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Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs 6, our focus tonight 
will be verses 16 to 19. I'll just read the beginning 
in verse one. My son, if you become surety 
for your friend, if you have shaken hands and pledged for 
a stranger, you are snared by the words of your mouth. You 
are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and 
deliver yourself, for you have come into the hand of your friend. 
Go and humble yourself, plead with your friend. Give no sleep 
to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself 
like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird 
from the hand of the fowler. Go to the aunt, you sluggard. 
Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer, 
or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her 
food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, oh 
sluggard? When will you rise from your 
sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of 
the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come on 
you like a prowler and your need like an armed man. A worthless 
person, 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 sows discord. Therefore, his 
calamity shall come suddenly. Suddenly he shall be broken without 
remedy. These six things the Lord hates, 
yea, 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 sows discord among brethren. 
My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of 
your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart. Tie them around 
your neck. When you roam, they will lead 
you. When you sleep, they will keep you. And when you awake, 
they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp, 
and the law a light. Reproofs of instruction are the 
way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering 
tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her in your 
heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means 
of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread, and an adulteress 
will prey upon his precious life. Can a man take fire to his bosom 
and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and 
his feet not be seared? So is he who goes into his neighbor's 
wife. Whoever touches her shall not 
be innocent. People do not despise a thief 
if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when 
he is found, he must restore sevenfold. He may have to give 
up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with 
a woman lacks understanding. He who does so destroys his own 
soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will 
not be wiped away. For jealousy is a husband's fury. 
Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will 
accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased, though you give 
many gifts." Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, thank 
you for your Word. Thank you for the book of Proverbs 
and the great wisdom that we have here, revealed to us by 
the Spirit through Solomon. We ask God that you would give 
us open hearts to receive these things, and in particular, May 
we ponder, may we contemplate, may we meditate upon those things 
that you hate, and may we, as a result, avoid them like the 
plague. And may you help us to embrace those things that you 
love, and help us to walk in holiness and in righteousness. 
Forgive us again for all of our sin and unrighteousness, all 
that remaining corruption that is in our hearts. As well, Father, 
we pray for those here among us that are still dead in their 
trespasses and sins, that they would know the forgiveness of 
God Most High as it comes through the gospel of our blessed Lord 
Jesus Christ. Fill us now by the Spirit. May 
He guide us and lead us into all truth. And we pray in the 
name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, we read in 1 John 
that God is love. Nowhere that I'm aware of in 
the Bible do we read that God is hate. But we do have in Proverbs 
6, 16 to 19, those things that God does hate. It's not confined 
to this particular list. There are other things in the 
Bible that are sinful. This is not an exhaustive or 
a comprehensive list, but it is a good summary statement. 
It deals with actual members of the body, and then it deals 
with actions that are engaged in by sinful people. So again, 
very important that we understand this. If you look back for just 
a moment to Proverbs chapter three, specifically at verse 
seven, do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and 
depart from evil. Proverbs chapter 8 at verse 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate 
evil. So there is on the part of the 
people of God a hatred in their hearts for those things that 
are contrary to God. and to his revealed will. We 
see that that is consistent with the teaching here in Proverbs 
6, 16 to 19. These six things Yahweh hates, 
yea, seven are an abomination to him. There is a close connection 
to the preceding context. If you look at verses 12 to 15, 
it's a description of the man of Belial, literally, or a worthless 
person, a wicked man. Notice in verse 12, a worthless 
person, a wicked man, a son of Belial 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 sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall 
come suddenly. Suddenly he shall be broken without 
remedy. So in this next catalog, this 
numeric catalog, it sort of amplifies or exemplifies what is going 
on with reference to this son of Belial. So in the first place, 
I want to look at the declaration concerning God's hatred in verse 
16. And then secondly, the description 
of what God hates in verses 17 to 19. Again, it's broken down 
into two categories. The abominable members, the proud 
look, the lying tongue, the murdering hands, the cunning heart, and 
the running feet. And then the abominable actions 
in verse 19. One who bears false witness and 
one who sows discord among the brethren. But notice in the first 
place, these six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination 
to Him. God is love, but God does hate 
those things contrary to Him. If you look specifically at the 
book of Psalms, you can turn to Psalm 5, a passage that I'm 
sure we're all aware of. The Apostle Paul quotes from 
Psalm 5 in Romans chapter 3. He appeals to the psalm to show 
or to evidence his doctrine of total depravity. But in Psalm 
5.5 we read, the boastful shall not stand in your sight, you 
hate all workers of iniquity. Psalm 11 at verse five underscores 
the same thing. The Lord tests the righteous, 
but the wicked and the one who loves violence, his soul hates. Again, those things that are 
contrary to our blessed God. Turn over to the prophet Isaiah. 
