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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God on this Sabbath evening you may turn in your Bibles to Psalms for our call to worship Psalm 36 [Music] I'll begin reading in verse 1 to the chief musician a psalm of David the servant of the Lord and Oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked there is no fear of God before his eyes for he flatters himself in his own eyes when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates the words of his mouth our wickedness and deceit he has ceased to be wise and to do good he devises wickedness on his bed he sets himself in a way that is not good he does not have evil your mercy O Lord is in the heavens your faithfulness reaches to the clock to the clouds your righteousness is like the great mountains your judgments are a great deep Oh Lord you preserve man and beast how precious is your loving-kindness Oh God therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings they are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of your house and you give them drink from the river of your pleasures for with you is the fountain of life in your light we see light Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you and your righteousness to the upright and heart let not the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away they're the workers of iniquity have fallen they have been cast down and are not able to rise amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to him number two hymn number two will stand as we sing together [Music] well let us pray our blessed God and holy father it's a joy and the privilege and a great blessing to be in your house again on this Lord's Day evening we acknowledge that you are the God from everlasting to everlasting the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit great and majestic and holy a God who is to be feared and glorified a God who is to be honoured and worshipped and praised and we ask ask as we come together tonight that your Holy Spirit would be at work in our hearts and that we would worship you in spirit and in truth that we would know your nearness that we would know your kindness she would encourage our hearts and strengthen us with might in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in our hearts richly through faith we pray father that you would conform us evermore unto the image of your beloved son and that you would just sanctify us by your truth Your Word is truth we ask that you would receive our praise our worship our singing are praying in the celebration concerning the Scriptures we would pray that you would be in this place exalted and enthroned upon the praises of your people here we ask our our Father that wherever your people gather together you would be there in the midst of them that you would be praised that you would be worshipped and we would ask that you would look with favor upon your people that you would indeed cause us to to glorify you cause us to receive with thankful hearts your word and cause us to find our greatest joy in the presence of the triune God we look forward to that day when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead we know father we could not look forward to that unless we were clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and how we thank you for the gospel how we thank you for so great a salvation we thank you that you chose us in him before the foundation of the world that in your time the son was sent forth born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those under the law and how we thank you for his life and his death and his resurrection we thank you for the work in the ministry the Holy Spirit in applying that accomplished redemption unto us and how we pray that you would help us to live in light of these great truths and help us to have that joy and that that blessing and that encouragement that is so so great that we have from a great God we ask that you would forgive us now for our sins whenever we ponder your holiness your righteousness whatever scripture says concerning you god we see our own selves in that light and we see our transgression of your law your law is given for the good of your creatures it is given so that we may indeed obey the the God of heaven and earth and yet we transgress that law we lack conformity unto that law and so we confess these sins and pray for cleansing in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we know that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and in this we greatly rejoice and for any and all who've come here tonight with Unforgiven sin we pray that this would be the day of salvation we pray that they had hear the gospel by the power of the Spirit and they would be called out of darkness into marvelous light they would know the joy and the bliss of having the forgiveness of sins seeing them washed away we ask our Father that wherever sinners gather tonight under the preached word we pray that you would be there that you would be merciful to save she would demonstrate that sovereignty that the Scriptures so often highlight and that you would indeed do great and glorious things for your namesake and for the good of sinners bless other churches in our community we thank you Father that were not alone here we pray for them we ask that you would bless and prosper them we pray for men of God that preach the Word of God that you would cause them cause me to be faithful God give us that holy it restraint and keep us on the right path we also pray for the work in Surrey we thank you for Mike we thank you for the Saints there we ask that their their their greatest joy would be gathering together on the Lord's Day and that you would bless that work and use it for your glory in that community also be with the Saints and Vernon we ask our Father that you would indeed established sound biblical work in that community and that it would be the case that sinners would be saved through the preaching of the gospel in that church we pray for Dabney tonight that you don't him as he preaches the word grant him safety as he returns home be with all the men who are who are scheduled to come and to minister to that flock we pray that in your time Lord God you would indeed call a man provide a man and that you would indeed bless that work we ask as well for the missionary enterprise how we thank you that not only is the gospel going forth here but we see great reports of great works in other parts of the world and in this we rejoice in our God we pray for those missionaries we bring to you regularly on Wednesday night and Sunday morning we would ask that they would know the strength that you provide that they would know usefulness in the hand of the master and that you would indeed continue to protect them and father we do pray that you'd raise more men up for as Jesus says truly the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few raised men up and put a burden in their hearts to go therefore to make disciples of all the nations to baptize and to teach and to do this in dependence upon the one who has promised his presence with his people in this activity we pray us well Father that she would have mercy on civil authority we know God that the Apostle tells us to pray for kings and for all who are in authority and we pray for them that you would grant them wisdom grant them fidelity and integrity and loyalty and the things that mark a genuine leader and God for those that are wicked and those that are engaged in lawlessness we pray that they would be removed from office we pray that you'd have mercy upon this nation and that we would see men that are committed to truth men committed to righteousness and