Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord, But pleasant words are pure.  - Proverbs 15:26

Thoughts and words actually come from the same place, from the heart.  So as we look at today's proverb, we can see that out of the hearts of men come evil thoughts and plans.  Knowing that the Bible teaches that the heart is deceitful above all things and is desperately wicked, we can know that such thoughts and plans reside in the breast of every man alive.  The thoughts of man's heart were at one point so wicked that God decided to destroy the earth in the days of Noah.  That is how much of an abomination these things are to Him. 

We read next that pleasant words are pure.  This might be a little hard to understand unless once again we take a biblical viewpoint.  Words that come out of the mouth originate in the heart first.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Thus when someone has pleasant words - they come from a pure heart.  There are thoughts behind them that are equally pleasant as well. 

Thoughts and words are very important to the Lord - and should be to us as well.  Jesus made it clear in the Sermon on the Mount that there was far more to a man than just his actions.  There were the things he thought and did in his heart.  A man might state emphatically that he has never committed adultery, but if he looks at a woman with lust in his heart, Jesus says, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  These things are vital for us to grasp because they take religion out of merely acting good - and puts it where it should be - that our hearts are transformed to be good at their core.  This is wisdom that cannot be refuted.  

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.  Proverbs 12:22

God does not like lips that lie.  That might be because the ultimate adversary He has is called a liar and the father of lies.  It also might be because God speaks truth without any mixture of error any time He speaks.  God is absolutely opposed to lying, liars, and any form of deception.  He says in this proverb that he sees lying as an abominable act.  The devil believed and held to, and eventually stated a lie when he fell from heaven.  Since that time the adversary of God and our souls has attempted to build his own kingdom, one based upon lies and deceit.  These lies oppose God and all that He is.  That is why God finds ALL lying abominable.  Every lie is a damning thing, for it was the lie that brought our condemnation, and it is a lie that condemns anew every moment of every day.  Embrace a lie and you are embracing the devil and his program to bring you into the judgment of God.

God delights in the faithful.  It is because of God's faithfulness that we are saved.  It is because of how God held to the truth, even when it meant having to condemn His own Son for becoming the sin-bearer for mankind.  Being a faithful one means holding fast to God's truth, which is THE truth.  God delights in those who deal faithfully, because they are embracing His own character.  Think about it for a moment.  The devil lies to us wanting to get us to believe his lies so that we turn from God and His Word.  We trust the devil because he promises us happiness and pleasure.  The problem is that in the end his promises don't include the "fine print" of the judgment that awaits - along with the heartbreak and death that always come with sin.  Godly, wise men deal faithfully because they know God's truth and they carry within them God's character in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore they live for the truth as well as live it out daily. 

Wisdom is living out the truth.  It is being faithful to God.  It is speaking faithful promises.  And ultimately it is sharing the ultimate faithfulness of God shown to us in the gospel.  This is the life in which God delights.  Wisdom is loving that life, living that life, and being an example of His faithfulness.

The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight. Proverbs 11:20

When God uses the word "abomination" it is only when it is about things that are very serious - and very wrong.  Today's proverb uses that word as well as later using the word "delight."  We have before us a proverb that tells us what God hates, as well as what He loves. 

What God considers to be an abomination is someone who is perverse in heart.  The word for "perverse" is the Hebrew "iqqesh" which speaks of something or someone who is crooked and perverse.  This word is used to describe those who have moral, religious, or social perversions - and was used corporately of Israel to describe their crookedness.  This one is twisted in their thinking, and therefore tends to twist what God says so that in the end God says what he wants to say.  The perversity is said to be in the heart of this individual.  Since we know that Scripture says that our hearts are the watercourse of our lives - this is a very serious problem.  The fundamental center of this person's decision-making process is crooked and twisted.  God considers such a man an abomination.  In case we need any reminder what the word abomination means, we can know that it means to abhort or to detest.  The word loathe is also associated with this concept. 

Before we jump to a conclusion and state that God shouldn't feel this way about someone, we need to remind ourselves why Satan was cast our of heaven.  It is because he had a perverse heart that lifted himself above God.  The heart of the devil is a despicable thing - and God abhors it - and all those who seek to function with that same flawed, perverse thinking will fall under the wame ban

But before we think this proverb is just about the evil, we have an equal and opposite action and attitude as well.  The Lord delights in those who are blameless in their walk.  They seek to honor and obey God in all things.  This is not just in isolated incidents, but speaks of their entire way of life.  We see the Hebrew word "derek" used here - which speaks of a lifestyle.  It is their way of life - to seek to be blameless before God and man.  The Lord loves such a person - and finds His delight in watching them honor Him throughout their day.  In the end, this is due as well to the state of their heart as well.  They delight in obeying Him - and He delights in their obedience.

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 17:15

God is a God of justice - and with Him matters of justice take the forefront.  That is why God refers to someone who completely skews the matters of justice and righteousness as a person who is an abomination to Him. 

Today's proverb tells us that a person who justifies the wicked and condemns the righteous are an abomination to the Lord.  This should be something that causes those in the legal industry to fear God and tremble concerning their decisions of right and wrong within the justice system.  Which brings me to a few comments about biblical justice. 

Several times in the Scriptures the history recorded for us involved the selection of judges.  Each time this took place, God made several things very clear.  First, He declared that matters of justice always involved His Word, which is the ultimate law-book when it comes to what justice is - and what it is not.  This is something we should all heed.  Our legal systems are to be nothing more than legal systems which do their best to mete out justice in the sight of God.  We are not left to ourselves in determining what is legal and what is not.  There is plenty in God's Word to describe any lawless person or delinquent.  It is not necessary to consult with the legal opinions of men (even though we may be required to do so by their laws) if God has commented on the issue.  He is the ultimate dispenser of justice (and will be at the end of the age).  Therefore, if God has commented on the matter - His judgment is supreme. 

