“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
This passage in Proverbs 6 presents us with a solemn catalogue of transgressions that God declares to be an abomination… expressions of a heart that resists His authority and opposes His holy character. But among these there are three that stand out as especially powerful and destructive: sensuality, covetousness, and pride (1 John 2:16).
Sensuality, or the lusts of the flesh, represent an inordinate desire for pleasure. The lusts of the flesh include adultery, fornication, uncleanness, drunkenness, and many similar sins. Such practices reveal a heart governed by physical appetites rather than by the Spirit of God.
Sensuality weakens spiritual strength, clouds judgment, and hardens the conscience. These sins enslave the soul to bodily appetites. They cause the mind and the heart to grow dull toward spiritual things. A person consumed with worldly pleasures finds little delight in prayer, worship, meditation, or holiness.
Closely connected to this is the lust of the eyes, or covetousness, which is an inordinate desire for possessions and worldly gain. Covetousness is often more difficult to detect because it can disguise itself beneath respectable appearances. Unlike many outward sins, it frequently hides beneath a cloak of diligence, prudence, or ambition. Yet Scripture identifies it as a root from which countless evils grow.
The covetous heart constantly reaches for more. It is dissatisfied with the gifts already given and imagines that happiness lies in obtaining something more. Like Ahab longing for Naboth’s vineyard, it becomes consumed with that which God has not provided.
The covetous spirit blinds the soul to eternal realities. The present world appears substantial and attractive, while heavenly things seem distant and less important. Such thinking reveals how deeply human nature is attached to visible things.[1]
Pride, however, stands as perhaps the most subtle and persistent corruption of all. While sensuality degrades the appetites and covetousness entangles the affections, pride elevates the heart against God Himself. It seeks honor, recognition, superiority, and self-exaltation. And it is not just confined to wealth, position, or ability. Pride can also attach itself to knowledge, gifts, accomplishments, experiences, and even spiritual attainments.
Pride is especially offensive to God because it seeks to rob God of the glory that belongs to Him alone and to place the creature at the center. It was central to the rebellion of Satan. It contributed to the fall of Adam. And it remains deeply rooted within every human heart. Even the most mature believers find themselves engaged in continual warfare against it.
The proud heart resists correction, despises humility, seeks self-promotion, and measures itself against others rather than against God’s holiness. It is therefore fitting that Scripture repeatedly warns of its danger and declares God’s opposition to it.
These warnings should remind us that the Christian life is a continual battle against these inward enemies. True holiness begins in the heart. As the Spirit works within God’s people, He progressively subdues these corruptions and conforms them to the image of Christ.
The sins God hates should be hated by His people as well because these sins oppose the God they love. The more clearly believers behold the holiness of God, the more earnestly they desire to be delivered from every form of pride, covetousness, falsehood, and corruption that dishonors His name.
Contemplations:
- The Corruption of My Heart. When I consider the sins listed in Proverbs 6, I am reminded that the greatest dangers often arise from within. It is easy to focus on my behavior while overlooking the desires and attitudes that give birth to these sinful actions. This passage encourages me to examine my heart carefully and to acknowledge the presence of corruptions that still require daily repentance and mortification.
- The Subtle Nature of Pride. Pride often appears in ways that are difficult for me to detect. It can hide beneath good works, sound doctrine, personal achievements, or even spiritual experiences. As I reflect on this truth, I am reminded that humility must continually be cultivated. The more I understand God’s holiness and my own dependence upon His grace, the less reason I have to exalt myself before others.
- My Relationship to Worldly Things. The warnings concerning covetousness challenge me to consider whether earthly concerns occupy too much space in my thoughts and affections. Possessions, opportunities, and comforts can easily become sources of misplaced trust. I want to remember that lasting security is found not in what I possess but in the God who provides all things according to His wisdom and goodness.
- Longing for Greater Holiness. The presence of remaining sin should not lead me to despair but to greater dependence upon Christ. The gospel assures me that God not only forgives sin but also works within His people to transform them. As I become more aware of my weaknesses, I am encouraged to seek greater conformity to Christ and to pursue the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
Prayer (Confession):
Holy and righteous Father, I confess that the sins You hate are far more deeply rooted within me than I often realize. Your Word exposes not only outward transgressions but the inward desires, attitudes, and motives that continually fall short of Your perfect holiness.
I acknowledge before You the pride that seeks recognition, the self-love that desires its own advancement, and the tendency of my heart to think more highly of itself than it ought. Even when outward conduct appears acceptable, sinful thoughts and selfish ambitions frequently reveal just how much corruption still remains within me.
I confess the influence of worldly desires that draw my affections away from things above. Too often I become occupied with temporary concerns while giving less attention to eternal realities. My heart is prone to value present comforts more than spiritual growth and to pursue earthly satisfaction more eagerly than communion with You.
Though I desire to walk in obedience, I often discover resistance within. Sin remains a burden, and I see how frequently my thoughts, words, and actions fail to reflect the purity and righteousness that Your law requires.
Yet I bless You that there is mercy in Christ for sinners. Through His obedience, death, and intercession, forgiveness is available for all who come in repentance and faith. Cleanse me afresh from hidden sins, subdue the pride that rises within me, loosen my attachment to worldly things, and strengthen every grace that honors Your name.
Cause me to walk humbly before You, to hate what You hate, and to pursue that holiness which reflects the character of my Savior. Let the work of Your Spirit continue until every sinful corruption is finally removed and I am clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
Prov. 12:22; Isa. 59:7; Prov. 16:5; Psalm 18:27
[1] Thomas Manton, A Fourth Volume Containing One Hundred and Fifty Sermons on Several Texts of Scripture in Two Parts, (London: J. D. and are to be sold by Jonathon Robinson .., 1693), 45-46.