justice that they would be in places of responsibility in government and Lord be gracious and merciful to our brothers and sisters here we know there are many who cannot be with us due to illness we know that there are many who continue to struggle and we would commit them to you into the word of your grace and we pray these things through our Lord Jesus Christ amen well please turn with me in your Trinity Psalter to Psalm 1 Psalm 1 the righteous man the godly man how he conducts himself certainly I take this as a description ultimately of our Lord Jesus Christ will stand as we sing together Psalm 1 [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the prophet Micah for our scripture reading this evening we find ourselves in Micah chapter 2 remember that Micah was a prophet to the southern kingdom he prophesied around the same time as the prophet Isaiah and essentially he is called to rebuke and to call to repentance the people of the southern kingdom and here beginning in micah chapter 2 at verse 1 he starts to point out the particular sins of the persons in that nation woe to those who devise iniquity and work out evil on their beds at morning light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand they covet fields and take them by violence also houses and seize them so they oppress a man and his house a man and his inheritance therefore thus says the Lord behold against this family I am devising disaster from which you cannot remove your necks nor shall you walk haughtily for this is an evil time in that day one shall take up a proverb against you and lament with a bitter lamentation saying we are utterly destroyed is change the heritage of my people how he has removed it from me - a turncoat he has divided our fields therefore you will have no one to determine boundaries by law in the Assembly of the Lord do not prattle youth you say to those who prophesy so they shall not prophesy to you they shall not return insult for insult you who are named the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord restricted are these his doings do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly lately my people have risen up as an enemy you pull off the robe with the garment from those who trust you as they pass by like men returned from war the women of my people you cast out from their pleasant houses from their children you have taken away my glory forever arise and depart for this is not your rest because it is defiled it shall destroy yes with utter destruction if a man should walk a false spirit and speak a lies saying I will prophesy to you if wine and drink even he would be the prattler of this people I will surely assemble all of you Oh Jacob I will surely gather the remnant of Israel I will put them together like sheep in the fold like a flock in the midst of their pasture they shall make a loud noise because of so many people the one who breaks open will come up before them they will break out pass through the gate and go out by it their king will pass before them with the Lord at their head Amen well even in the midst of this Oracle of judgment or condemnation for sin we nevertheless in verses 12 and 313 see God's plan for what is called in the Old Covenant the remnant the faithful the true believers that lived among the the north and the south in terms of Israel the covenant community there was always God's people even at the time of the prophet Elijah when Elijah thought he was all alone in terms of commitment to Yahweh God comforted and comforted him by saying I have 7000 that have not bowed the knee to Bale and we see that throughout the prophets though condemning for the wickedness of the unbelievers nevertheless comforting the believers and specifically we'll see in a few weeks time in Micah chapter 4 corresponds very closely to Isaiah 2 it's a prophecy concerning the latter days concerning the time of Messiah namely our Lord Jesus Christ so remember that as we move through these prophets there's a lot of condemnation there's a lot of reproof and a lot of rebuke wherein God Almighty sends these prophets to call Israel back to repentance but nevertheless woven in throughout our promises of God's grace deliverance mercy and kindness well let us pray our Father we thank you for that grace and that kindness that we see we have known it experientially in our own salvation we know father that we deserved your curse your wrath in this life and in that which was to come or is to come but we have found mercy we have known forgiveness we have the righteousness of Jesus Christ and in this we greatly rejoice and we pray God Almighty that if you can indeed save sinners like us you can save a whole host of others so we pray that as your gospel is preached that men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation would come to the Lord God most I through Jesus Christ the Son and we pray in his glorious name amen well for our final him before the preaching you can turn to number 490 to 492 again we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to proverbs chapter 6 proverbs chapter 6 continuing our study in the book of Proverbs tonight our focus will be verses sixteen to nineteen I know I referred to it a couple of weeks back but our time spent tonight will be investigating the seven things God hates but I do want to begin reading in verse 12 proverbs 6 beginning in verse 12 a worthless man a wicked man walks with a perverse mouth he winks with his eyes he shuffles his feet he points with his fingers perversity is in his heart he devises evil continually he sews discord therefore his calamity shall come suddenly suddenly he shall be broken without remedy these six things the Lord hates yay seven are an abomination to him a proud look a lying tongue hands that shed innocent blood a heart that devises wicked plans feet that are Swift and running to evil a false witness who speaks lies and one who sews discord among brethren a man well let us again ask the Lord's blessing as we investigate his word father thank you for the written word thank you it's given by inspiration of God and that it's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction and righteousness give us grace to receive this section tonight give us grace to apply it what we find here to resist those things that you hate and to pursue those things that you love give us help in this Lord God because as even redeemed men and women our hearts typically tend toward those things that are not righteous forgive us for this cleanse us from this and grant us grace Lord God to pursue what is pleasing in your sight and we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well when I referred to this a few weeks ago I said it's important for us to not only know what God loves but to also know what God hates it's the same sort of thing in a marriage relationship you want to not only know what your spouse loves but you want to know what so that you don't needlessly frustrate them and so that you don't needlessly upset them and the same is true with reference to our God now there's a close connection between verses 12 to 15 and verses 16 to 19 in fact I think in many respects verses 16 and 19 simply amplify or bring home to Solomon's son the reality that God does abominate the sort of conduct that is exemplified by the man of Belial notice in verse 12 a worthless person that's a translation of the Hebrew man of Belial a son of Belial bleiel another name for the devil or a worthless one or somebody that that is given over to evil into wickedness and so Solomon is warning his son identifying this worthless man identifying this man of Belial telling him the sort of guy he is and then in verses 16 to 19 he simply tells the son you need to resist you