Isaiah chapter one underscores the same reality. There are actions, 
there are things about sinners, sinners themselves, according 
to Psalm 5.5, that God abominates, that God hates. Notice in Isaiah 
one, at verse 14. Your new moon and your appointed 
feasts my soul hates. They are a trouble to me. I am 
weary of bearing them. So the reality is that God is 
opposed to that which is contrary to Him. You see this in James 
and Peter. God resists the proud. God is 
opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. And 
then with reference to our text, when it says, these six things 
the Lord hates, yea, seven are an abomination to Him, the second 
half of the verse, simply escalates the thought. Again, it's a literary 
convention that the wise man is employing for our benefit. 
So there is the declaration concerning God's hatred. Now let's focus 
in on the description of what God hates in verses 17 to 19. Notice in the first place, in 
terms of the abominable members, the proud look. Verse 17, a proud 
look. The sin in view is pride, and 
the manifestation of it is through the eyes. The sin of pride is 
repeatedly condemned in the book of Proverbs over and over again. We see it condemned repeatedly 
in the New Testament. We see it as that sin of sins 
in many ways that is the fountainhead of a host of other sins that 
flow from it. In Proverbs, for instance, you 
can look at chapter 11 at verse 2. Proverbs chapter 11 at verse 
2. When pride comes, then comes 
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 is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will 
preserve them. Proverbs 16 in verse 5, everyone 
proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord, though they join 
forces, none will go unpunished. Proverbs 16 at verse 18, pride 
goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 
18 in verse 12, you're getting the point, you're getting the 
emphasis. Solomon makes sure that we understand that pride 
is an abomination to God. Proverbs 18, 12, before destruction 
the heart of a man is haughty and before honor is humility. 
Proverbs 21 at verse 4, a haughty look, a proud heart, and the 
plowing of the wicked are sin. Proverbs 27 at verse 2, Proverbs 
27 at verse 2, same emphasis, let another man praise you and 
not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips. There 
he's going in terms of a real-life application of this. All the 
other preceding verses are simply condemnations and descriptions, 
but here there's a real-life application. Don't praise yourself. Don't call attention to how great 
you are. Let another man praise you. Be a humble servant of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. The people of God are not to 
virtue signal. The people of God are not to be pharisaic. 
The people of God are not to stand on the street corner and 
pray thus with themselves, I thank you, God, that I'm not like other 
men. I'm not a murderer. I'm not an extortionist. I'm 
not an adulterer. I'm not like this tax collector that I have 
standing next to me. The pride of man is falling. God Most High calls us to imbibe 
a spirit of humility. Notice in Proverbs 28, verse 
25. He who is of a proud heart stirs 
up strife, but 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 in 
30, chapter 30, specifically in verse 13. But look at verses 
11 to 14 with me. 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 us. Now, we're 
not the first generation to display or exhibit these things. Certainly, it was rampant at 
the time that Solomon wrote, or he would have no need to condemn 
it, but this is an apt description of our own generation. Rebellion, 
self-righteousness, arrogance, covetousness, these are the manifestations 
of sin and depravity from the heart of man. John Gill says, 
Pride is the first of the hateful things mentioned, it being the 
first sin committed, as is probable, the sin of angels and of the 
first man, and 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, said James in James 
4.6. Matthew Henry says, there are 
seven things that God hates and pride is the first because it 
is at the bottom of much sin and it gives rise to it. Now, 
when we conclude the sermon tonight, I'm going to encourage us to 
try and imbibe and pursue the opposites of what God hates. 
So if God abominates a proud look, that doesn't mean we look 
lowly and humble and just walk in such a way as to demonstrate 
our humility. But the idea is that we pursue 
humility. And the means by which we pursue 
humility firstly is by killing pride, to oppose it in our own 
heart, not let it give vent. Not everybody needs to hear everything 
we're ever thinking. This is one of the problems, 
if you want my estimation of what is wrong today. A generation 
ago, nobody knew what everybody else was thinking, and nobody 
cared what everybody else was thinking. Now we have blog comments. We have Twitter. We have all 
these avenues to make sure everybody hears the wonderful nuggets of 
wisdom that drip from our lips. How in the world did the world 
manage before that came alive? How in the world did we ever 
function without knowing the thoughts of a man that is on 
the other side of the world? Brethren, we need to engage in 
humility. We need to guard our hearts against 
the sin of pride. God opposes it. He resists the 
proud, but he gives grace to the humble. It is a most blessed 
thing to seek to cultivate humility. And again, I think the best way 
in cultivating humility is by killing pride. Because no doubt, 
when we're cultivating humility, we're gonna tell everybody that 
we're cultivating humility. And by that, we'll undo the very 
cultivation of humility. I'm really working on humility. 
