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path" (Psalm 119:104). As we grow in holiness, we grow in hatred of sin. Hatred of sin as sin, not just something disquieting or defeating to our selves, but displeasing to God, lies at the root of all true holiness. -- Dr. Jerry Bridges -- from How Great Thou Art (Multnomah)
Brothers, we need to be reminded of this truth DAILY. Do you hate your sin more today than yesterday? Think about it! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 9; Genesis 23-24; Matthew 7
DIG THIS QUOTE: "The origin of our trouble is that we love ourselves with a blind passion that amounts to worshiping an idol. If we love anything beyond, it is only for our own sakes." Fenelon
DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 -- Deuteronomy 7:9 Level 2 -- Joshua 1:6-9
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