need to stay away from this sort of conduct because god almighty abominates it a depart from those things which are evil in the sight of God as well I think this helps us to understand there's more than 7 things God hates this doesn't exhaust all that God despises certainly God despises violations of the first table of the law these are mainly second table offenses sins against other men it's not to suggest that God's okay with idolatry he's okay with blasphemy he's okay with Sabbath breaking he's okay with that sort of no he's not he abominates that as well but again within the context in this description of this man of Belial the the the author now Solomon rather goes on to amplify for us the types of things that are abominable in the sight of God most high so we'll look first of all at the declaration concerning God's a tradition of what God hates in verses 17 to 19 or the seven things that Yahweh abominates but notice first of all the fact that God hates John tells us that God is love and we ought to appreciate that reality but God does hate and in this particular passage there are seven things that he does hate a God who is holy a God who is righteous a God who is Joss a God who is pure is going to oppose that which is contrary to him and that's the emphasis in the passage that turned to Psalm 5 for just a moment Psalm 5 a very familiar passage I think too many Calvinists or reformed people who deal with that idea that God loves the center but he but he hates the sin well in Psalm 5:5 we see that God hates not only the sin but he hates the sinner according to Psalm 5 verse 5 the boastful shall not stand in your sight you hate all workers of iniquity now interestingly this particular Psalm is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 3 now it doesn't quote this particular verse but the fact that Paul quotes the psalm indicates that Paul except obviously the entirety of the song so this isn't some Old Testament thing wherein God despises the workers of iniquity but in this new covenant era he he loves the sinner buddy but he hates the sin no as the Psalter says God hates all workers of iniquity notice as well in Psalm 11 5 Psalm 11 5 we read the Lord tests the righteous but the wicked and the one who loves violence his soul hates and then that's repeated again in Isaiah the prophet Isaiah chapter 1 speaks of God's hatred Isaiah chapter 1 verse 14 your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul paints they are a trouble to me I am weary of burying them in other words because the people of Israel were engaged in these feasts in an external only manner and they didn't bring the heart God says I despised them God had ordained them God had called the nation of Israel to fulfill their obligations in terms of the calendar and yet when they go about this particular task with hearts that are filled with sin or oppression or or wickedness he abominates it it is a mockery and an affront to him and therefore God despises that which is contrary to a.m. so going back to proverbs 6 he says these six things Yahweh hates and then he says yay seven are an abomination to him and this is a literary device or literary construction moving from hatred to abomination just shows an escalation of thought in other words these are really bad things do not do these sorts of things if you name the name of Jesus Christ and you are a believer in Jesus Christ you want to put these seven things on your wall as something to avoid you do not want to engage in the type of conduct that is here indicated you do not want to follow the path of this son of Belial who engages in this in this manner of activity you need to put on the Lord Jesus Christ you need to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts you need to pursue righteousness and holiness and godliness and as a help Solomon says these are things you need to avoid these are the sorts of things you need to be on guard against these are the sorts of things you need to resist now let's look at this description of what God hates and of course there are seven of them and we'll take it up in two major headings first the abominable members the abominable members a proud look a lying tongue murdering hands cunning heart and running feet and then abominable actions false witness and one who sews discord now it should be obvious that proud looks do not exist on their own it's not the case that you see a pair of eyes sort of floating in the eighth ether that that is a proud look he's talking about men that are proud when he says a lying tongue you don't see sort of tongues you know wandering out through the through the through the through the room lying to one another they're attached to people and so this is a method or a figure or a manner or a means by which God illustrates for us the types of things that he abominates now note in the first place the proud look the sin is pride and it's manifestation is through the eyes it's manifestation is through the way that a man or a woman carries themselves it is obvious to a person on the other side that they're dealing with someone that's proud and the scriptures are filled with a condemnation of the sin of pride now confining ourselves simply to the book of Proverbs notice in proverbs 11 - proverbs 11:2 when pride comes then come shame but with the humble is wisdom proverbs 13 and verse 10 by pride comes nothing but strife but with the well-advised is wisdom proverbs 14 3 in the mouth of a fool as a rod of pride but the lips of the wise will preserve that proverbs 16 notice verse 5 everyone proud and heart is an abomination to the Lord though they join forces none will go unpunished you see this recurring theme concerning the sin of pride it is a monumental sin and I don't think it's by accident that it heads this list I don't think it's accidental that it leads this description of seven things that are an abomination to Yahweh someone has rightly observed I think the the comparison or the contrast between this catalogue of Isis and the beatitudes God abominates a proud look blessed are the poor in spirit Jesus teaches us for theirs is the kingdom of heaven pride is the very antithesis to the kingdom of God humility is something consistent with that Kingdom notice in proverbs 16:18 pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall proverbs 18 and verse 12 may before destruction the heart of a man is haughty and before honor is humility proverbs 21 verse 4 a haughty look a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked are sinned proverbs 21 24 a proud and haughty man scoffer is his name he acts with arrogant pride you see a consistent condemnation of the sin of pride in the book of Proverbs add to that the New Testament epistles add to that Peters admonition in 1st Peter chapter 5 there dear we're told we are to be clothed with humility we are to be those who pursue humility and righteousness and not operate according to the pride that God reserved God rejects God hates the proud according to the Scriptures John Gill said pride is the first of the hateful things mention it being the first sin committed as is probable the sin of angels and of the first man and is predominant he is a predominant evil in human nature and is directly opposite to God and to his nature and against which he sets himself for he resisteth the proud James 4:6 Matthew Henry said there are seven things that God hates and pride is the first because it is at the bottom of much sin and gives rise to it I think that's a very perceptive statement it's not that pride is the only sin because there's six others to follow in this brief catalog but pride oftentimes is the the origin or the the source of the root from which other sins proceed notice in proverbs 28 