I'm being so much more humble than I've ever been before. Brethren, 
that's not a humble statement. One of my brothers and I used 
to joke, a good book title would be, Humility and How I Mastered 
It. That would absolutely contradict 
the very theme under investigation. The best way to cultivate humility 
is to kill pride. God opposes the proud, but He 
gives grace to the humble. Notice, secondly, the lying tongue. 
These six things the Lord hates, yea, seven, are an abomination 
to Him. A proud look, a lying tongue. Again, let's see that this is 
not confined to this list of what God abominates. Proverbs 
12 at verse 17. Proverbs 12, 17. He who speaks 
truth declares righteousness, but a false witness deceit. Proverbs 
12, 19. The truthful lip shall be established 
forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Verse 22. Lying lips are an abomination 
to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight. Notice 
in 13.3, he who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who 
opens wide his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 17.4. Proverbs 17.4, an evildoer gives 
heed to false lips. A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful 
tongue. 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. Lies and deceit is a wretched 
evidence of our depravity under a holy God. It ought not to surprise 
us in the language of Psalm 31 that Lord God of truth would 
be opposed to lies. And notice the consistency with 
the father of lies when we exhibit this. The Lord Jesus upbraided 
the religious leaders of his day in John 8. You're like your 
father, the devil, and the deeds of your father you want to do. 
He was a murderer from the beginning and a liar. So these things are 
absolutely contrary to the living and true God. Again, Gil says, 
nor is there anything in which a man more resembles the devil 
who is the father of lies. Notice thirdly, he speaks concerning 
the murdering hands, the murdering hands, hands that shed innocent 
blood. Note that connection between 
lying and murder in light of John 8, 44. He was a father, 
a murderer from the beginning, and a liar. There's no truth 
in him. He has not the capability or ability to speak the truth. 
So there is that close juxtaposition there between that lying tongue 
and hands that shed innocent blood. Now, that innocent blood 
is not absolutely innocent. We know that there is none righteous, 
no not one. We know that everybody is born 
an Adam. But it speaks concerning the 
judicially innocent. We know from scripture that there 
are three instances of lawful homicide. It's not wrong to kill 
somebody in terms of capital punishment. Genesis 9 and Romans 
13 underscore that. Secondly, it's not wrong to kill 
somebody if they are found breaking in your house at night and you 
defend your property or you defend your people. Exodus 22 exonerates 
the man who defends his house from a savage attacking him. That is absolutely legitimate 
and justifiable homicide. And brethren, if we need a return 
to scripture, we need it at that point as well. because of the 
case that there is instances, at least in the US, where persons 
are being indicted and sentenced for murder as a result of having 
defended themselves in very clear-cut situations. And then, of course, 
the third is holy war. God said to Israel, go in and 
utterly dispossess the land of the Canaanites. Do that by killing 
them. Do that by removing them from 
the land. Romans 13, the magistrate has 
the sword, not only to punish evil doers within society, but 
as well to defend the body politic from foreign invaders from without 
of society. So there are lawful instances 
of homicide that the Bible speaks of. But what Solomon condemns 
here is murder. Hands that shed innocent blood. It clearly portrays murder. Go 
back to Proverbs chapter one. Proverbs chapter one, specifically 
at verses 11 to 14. Well, 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 
Sheol 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. Cast in your lot among us. Let us all have one purse. 
My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from 
their path, for their feet run to evil and they make haste to 
shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread 
in the sight of any bird, but they lie in wait for their own 
blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways 
of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life 
of its owners. Notice in Proverbs 28. Proverbs 
28 at verse 17. Again, God abominates hands that 
shed innocent blood. Proverbs chapter 28, specifically 
at verse 17, a man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit, 
let no one help him. Now the burden with bloodshed 
isn't accidental homicide, it isn't lawful homicide, but it 
is rather unlawful homicide, therefore don't help him. This 
man deserves what he gets as a result of his crime of murder. And then notice in 31, eight 
and nine. 31, eight and nine, open your mouth for the speechless 
and the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, 
judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and the needy. 
Now, brethren, we can make obvious application in terms of euthanasia, 
make obvious application in terms of abortion. The hands that shed 
innocent blood are an abomination to God. The persons today shouting 
their abortion are shouting those things that are contrary and 
opposite to who God is. And God Most High will punish, 
God Most High will vindicate His elect who cry to Him day 
and night, and God Most High hears the cry of that blood from 
the earth. He hears the cry of righteous 
Abel, certainly hears the cry of all those innocents that have 
been murdered in abortion. It is not a right for a woman 
to choose to kill somebody. It is not a right for a man to 
choose to kill somebody. It is not right, brethren. The 
Bible condemns it, and hands that shed innocent blood are 
an abomination to God Most High. The fact that our nations are 
saturated with blood ought to give us great cause for fear. 
The reality is, is that God is angry with the wicked every day. 
And while He hasn't lashed out in that fury and sent down hailstones 
to destroy Planned Parenthood and all of those engaged in this 
wickedness, it is coming. The Lord Most High is not mocked 
and He will one day bring to right all of those who have opposed 
his holy law at the level of the sixth commandment. And then 
notice in terms of the last member, it's the, or I'm sorry, the fourth 
is the cunning heart. And this is the literary center 
of the text. Notice three items precede and 
three items follow. The heart is the ethical center 
of man. Turn back to Proverbs chapter 
four, specifically at verse 23. Keep your heart with all diligence 
for out of it spring the issues of life. Keep your heart with 
all diligence, not keep everybody else's heart. Keeping your heart 
is a full-time job. That'll keep you occupied for 
24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days out of the year. Doesn't 
mean you can't help your fellows, doesn't mean you can't pray for 
others, doesn't mean you can't be there for assistance, but 
the keeping of the heart is for the individual. Keep your heart 
with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. 
Notice what Jesus teaches relative to the same truth in Matthew's 
gospel. You can turn to Matthew chapter 
12. Matthew chapter 12, we see that same emphasis on the heart. Matthew chapter 12, specifically 
at verse 34. Brood of vipers, how can you, 
being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the 
heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure 
of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of 
the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you 
that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account 
of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be 
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." And then 
over in Matthew chapter 15, remember the Pharisees come and they're 
upset because Jesus' disciples are eating without washing their 
hands. Crime of crimes. And so Jesus, of course, rebukes 
them, and the means by which he rebukes them is found in verse 
10. When he had called them, I mean, 
he does other stuff prior to that, but he brings it here, 
home here. Notice in verse 10, when he had 
called the multitudes to himself, he said to them, hear and understand, 
not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes 
out of the mouth, this defiles a man. Then his disciples came 
and said to him, do you know that the Pharisees were offended 
when they heard this saying? Do you know that they didn't 
like that? Do you know that upset them? Do you know that that triggered 
them? Does Jesus say, well, you know, I'm going to go on my apology 
tour now. I'm going to, you know, make sure that everybody knows 
that we never say anything that will ever, ever, ever upset anybody. No, Jesus doesn't do that. Jesus 
doubles down. In Luke's gospel, there's an 
instance where a lawyer said, or he's rebuking the scribes 
and the Pharisees, and then the lawyer says, you know, this offends 
me. And then Jesus turns his cannons 
to that lawyer too. Well, you got issues as well. 
So he doesn't back down. He's not afraid to name the sin. Notice in verse 13, he answered 
and said, every plant which my heavenly father has not planted 
will be uprooted. He sees in that the absolute 
positive sovereignty of God Most High. And then he says, let them 
alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind 
leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. And Peter answered 
and said to him, explain this parable to us. So Jesus said, 
are you still without understanding? Do you not understand that whatever 
enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But 
those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, 
and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed 
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies. These are the things which defile 
a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." 
So going back to the Proverbs, Solomon is on to something, the 
wise man. It says, keep your heart with 
all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. The 
greater than Solomon reaffirms that very commitment. You gotta 
watch your heart. Back in our list, our vice list, 
we see a heart that devises evil plans. Turn to chapter 11 in 
verse 20 in the book of Proverbs. Chapter 11, verse 20, those who 
are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord, but 
the blameless in their ways are His delight. And then over in 
Proverbs 24, one and two. Proverbs chapter 24, 1 and 2, 
Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for 
their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking. 
We see that emphasis all the way back in Genesis chapter 6, 
in verse 5, 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. Now brethren, if a man does not 
act upon the thoughts of his heart, he's not engaged in criminal 
activity. But in the sense that he has 
engaged in that in his heart, he's engaged in sinful activity, 
and God sees that, and God will deal with that. Notice in Psalm 
36 verse four, speaking of the wicked, he devises wickedness 
on his bed. He sets himself in a way that 
is not good. He does not abhor evil. He devises 
wickedness on his bed. Perhaps your custom in the morning 
is to wake up, to wipe the dust out of your eyes, to kind of 
contemplate what's gonna happen during the day. Perhaps you reach 
over to your phone, you look at the weather's gonna be like, 
so you know how to dress appropriately. I'd suggest those are probably 
good ways to wake up. Thankfulness to God that he kept 
you through the night. Let's go have coffee. Let's get 
the day rolling. But not the wicked. They're devising wickedness 
in their bed. They're planning and plotting 
how they can engage in pain, misery, and destruction for those 
who happen to get in their way. The wicked are really wicked, 
brethren. I'm not suggesting that we are not, but there is 
a class of sinners that have no concern whatsoever for God 
Most High. And God Most High is contrary, 
well, to all sinners, but with reference to those particularly 
wicked ones, we see lots of things written concerning them in the 
scripture. Now, I'm not saying again that there's only the really 
bad and then there's the righteous. No, we've all sinned against 
a holy God. But I think you'd agree that 
Pol Pot and Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong were probably in a 
different league than most of us garden variety centers. I 
have never actively engaged in the collectivization of land. 