at verse 25 he who is of a proud heart stirs up strife that he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered proverbs 29 23 a man's pride will bring him low but the humble in spirit will retain honor and then proverbs 30 look at proverbs 30 verses 11 to 14 I think in many ways this characterizes our generation now it probably characterized Solomon's generation and a gross generation and every generation since the fall into sin that certainly this is descriptive of much that we see in our own time notice in proverbs 30 verse 11 there is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother there is a generation that is pure in its own eyes yet is not washed from its filthiness there is a generation oh how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up there is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose fangs are like knives to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among man so the first thing in terms of an abominable member is the proud look secondly Solomon condemns here in this brief catalogue concerning what God hates a lying tongue a lying time before we look at any of the versus I want to give you a thought that John Gill says says nor is there anything in which a man more resembles the devil who is the father of lies and intriguing note the close connection between this lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood considered Gil in light of that juxtaposition or rather that coordination of things the lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood this is exactly and precisely how Jesus describes the devil in John 8:44 you are like your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do he was a murderer and a liar from the beginning so what we to be surprised that Yahweh abominates lying and murder he certainly does with reference to the devil and he certainly does with reference to it to those who would ate the devil and engage in lies and shedding innocent blood but in terms of lying and again we ought to appreciate line comes up twice in a catalogue of seven vices there's a lying tongue and then there's a false witness who speaks lies twice in the space of seven things lies what do you think that is probably because of the tendency and the propensity for us in this regard probably because we want to cover ourselves or we want to flatter others or we want to appeal appear to be something that we're not or we're just flat-out terrible human beings that want to mess up society and mess up people there is a bit of a distinction this is what I would call general lying that somehow okay but when it gets to false witness later in the catalog that probably refers very specifically to perjury to misrepresenting truth about our neighbor so that they suffer some sort of harmful consequence so the the thought is the same in terms of breaching God's commandment and not telling the truth but the lying tongue of verse 17 is a bit broader and a bit more general notice in proverbs 12 17 again I think and hope that as we move through these proverbs you'll see some of the repetitive themes and some of the things that hopefully will stick in our minds and hearts and help us to hide God's Word in our heart that we might not sin against him proverbs 1217 he who speaks truth declares righteousness but a false witness deceit verse 19 the truthful it shall be established forever but a lying tongue is for a moment and then in verse 22 lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but those who deal truthfully are his delight it's a beautiful statement concerning the clarity of this particular issue we ought not to lie it's an abomination before God it is something he opposes it is something he resists it's something he rejects the psalmist describes God as the Lord God of truth our Lord Jesus Christ said I am the way the truth and the life Christ prays that the father would sanctify his people by thy truth thy Word is truth the people of God are to be a people of truth the psalmist in verse 15 tells us concerning the godly man that he swears to his own hurt and does not change you see the tendency or temptation is is to lie or to break a vow or to engage in some sort of subterfuge so that we are released or so that we may get off scot free God says tell the truth proverbs 13 3 he who guards his mouth preserves his life but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction so the guarding of the mouth obviously means you use it properly but the one who opens wide his lips I don't think it simply refers to the facial gesture of opening one's mouth it means to open mouth and let bad stuff fly out of it and God says he will have destruction notice in proverbs 17 at verse 4 proverbs 17 verse 4 an evildoer gives heed to false lips a liar listens eagerly to a spiteful talk see they kind of travel together these things sort of feed off one another proverbs 26 18 and 19 proverbs 26 18 and 19 like a madman who throws firebrands arrows and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says I was only joking and then in verse 28 a lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it and a flattering mouth works ruin so if God abominates a proud look and then a lying tongue and then note thirdly murdering hands proverb 617 the very end hands that shed innocent blood now the Bible speaks of three instances of justifiable homicide in other words there are three instances addressed by Scripture wherein it is lawful to take the life of another human being those three instances are just war Deuteronomy 20 and 21 those three instances include self-defense Exodus chapter 22 and is sued by Jesus when he speaks about the strongman in Luke I believe chapter 12 and then execution by the civil government those are three legitimate expressions of ajustable justifiable homicide that's not what this tax deals with hands that shed innocent blood now some would say wow you know you're a Calvinist or you're reformed you believe in total depravity there's nobody in a sense Oh everybody deserves it no there are many who are judicially innocent we're so certainly guilty and responsible to God for all of our wickedness and our sin but we're not judicially liable to execution by the hand of another and so these hands that shed innocent blood are abominated by God Most High turned back to proverbs chapter 1 proverbs chapter 1 notice in verse 10 my son if sinners entice you do not consent if they say come with us let us lie in wait to shed blood let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause let us swallow them alive like she'll and whole like those who go down to the pit we shall find all kinds of precious possessions we shall fill our houses with spoil cashed in your lot among us let us all have one purse so what they're doing what Lyonne wait for those who are innocent let's take them out let's snuff out their lives and then we can take their stuff and then we'll divvy up their stuff among us we'll share one common purse and we'll prosper robbery-homicide is in view in this particular passage so of course Solomon says to his son if sinners entice you do not consent these persons want to engage in lawlessness and wickedness visa vie the shedding of innocent blood notice in verse 16 and keep this in mind for the running feet that we get to later for their feet run to evil and they make a stew shed blood surely in vain the net is spread at the sight of any bird but they lie and wait for their own blood they learned secretly for their own lives so are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain it takes away the life of its owners and the notice in proverbs chapter 28 proverbs chapter 28 terms of this hands that shatter these hands that shed innocent blood