I have never squeezed people into a famine scenario. I have 
never, and I'm not tooting my own horn, brethren. This is very 
low-hanging fruit. The fact that I've not committed 
mass murder is not a commendation on my righteousness or goodness. 
Just so you know, there are those persons that plan wickedness 
on their bed. Matthew Henry says, the more 
there is of craft and management and sin, the more it is an abomination 
to God. And then fifth, by way of members, 
notice the running feet. They not only have this heart 
that is cunning and devising evil, but they have feet that 
are swift in running to it. You've got this heart that devises 
wicked plans and feet that are swift and running to evil. They're 
not jumping out of bed to get coffee so they can embark on 
their day. They don't kiss their wives so 
they can go work hard at whatever the job is. They get off their 
beds and their feet are swift and running to do evil. It is 
a horrific situation. Now, Paul quotes this in Romans 
chapter one with reference again to the sinner. I'm sorry, Romans 
chapter 3. As Paul is building his case 
in terms of total depravity, he does take a whole host of 
passages from the Old Testament, brings them together in chapter 
3, and summarizes the biblical doctrine concerning sin. And 
he mentions this one in particular. You see it, or we saw it in 1.16. 
1.16, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. Again, Matthew Henry says, vigor 
and diligence in the prosecution of sin. They're not just sitting, 
they have vigor and diligence in it. I mean, take a Christian. 
I mean, we sin, don't we? But typically we cry out with 
the Apostle Paul, the good that I want to do, I don't do. The 
evil I don't want to do, I find myself doing. It says, wretched 
man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? There's 
conviction. There's that understanding. There's 
that realization that we stand and fall before a holy God. He 
goes on to say, the policy and vigilance, the eagerness and 
industry of sinners and their sinful pursuits may shame us 
who go about that which is good so awkwardly and so coldly. I 
pointed that out, I think it's around Acts chapter 23, where 
you have this conspiracy against the apostle Paul. These men take 
an oath that they will eat no food until they rid the earth 
of the apostle Paul. Now, in hindsight, you'd want 
to say, how did that work out for you? I bet you folded. I 
bet you ate. I bet you had to take some morsel 
or else you wouldn't have continued on in your dreary, miserable 
existence. But those men saw Paul as such 
a threat that they would bind themselves with an oath not to 
eat until Paul was dead. Oh, that God would give us the 
grace to have that kind of zeal, that kind of eagerness. I mean, 
Psalm 122, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the 
house of the Lord. David's feet were swift in running 
to good, running to the house of God. That's the contrast. The wicked, however, has feet 
that are swift in running to evil. Now notice the actions 
that follow. You have one who bears false 
witness. So after the members, we've got 
the proud look or the eye, we've got the lying tongue, we've got 
the hands that shed innocent blood, we've got a heart that 
devises wicked plans, and feet that are swift and running to 
evil. Notice next, he says, in terms of an action, a false witness 
who speaks lies. A false witness who speaks lies. Now, think about this for just 
a moment. He's already said in verse 17, a lying tongue. You mean twice out of these six 
things Yahweh hates, yea seven are an abomination to him? Lie, 
deceit, falsehood is mentioned twice. Why is that? Because it's 
absolutely positively wretched. That's why, it's a bad thing. 
God is the Lord God of truth. The specific sin of perjury or 
character assassination is what's in view here. We have the commandment 
that prohibits this, the ninth commandment, Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 
chapter 5. You shall not bear false witness. You're not supposed to do that. 
And look at the language of our text, a false witness who speaks 
lies. This indicates that the perjurer 
speaks lies with the specific person of destroying others. He's doing this calculatedly 
to ruin his fellow. That is a bad thing, and again, 
something that ought to concern us in terms of court proceedings, 
in terms of people going up there swearing to tell the truth, the 
whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and then perjuring 
themselves, lying to various persons, and never being held 
accountable. I mean, some of these lies are 
patently obvious. They are found out. They are 
exposed. They are seen in the newspapers, 
and yet Nothing ever seems to happen. Well, if you continue 
down that path, you demoralize the body politic. You bring people 
to a place of utter frustration and exasperation when there is 
no justice needed out. When there is a two-tier justice 
system, that, in my estimation, is a way to break the back of 
the body politic. And in my estimation, I think 
that's what we're seeing. We are seeing the erosion of 
due process and things that ought to be in place. This is, with 
reference to this false witness speaking lies in terms of perjury, 
it is the deliberate willful giving. of false, misleading, 
or incomplete testimony under oath. And it's not just the fifth 
commandment, I'm sorry, ninth commandment, but Exodus 23, twice 
speaks to this. And then Deuteronomy 19. Deuteronomy 
19 is the law of witnesses. You need to have witnesses in 
the plural, and they need to speak the truth. As well, the 
book of Proverbs. Notice in chapter 14, Proverbs 
chapter 14, verse five. A faithful witness does not lie, 
but a false witness will utter lies. There's no accident that 
our brother read Psalm 15 tonight. I believe Psalm 15 is a description 
ultimately of Jesus. Who can ascend to the holy hill 
of Yahweh, who can stand in his presence is Jesus. And by virtue 
of the gospel, he brings us with him. But it says there that he 
swears to his own hurt. Brethren, that's what it must 
be. The truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth. And we see that here. Faithful 
witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies. Notice 
as well, verse 25. Verse 25, a true witness delivers 
souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies. So what does that 
mean? The true delivers souls, the false speaks lies. What happens 
then? He destroys souls. He's not delivering 
them at that point. He's actually engaged in the 
contrary. He's destroying them. 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. Proverbs 19 and verse 5. 
Proverbs 19 and verse 5, a false witness will not go unpunished 
and he who speaks lies will not escape. Again, verse 9, a false 
witness will not go unpunished and he who speaks lies will perish. 21, 28, 21, 28, a false witness shall perish, 
but the man who hears him will speak endlessly. And then Proverbs 
25 at verse 18. 2518, a man who bears false witness 
against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp 
arrow. That old children's adage that 
says, sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never 
hurt me is absolutely positively wrong. We can destroy people 
with the power of the tongue. And with reference to Solomon 
reiterating these, or re-emphasizing these, or repeating these in 
a whole host of ways, think of it not only in terms of general 
Christian conduct, but Solomon is a king. Solomon's sons are 
a dynasty of kings. So what is Solomon emphasizing 
with reference to his kings? A righteous civilization, a righteous 
kingdom, a righteous body politic is founded on the truth. When 
we compromise the truth, we see the dissolution of all that is 
good and all that is holy and all that binds us together as 
fellows in a common society. Matthew Henry says, there cannot 
be a greater affront to God, to whom in an oath appeal is 
made, nor greater injury to our neighbor, all whose interests 
in this world, even the dearest, lie open to an attack of this 
kind, than 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. And then the final one, notice 
back in Proverbs 6 at 19, a false witness who speaks lies and one 
who sows discord among brethren. Look up to the description of 
the son of Belial, the worthless man, the wicked man. Notice in 
verse 14, perversity is in his heart. He devises evil continually. He sows discord. Now this discord is sown in those 
social units. The discord is sown in family. The discord is sown in church. 
The discord is sown in society. We have all these politicians 
saying, we want to unify everybody. All the while, they are sowing 
discord, turning the body politic, members of that body politic, 
against one another. That is wretched behavior. That 
is contrary conduct. God is opposed to that. These 
six things, Yahweh hates, Yea 7, are an abomination to Him. 
I suspect there are a whole host of churchmen, a whole host of 
the people of God. Actually, I'm seeing contrary 
reports to this, but I like to think that all churchmen everywhere 
would oppose abortion. that all churchmen everywhere 
would oppose euthanasia. They would oppose hands that 
shed innocent blood, and they would not engage in that particular 
activity. They would not go and get an 
abortion. They would not go and euthanize somebody. But how many 
of those self-saying churchmen will sow discord among brethren, 
will gossip, will slander, will whisper, will tell tales about 
others that is not anybody's business? We need to guard our 
hearts at this point. Sowing discord among the brethren 
is something that God abominates. This is something that you and 
I have access to. Certainly all the other ones, 
I'm not suggesting we don't, but there is this sense where 
I think, and again I'd like to think, that most of us wouldn't 
go have an abortion. Most of us wouldn't go pay for 
an abortion. But when it comes to sowing discord among the brethren, 
are we as careful? Do we see it as repugnant? Do 
we see it as loathsome in the sight of a holy God? I mean, 
the same God that loathes or abominates the hands that shed 
innocent blood is the God who abominates the one who sows discord 
among brethren. Gil, again, says whether in a 
natural relation or in a civil society or in a religious community, 
This can happen wherever we find ourselves, and this is something 
we need to resist and guard our hearts against. Now, Proverbs 
doesn't leave us wanting in terms of information. We ask the question, 
how can we do this? And I hope we're not asking it 
so that we can do this, but how can we do this so that we'll 