God abominates murder I mentioned this morning to the the confession study group that God is concerned for justice now with reference to the issue of what's called social justice in our day it's it's unfortunate that that that some only insist on that to a neglect of the gospel but it's also unfortunate for us not to realize the comprehensive character of God's work it's hard to read the Proverbs and not realize that God is concerned with social justice you know he abominates the unjust scales now let's think about the deli I don't know why that's the only place I ever deal with scales you know you know that yet pay for five dollars worth of meat you have better get five dollars worth of me if you're getting four dollars worth of meat caught abominates that on Josh scales or an abomination of the lord god most i he is cognizant of what happens in society Jesus our Lord taught us to pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven certainly is mindful of abortion certainly is mindful of euthanasia certainly is mindful of the the law less nests with reference to the per hood that God has given to man this total disregard for life this absolute rejection of life God abominate set and notice in proverbs chapter 20 28 specifically at verse 17 a man burnin with bloodshed will flee into a pit let no one help him and then notice in proverbs 31 verses 8 & 9 open your mouth for the speechless in the cause of all who are appointed to die open your mouths judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy now that's a passage that has taken up right way by pro-life organizations this is something incumbent upon us open your mouth for the speechless I mean what better application to the preborn in the world they are speechless they can't say no to the scalpel that's coming in to murder them so certainly the people of God imitating God Bob Amon eight hands at shed innocent blood and open their mouth for the speechless in the cause of all who are appointed to die we need to open our mouths judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and need it now intriguingly the particular context here is to a king this is the the responsibility of a governing authority you see what happens when we have a government that not only says it's okay but actually pours tax money into a particular activity they're operating in all manner of lawlessness and godlessness you see this is ethical the governing authority if they are responsible to do anything it is to protect human life not jeopardize it especially at its most vulnerable points it's okay to murder babies in the womb it's okay to murder the the ill it's okay to murder the elderly that's what's happening in our generation and God most high abominates hands that shed innocent blood go back to proverbs chapter 24 proverbs chapter for verse 11 deliver those who are drawn toward death and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter if you say surely we did not know this does not he who weighs the hearts considerate he who keeps her soul does he not know it and will he not render to each man according to his deeds now brethren the the information is available in terms of abortion and euthanasia we know what's happening at least a some degree I'm not necessarily saying that everybody goes stand outside was with signs and all that if you're inclined to do so by all means go do so but at the bare minimum brethren we ought to be thinking about this we ought to be praying about this it really ought to inform the way that we vote you know there's all kinds of things concerning you know Roe versus Wade right now in America well you know we shouldn't go after that why shouldn't we go after that it is a law that advocates the murder of babies like this is the one thing government supposed to actually do they are really not supposed to be involved in every area of our lives but the one task visa V Romans 13 that a governing official has responsibility for is to protect the judicially innocent this is why God arms him with the sword he has the sword to not only punish criminal offenders within a society but to protect from invaders from with out of the society but what's the common for a common binding feed there the government is there to protect the citizenry in terms of life that's their one job so person I follow on Twitter and it says you had you only had one job and this guy finds you know the honest and the weirdest things and you know your only job was to do this and you messed it up you know today we want the government to do everything for us we want them to fill our hands when we put them out wide No just protect my hand from getting chopped off that that's it that's all you're supposed to do just protect the babies in the womb protect the elderly and the hospitals protect the infirm do not make it such that persons that are most vulnerable are most at risk in terms of being being able to continue their lives God abominates hands that shed innocent blood notice fourthly God abominates the cunning heart and interestingly note this literary structure the heart is the center you've got three items before you've got three items after right central in terms of the literary structure item item item heart item item item you've got the heart as the center in terms of this particular catalogue well interestingly it's the ethical center with reference to Matt remember we last looked at proverbs four keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life well the very writer here structures is narrative or structures these instructions in such a way as to highlight the primacy of the heart the centrality of the heart and we ought to realize that if the heart is in check it will be a help to protect the look the tongue the hands the feet all of these things find their taproot in the heart the heart is already deceitful above all things jeremiah 17:9 but how much more when it actually and actively device's wickedness and that's what we saw in psalm thirty six isn't it the outside of worship the man lies on his bed planning how to engage in wickedness that that's not what you're supposed to do when you're laying in bed okay what kind of wicked activities am i gonna do today how many people am i gonna you know sin against how many terrible activity that that's not the way we're supposed to be notice what solomon says here a heart that devises wicked plans notice in 614 this man of Belial perversity is in his heart he devises evil continually he shows discord notice in proverbs 11 at verse 20 those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord but the blameless in their ways are his delight proverbs 15 in verse 26 the thoughts of the wicked it's not heart but I think that's kind of the idea the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord but the words of the pure are pleasant proverbs 21 and verse 10 proverbs 21 in verse 10 the soul of the wicked desires evil his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes and then proverbs 24 1 and 2 proverbs 24 1 and 2 do not be envious of evil men nor desire to be with that for their heart devises violence and their lips talk of trouble making Genesis 6:5 is the first sort of instance of this theme in scripture then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually matthew henry makes the observation the more there is of craft and management and sin the more it is an abomination to god I don't think matthew henry would say it's okay to sin if you didn't have a lot of craft and management know it's bad to sin always but it exacerbates the SID when you have gone out of your way to engage in craft and management we do this in civil law all the time we have degrees with reference to murder we have degrees with reference to certain types of crime and why is that because it's really bad to do a first degree isn't it not that second degrees okay but there is a heinous Ness particularly connected to that first degree and so we see in Scripture that sort of a mindset with reference to this heart that devises this heart that plans this heart that is cunning this heart that is looking for ways to engage in wickedness now know the feet the feet according to verse 7 6:18 a heart that devises wicked plans and feet that are Swift and running to evil you can also look at this too I mean there's a literary center of course is the heart but in terms of literary it moves from the top to the bottom it moves from you know it moves from the the look or the eyes to the talking to the hands the heart the feet you know there's this sort of gradation it's in other words an anatomy of a man and every single part every faculty is affected it's not the case that you know our hands are good but everything else is a mess no it is the case that we are completely and thoroughly in need of correction reproof and instruction but these feet that are Swift and running to evil this doesn't mean they're good at the four forty or they can run the mile it doesn't mean that they're great at the hundred hundred yard dash or the hundred meter dash it means vigor and diligence in the prosecution of sin vigor and diligence in the prosecution of sin that's Matthew Henry's again 116 for their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood again Matthew Henry this is this is quite convicting he says the policy and vigilance the eagerness and Industry of sinners in their sinful pursuits may shame us who go about that which is good so awkwardly and coldly in other words men that are engaged in running to evil are often more in earnest for that evil than the people of God are in the good that they engage in and we ought to consider that and by the grace of God our feet ought to be swift in running to good so those are the members the eyes the tongue the hands the art and the fielitz look at these two actions in verse 19 the first is the one who bears false witness again the lying tongue is condemned in verse 17 this isn't simply repetition but most likely refers to a court refers to a situation where our use of lies will in fact destroy someone else if I went down to Cultus Lake and I caught you know a 2-foot fish I don't know if there are two foot fish in that lake but let's just say there are but I come back and I say caught a 3-foot fish that's not really designed to hurt you I mean unless it's some emotional level you've never caught a 3-foot fish and and that hurts or damages your psyche but the lie itself isn't calculated to hurt you it's calculated to promote me it's bad and I shouldn't do it but my intent isn't necessarily to destroy you with my three-foot fish the false witness destroys with his talk the false witness is calculated the false witness wields power the false witness has in his mouth the power of life and death the false witness is prohibited by the ninth commandment Exodus 20 in Deuteronomy chapter 5 the false witness is an abomination to God Almighty according to proverbs chapter 6 how many persons have stood up in open court and sworn to tell the whole truth of the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth and lied on the stand as I mentioned to the Brethren this morning in the confession study it appears at times that persons get away with a great deal of mayhem but they don't because God most high knows and on that day we will give an account for our thoughts for our words Matthew 12:36 and all deeds done in the body whether good or evil 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 so while it may be the case that some will stand up and swear to tell the whole truth and then lie in open court God most high seas and God most high will mete out justice but in this particular instance it is the deliberate willful giving a false misleading or incomplete testimony under oath you see prohibitions against this not only in the Ten Commandments but also in the law code for Israel Exodus 23 there is specific ruling and laws on or governing or concerning witnesses in Deuteronomy chapter 19 God takes this seriously again he is concerned about social justice he is concerned about what happens on earth he is concerned about scales of the he is concerned about you know fractional reserve banking he is concerned about the sorts of things that happen in our generation in terms of societal abuse and sin so on the one hand yes social justice on the other hand don't make that the endgame everything must emanate from an appreciation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and everything must come back to that gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but with reference to this particular prohibition again notice in proverbs 14 5 don't read these simply to say wow you know here's a lot of verses I found no I want the the weight of these to sink into your conscience so that you hear that God's Word does speak very clearly to issues if you ever go up and lie in open court you can never say well I didn't know what the Bible said you certainly do know what the Bible says God makes the prohibition at Sinai again and Moab and all throughout the School of Solomon notice in proverbs 14 5 a faithful witness does not lie but a false witness will utter lies 14 25 a true witness delivers souls but a deceitful witness speaks lies proverbs 17 verse 15 he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord now there's probably a whole host of application one could make with proverbs 17:15 not least of all an argument for the doctrine of imputation because if you read proverbs 17:15 and you think about your own salvation this is precisely what happened with you this is precisely what took place God justified the wicked where wicked God justified us well that's the beauty of the doctrine of imputation he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him but that's another doctrine or topic but in this particular instance certainly Kings certainly judges and certainly false witnesses he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord nineteen five five a false witness will not go unpunished in Hue speaks lies will not escape nineteen nine a false witness will not go unpunished and he who speaks lies shall perish you see how Salomon repeats these things you ever wonder why that is because he doesn't want you to be a false witness he wants his sons who listened to his godly counsel and wisdom to take heed repetition is a beautiful teacher it's a beautiful thing so that it gets the Word of God in our hearts that we might not sin against him proverbs 21 28 21 28 a false witness shall perish but the man who hears him will speak endlessly proverbs 25 and verse 18 proverbs 25 and verse 18 a man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club a sword and a sharp arrow again matthew henry he says there cannot be a greater affront to god to whom in an oath appeal is made nor a greater injury to our neighbor all whose interests in this world even the dearest lie open to an attack of this kind then knowingly to give in a false testimony there are seven things which God hates and lying involves two of them he hates it and doubly hates it you see that's the consistent testimony of Scripture we need to speak the truth and then finally the last thing that brings up the end of this Sevenfold description of the seven seven item catalog of things that Yahweh abominates notices one who sews discord among the Brethren now this is a characteristic of this man of Belial notice at the end of verse 14 II he sews discord he creates strife he's