avoid it, so that we won't engage in it, so that we won't cause 
that kind of strife, or generate that kind of discord, or bring 
that kind of division, or ultimately dissolution. Well, first, the 
sin of gossip. Look at chapter 11 and verse 
13. The sin of gossip. 11, 13. A 
tale-bearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit 
conceals a matter. When the tale-bearer reveals 
those secrets, what do you think happens? You think everybody 
says, oh, that's great. So glad my secrets have been 
revealed to my church. We need to guard against this 
in prayer meeting. You know, brethren, I want to pray for 
so-and-so because of this, that, and the other. Well, you better 
make sure so-and-so is okay with you telling us about this, that, 
or the other. I make sure that anybody who 
gets a prayer request sent out through my computer asks me to 
do it. Some people don't want that, 
and they're not to be faulted for that. Everybody has a basic 
and fundamental right to privacy. Whether the government respects 
that or not, I think ecclesiastical government should. So if you 
want your prayer request to go out, make sure you let me know, 
or I'll ask you, do you want me to send that out? Some people 
don't want to do that. And if that's the case, then 
perhaps we shouldn't make, you know, verbalize everybody's issues 
in the context of the church. Notice in 1628, 1628, when we 
engage in gossip, we can sow discord among brethren. This 
is the point. A perverse man sows strife and 
a whisperer separates the best of friends. Whisperer is a vice 
that we find in Paul's vice list in Romans chapter one at verse 
29. It literally means a rumor monger 
or a tale bearer. What happens when we engage in 
this particular activity? Look at it. A perverse man sows 
strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends. Don't do 
that. Don't be that guy. Don't be that 
girl. Guard against it. Notice in 18.8. 
18, eight, the words of a tailbearer are like tasty trifles. They 
go down into the inmost body. There's something about it that 
we crave. We're not supposed to crave it. 
We're supposed to resist it. We're supposed to oppose it. 
20, 19, chapter 20, 19. He who goes about as a tailbearer 
reveals secrets. Therefore, do not associate with 
one who flatters with his lips. And then over in 26, 20 to 22. Chapter 26, 20 to 22, where there 
is no wood, the fire goes out, and where there is no tailbearer, 
strife ceases. I'm not a physicist, but I know 
enough that if you don't have something to burn, there's not 
going to be fire. But in ecclesiology, or in society, or in family, 
if there's no tailbearer, then strife ceases. He goes on to 
say, as charcoal is to burning coals and wood to fire, so is 
a conscientious man to kindle strife. The words of a tailbearer 
are like tasty trifles, and they go down in the inmost body. Why 
do you think he keeps repeating that? Because we keep needing 
to hear it. Because there's something again 
in us that gravitates toward those things that are none of 
our business. There are things that do not 
concern us. Keep your own heart with all 
diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. The sin of 
pride is another way to do this. 2825. 28, 25. He who is of a proud heart stirs 
up what? He stirs up strife, but he who 
trusts in the Lord will be prospered. And then the rejection of due 
process. Turn back to chapter 18. And 
due process doesn't simply apply to a courtroom, but it applies 
to those other social conventions. Your family, your church, your 
ethics, your life, your conduct. There are two passages in Proverbs 
18 that we should seek by grace to master, seek by grace to imbibe, 
seek by grace to live according to. Proverbs 18, 13, he who answers 
a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. 
Don't answer a matter that you've only heard one side of. Brethren, 
there's always two sides to a story. And when somebody tells you one 
side, the typical response is, oh, I can't believe it. How wretched 
and horrible is that other person? And then you do a bit of cross-examination 
and you find out they're probably not as wretched and horrible 
as person A depicted them to be. Don't answer a matter until 
you've heard it. Ideally, don't listen to the 
matter if it doesn't concern you. And then notice in Proverbs 
18, 17, the first one, to plead his cause seems right until his 
neighbor comes and examines him. Same sort of an emphasis. Again, 
this is the foundation of civilization's jurisprudence. This should be 
just commonplace, but we're seeing the erosion of it. We're seeing 
the defection from these standards in Western civilization. But 
that doesn't give us the right to defect. It doesn't give us 
the right to say, well, you know, these civil courts, they don't 
cross-examine anymore, so we don't have to. Absolutely, positively, 
we must. Now, with reference to this particular 
list back in Proverbs chapter 6, we need to understand these 
are not things that are simply something God just kind of doesn't 
like. These six things Yahweh hates, yea, seven are an abomination 
to Him. Bridges comments on the man who 
sows discord among brethren. He says, let the self-willed 
separatists remember the double stamp, verses 14 and 19, upon 
him that soweth discord among brethren. If the heavenly dew 
descends upon the brethren that dwell together in unity, Psalm 
133, a withering blast will fall on those 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, 
Jude 19. Matthew Henry says, those who 
blow the coals of contention are but preparing for themselves 
a fire of the same nature. So in conclusion, it is good 
for us, first, to understand what God loves, but secondly, 
to understand what God hates. And understanding what God hates 
ought to go a long way in helping us to avoid those things. A couple 
of months ago, my beloved and I were driving to the city of 
Vancouver. And as we approached Ikea land, I looked over at her 
and I said, I know that you love me because you're not going to 
ask me to go to Ikea. She knows what I hate, so she 
doesn't bring it right to me. She doesn't try to get me to 
do that. If I happen to know that she hates flowers, I'm not 
going to give her flowers. If I happen to know that she 
hates diamonds, I'm not going to give her diamonds. Not that 
I know that she hates diamonds or anything like that, but you 
get the point. It's good in a marriage relationship 
to know what our fellow loves and our fellow hates. Well, with 
reference to our walk with God, we ought to know the same thing. 