trouble son he's problematic it's almost like he's walking by the pond and it's perfectly smooth it's like glass I mean it's still out you can't even tell that's its water it looks like just a sheet of glass and no can't have that I'm gonna take this Boulder and I'm gonna throw it right in there and break everything up that's kind of how the man of Belial is it's not good when families or or society or or churches are nice and calm that's just no fun you know he's the kind of guy that likes to watch train wreck see he's the kind of guy that laughs it you know babies when they they don't get hurt he's the kind of guy that that watches things or does things that and it just excites him to see you know mayhem and and chaos that's the man of Belial and one of the things that he does is he as he sews discord now this discord I think as we read this particular section and he and one who sews discord among brethren now brethren is again a term that can be somewhat elastic does it mean his brother his his sister only those immediate relations in his family it probably has broader application it probably includes not only family but also his societal sort of interaction right Israel was called you know brothers and sisters they were one covenant family under God but then of course in the ecclesiastical setting in terms of church John Gill owns it this way he says whether in a natural relation or in a civil society or in a religious community and so this man of Belial this one who does what God abominates he sews discord among brethren now if we ask the question how how does this man of Belial sow discord I mean it simply stated that he does it but do the rest of the proverbs sort of illustrate for us how a man of Belial shows discord among brethren I suggest that it does I think there are three things that the rest of the Proverbs tells us at least to get us on the right path I think there's a myriad of ways that a person could in fact sow discord in families in society or among church members I mean I think there's political parties that are sowing discord among brethren in civil polity I think that this is something very symptomatic and typical of lawless society one that we are witnessing the degrading of but you know that's another story but in terms of the Proverbs I think that we see first of all that a man sews discord through the sin of gossip gossip tale-bearing whispering now when the Bible condemns a whisperer it doesn't mean somebody it means a gossip a tail bearer it's the person that comes to your ear and says hey I've got something that you need to hear now you think wow this is just a you know kind of a common thing yeah it is common unfortunately and it ought not to be it's intriguing that not only does Solomon highlight this but the law highlights this and by law I mean the Mosaic law specifically the Book of Leviticus I mean Deuteronomy and Exodus as well you see these prohibitions against tale-bearing you know where else it comes out romans chapter 1 you know what romans chapter 1 is for the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness and then after having indicted them by that sort of general overarching principle the problem with man is that they though they knew god they didn't honor him as God nor were their hearts thankful and from that vantage point of rejecting God from engaging in idolatry flow all manner of transgression and in a passage that speaks to sexual immorality a passage that speaks to murder a passage that condemns the various sense that we would call you know the the biggest of the big whisperers are condemned whisperers Solomon condemns them as well on several occasions notice in proverbs 1113 a tail bearer riza prevail secrets but he was of a faithful spirit conceals a matter isn't it great to have people you can trust that will conceal a matter I'm not talking about concealing the matter that I just robbed a bank no no no no that's what I'm saying in this world on this globe and this sort of life that we have to bounce around in it's nice to find somebody that we can trust that aren't going to go around and tell everybody everything we say the tale Bearer reveals secrets that's not right they're secrets for a reason now for those who say well we should be open books and have no secrets whatsoever good live your life that way most of us need somebody we can talk to from time to time and just sort of that it's the way it goes notice proverbs 16 28 proverbs 16 20 28 I maintain this is a means by which a man shows discord among the Brethren now of course ladies you know when I say man I'm using the old sort of usage of man which includes woman or women - so this ain't just a man thing notice in proverbs 16 28 on a perverse man so strife you see that's what you have to conclude the man is perverse he's a man of Belial he's got problems why would you sow strife why don't you on comb its security and happiness and joy and affront to you you got to mess it up you got to take the boulder and throw it in the in the lake and and wreck the beautiful and I don't exceed there what's what's the endgame here but notice a perverse man so strife and a and a whisperer separates the best of friends isn't that the sowing of discord among brethren a whisperer so's the best of friends hey did you hear about what your best friend said did you hear about whatever so-and-so said typically when somebody begins a sentence with did you hear about that might be a good time for you to go no I don't want to hear about it if I didn't hear about it my normal channels I probably don't need to hear about it if I didn't hear about it on the internet it must not be true no I'm just kidding but I want to make sure that I close the ear gates to that sort of thing and then notice in proverbs 18 8 proverbs 18 hate office this is just amazing the way the Word of God comes to us the words of a tail bearer are like tasty trifles and they go down and in most body you almost feel like you're you're part of the club did you hear your in your you're part of the Illuminati you've been brought nigh you're one of the chosen that got this nugget there it's a tasty trifle it it just finds its way into us it's it's so savory to us it's it's so delightful no it's not it's terrible it's something you ought to vomit out as soon as it finds its way down your throat proverbs 20 verse 19 proverbs 20 verse 19 he who goes about as a tale Bearer reveals secrets therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips proverbs 26 22 22 proverbs 26 22 22 where there is no wood the fire goes out and where there is no telltale bearer strife ceases how does one sow discord among the Brethren by opening his or her big mouth and telling people stuff they have no business hearing or knowing he goes on as charcoal is to burning coals and wood to a fire so is a contentious man to Kindle strife the words of a tail bearer like tasty trifles and they go down into the inmost body notice that as charcoal is to burning coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man to Kindle strike what drives that mindset to sowing discord but being a contentious man just not content with the sorts of things that men ought to be content with a second way that Soler's of discord operate is through pride so errs of discord operate through pride notice in proverbs 28 at verse 25 he who is of a proud heart stirs up strife he was of a proud heart stirs up strife it's how people stoat sow discord among brethren whether in the family whether in society or whether in the church certainly gossip tale-bearing whispering but also pride garden-variety pride the proud look is often the means by which this court is sown among brethren and then a third way I think this is maybe pastoral observation versus direct connection perhaps we could call it application I don't know but proverbs 18 seems to indicate that sowing discord may result from the rejection of what I'll call due process I'll explain my terminology after we read the texts proverbs 18:13 he'll answers a matter before he hears it it is folly and shame to him proverbs 18 17 the first one to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor comes and examines him now here's what happens in families and in societies and in churches sometimes persons hear the complaint of the person and they immediately go on the warpath immediately go on the attack they immediately side with the person they've listened to and they say well that's terrible how could anybody do that to you my beloved friend and brother and then you talk to the other person they got a completely different story that's valid brethren we need to be very cautious in sighting when we only hear half of the story due process is a most wonderful thing due process is most excellent it wasn't invented by Western civilization's jurisprudence it wasn't invented in America or in Canada it is biblical Deuteronomy 19 highlights very clearly and specifically due process and for us in the church to side with persons when we know half the story is to betray due process and you know what it does it sews discord among the Brethren he who answers a matter before he hears it that means he probably gets only one side of it it's folly and shame to him verse 17 the first one to plead his cause seems right until his neighbor comes and examines it you've heard the old adage there's two sides to every story that's a proverbs 18 17 application there are two sides to every story now it may very well be the case that person number one is right but person number two at least deserves a hearing you know put yourself in person number two shoes don't you think you deserve a hearing it's funny how we all say due process certainly is something that I deserve whether others get it or not that's that that's on my business brethren in a sort of a society ecclesiastical familial or societal or Civic we aren't to crave due process for all persons all parties involved because it reflects God it reflects who God is it reflects his mind it reflects you know anthropomorphic Allah his heart as it's revealed to us in the holy scriptures listen to bridges bridges says let the self willed separatist remember the double-stamp verses 14 and 19 upon him that soweth discord among brethren if the heavenly dude descends upon the brethren that dwell together in unity Psalm 133 a withering blast will fall on those and I love this who mistaking prejudice for principle cause divisions for their own selfish ends fearful is the Lord's mark upon them sensual having not the spirit that's jus nineteen persons that are divisive persons that sow discord according to Jude 19 our sensual persons who have not the spirit Matthew Henry makes the comment those who blow the coals of contention are but preparing for themselves a fire of the same nature so these six things Yahweh hates yay seven are an abomination to him and I suggest to all of us that it's good for us to not only know what God loves cannot only know what pleases him but also to know what God hates so that by God's grace we can stay far from these things so that by God's grace we will think twice before we speak once by God's grace we'll ponder the various consequences involved in sending these sins against God now we simply don't have time to sort of go back through all those passages but what is usually appended to those things that God abominates there's always or typically an announcement of certain destruction or punishment or judgment note the man of Belial in proverbs 6 verse 15 therefore his calamity shall come suddenly suddenly he shall be broken without remedy brethren I think it's helpful for us to realize that if we're gonna spread some tasty trifles or we're gonna receive some tasty trifles those tasty trifles are often oftentimes associated with real-life consequences consequences that affect real-life people and we need to be concerned about that and we need to think twice before we engage in that sort of practice we need to guard our hearts we need to guard our minds we need to guard our tongues we need to guard our eyes we need to guard every outlet and every Inlet with reference to sin Solomon is no joke Solomon is dealing with us in a manner in which we need to be dealt with these six things not that God doesn't like as much but God despises these are abominable to God if we find ourselves engaged in this sort of activity if out of our mouths comes have you heard yet or or have you or did you know just lets stop you know the old adage well everybody does it yeah if everybody jumps off the bridge are you gonna do it too haven't we all used that with our kids has it every single parent in here said that they're dead when they kit the kid game and say well everybody's doing it well kid if everybody jumped off a bridge would you well the obvious answer even kids get it is well no okay then the argument that everybody does it isn't binding we need to be perhaps the first group to stop it we need to bridle the talk we need to guard the ears we need to make sure that we are not sewers of discord among the brethren I have said for probably 20 years the thing that will destroy this church is not pastor Cammeray scanning up and preaching that Jesus is a creature that's probably not the the susceptibility that we face but it's probably more along the lines of these six things that Yahweh hates yeat seven are an abomination to him we ought to really think in terms of the consequences with reference to say sowing discord among brethren and I would suggest we need to pursue what God loves if each of these items represents or tells us something that God hates then we ought to pursue humility God abominates a proud look then we ought to pursue humility we ought to practice speaking truth we ought to protect life we ought to protect our hearts we ought to pursue goodness we ought to not bear false witness against our neighbors and we ought to pursue peace in families society and the church may God Almighty help us and may God Almighty be praised by us for he has forgiven us of these very sins with reference to our our hearts we have committed these things we have been guilty of these things and yet we have found forgiveness in and through the person in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ may that draw from our hearts gratitude and praise and thanksgiving to our God and if you are an unbeliever here tonight and these describes something of your own heart if this describes something about who you are proud a liar somebody that takes no concern whatsoever for life somebody that engages in in devising wicked plans or your feet are Swift and running to evil repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and look to him in whom there is forgiveness for these and a plethora of other sins praise God that Jesus Saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him will let us close in a word of Prayer our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for the fact that you not only tell us what you love but you tell us what you hate and I pray that you would help us to resist these things help us to pursue the antithesis those things that are that are virtuous those things that are good those things that are indeed evidence of a converted heart to the Lord Jesus Christ we ask now that you would go with us she would protect us in this coming week grant us grace to bring glory and honor and praise unto you and we pray through Jesus Christ the Lord amen you