We ought to guard our hearts against those things that are 
contrary to the nature of our holy God. And then, as I said, 
the necessity to pursue what God loves, the pursuit of humility. God opposes the proud, but he 
gives grace to the humble. What should we take from that? 
I ought to be humble. I ought to kill pride. I ought 
not to vaunt myself or exalt myself or walk around like I'm 
eight foot tall and bulletproof. I'm not all that. I'm not the 
best thing that's ever lived. I need to make sure that I understand 
that. Secondly, the practice of speaking 
the truth. Swearing to his own hurt and 
not changing is, again, the description of our blessed Christ in Psalm 
15, the practice of speaking the truth. Brethren, we need 
to be careful in this regard. God is, in fact, the Lord God 
of truth. Third, the protection of life. 
If God abominates hands that shed innocent blood, what should 
we do? Protect innocent life. We should 
protect our lives, we should protect the lives of those around 
us, and we should be outspokenly opposed to a government that 
sees as its primary mandate the murder of the unborn around us. 
That is simply unconscionable, and we cannot stand idly by and 
not speak out against that. As well, fourthly, the protection 
of the heart. Notice the wicked, the heart 
that devises wicked plans. Keep our own hearts with all 
diligence, understanding that out of it spring the issues of 
life. As well, the pursuit of goodness. If there are feet that 
are swift in running to evil, let our feet be swift in running 
to church. Let our feet be swift in running 
to the family altar. Let our feet be swift in running 
to help the brothers that are in need. Feet that are swift 
in running to good, contra these wicked persons. The practice 
of bearing true witness. If we're ever called upon to 
testify in a court, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
but the truth, so help us God. That is the underscoring statement 
that we swear fidelity to. And with reference to our everyday 
conduct, let our yes be yes and our no be no. Be men and women 
that speak the truth and do not shrink back from it. And then 
notice as well, the pursuit of peace in family, society, and 
the church. If God abominates one who sows 
discord among brethren, we ought to be peacemakers. Doesn't Jesus 
pronounce a beatitude upon the peacemakers? Blessed are the 
peacemakers. We're not supposed to be those 
who bring division, who sow strife, and who bring discord. And then 
I'd suggest finally we ought to praise God most high that 
we have our salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ. We sang tonight, 
Jesus thy blood and righteousness. Because if you look at this list 
and you look at it honestly, you know that it finds you out. 
whether pre-conversion or as a Christian person. You are struggling, 
like all of us, with remaining corruption. These things are 
not foreign. They're not things that I have 
to try and convince you about. There's actually people that, 
name the name of Christ, that fall into these things. Of course 
we do. We've got problems. We've got a proneness to wander 
and a proneness to leave the God that we love. But our blessed 
Jesus is the one who is perfect. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed 
the Father perfectly at every point. There was no sin, no rebellion, 
no bad heart, no feet that were running to evil, no hands that 
shed innocent blood. Our blessed Christ is our righteousness. That doesn't get us off the hook 
in terms of normative approach to the law. We seek by the grace 
of God and the power of His Holy Spirit to inculcate these, to 
imbibe these, and to pursue, not these, but the contrary, 
but with reference to Christ. He is our righteousness. He is 
our hope. He is the reason for which we 
are going to heaven. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you so very much that you tell us not only 
what you love, that you are love, but you also indicate what you 
hate and abominate. God help us to go thou and do 
likewise. We see in Proverbs 8, the fear 
of the Lord is to hate evil. There are things that the people 
of God are supposed to hate. And this is a wonderful list 
for us to take and to internalize and to be like you with reference 
to these evils. We ask that you would bless and 
keep and protect us, watch over this church and help us in all 
things to bring glory to you. And we thank you for a wonderful 
Lord's day. We thank you for the privilege 
of gathering together and singing hymns of praise unto our blessed 
God, coming to the Father through the Son in the Spirit and knowing 
the joy of the Lord as our strength. And we pray in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, amen. We'll close with a brief time 
of meditation.