Second, that decisions of justice are to be free from favoritism.  This refers to favoritism on the basis of someone being a family member of friend, but it also refers to more sinister favoritism such as a situation where a bribe has been offered to twist justice.  God forbids the acceptance of a bribe to pervert justice - and warns that He will require it of the judge if it is done.  This is why our proverb says that justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous are an abomination in His sight. 

Third, is a reminder that all human judges are to be those who dispense God's justice, not their own.  They are never to be a law unto themselves - or take matters of justice into their own hands.  For those who experience perverted justice, God warns not to take vengeance into their own hands.  The promise of God is that He will take vengeance on those who disregard His laws and ways.  There is a Psalm that should terrify judges as they ascend to the bench.  I wish it was written on their desks for them to see daily. 

"Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.  Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!" (Psalm 2:10-12, NASB)  This Psalm reminds every one of us that even the judges and kings of earth are to worship and bow in reverence to God's King, Jesus Christ.  All that they do - every judgment that they make - is made in His sight and under His ultimate jurisdiction.  Therefore every decision that they make should be made under His lordship - and for His justice to be established on the earth. 

The wise man knows that justice has already been decreed - and that all he need do is follow the direction and leadership of the Scriptures on all matters concerning what is just and right.  But before we leave this particular Proverb - we should mention one situation in which some consider that God Himself stepped over the line.  Some think that God condemned the righteous and justified the wicked when Jesus died on the cross - and when sinful men were granted salvation.  But contrary to that thought - God did everything according to His perfect righteousness and justice.  Jesus did not die for His own sin - but when He chose to become sin God's justice had to be fulfilled - even on Jesus.  When by faith we are credited with Christ's righteousness at salvation, God responds with His perfect justice in welcoming us and granting us His blessing and favor.  He is both just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus.  Rather than being an unjust situation - the cross is actually the ultimate moment of justice in the universe.  For when Christ became sin - God had to respond with wrath and punishment upon His only Son - or else He would have been unjust.  It is not only wisdom for us to grasp God's perfect justice and righteousness - it is glory itself!  Knowing this, though, should make us tremble at His justice and be all the more committed to calling wicked what He calls wicked, and calling righteous what He calls righteous.  Any other choice is an abomination to Him.

Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the LORD. Proverbs 20:10

How do we wisely judge things in our lives?  That is what today's proverb answers for us.  This may seem strange to some who view all judging as wrong.  Their favorite verse in the Scriptures is, "Judge not, lest you be judged."  While they hold fast to this verse with all that is in them - they miss others like, "Judge all things, hold fast to that which is good."  There is a balanced view of judging in the Scriptures - as well as different concepts as we judge things.  But the one thing that holds consistent in all passages about judging is the statement that is made in the book of Proverbs here in chapter 20. 

To understand this proverb, we will have to take a moment and understand how the marketplace worked in the average city and town in Israel.  They did not have packaged items like we do today.  They put their wares out in a booth or a place in the market - and sold their items directly to the people.  This involved a set of scales.  The average scale would consist of two baskets set on a balance bar.  The way the system worked was that the seller would place weights in one basket, while putting produce in the other.  The weights would be marked according to their measurements (we would use pounds or grams) and then they would charge a price per pound of food that the person put into the other basket.  The problem spoken of here is when the seller would have weights that were not accurate on purpose.  He would use one set of weights with some customers - but would pull out a different set to cheat other customers when he could.  These would be lighter in weight - while he would continue to charge the same amount as if they were accurate.  Thus the buyer would get less food for more money.  If an official came by the booth, he would quickly stash the innacurate, cheating weights, and would pull out the accurate ones for a few customers.  When the heat was off from the officials, he would return to cheating those who came to his booth.

There is a cheating in business where we use differing weights and measures.  God says that such actions are an abomination to Him.  He hates this kind (and actually any kind) of lying.  But there are more places where we are guilty of using different weights and measures.  One is in the kind of judging that God despises.  We judge ourselves by one standard, and yet judge our neighbor's actions by a higher one.  Jesus referred to this in the gospels when he spoke of the person who would look for a speck in his brother's eye, while ignoring the huge wooden beam in his own.  This is when we tolerate sin in our own lives just fine - but the fine we use with others is a fine toothed comb.  This is using different weights and measures.  God considers such things an abomination to Him - and He hates when we do this!  David fell into this trap with the prophet Nathan while in the midst of his sin with Bathsheba.  When hearing of the man who took his neighbor's little lamb for a feast - instead of using sheep and lambs from his own flock - David responded in incensed anger - saying that the man should die who has done this.  Little did he know that Nathan's next words would be, "You are the man!"  David's different weights and measures involved his own sin with Bathsheba, which he had ignored - and yet with an imaginary man who had done less with a lamb, David demanded justice and judgment.

God is a just and righteous God.  He judges ALL things with perfect judgment.  He does not have multiple standards which He uses in multiple situations.  He always judges justly.  To use separate ways of judging is an abomination to Him.  And if we are quick to want to point out some supposed injustice in God - say - that Jesus did not have the adulterous woman stoned for her sin - we need to stop and put our hand over our mouth.  All sin was justly judged and paid in full by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.  When it came to the one situation we would think would illicit God lessening a punishment and a demand, it would have been when His perfect, spotless Son became sin.  But God did not lessen the punishment - and did not pervert justice.  He poured out the fullness of His wrath and punishment upon His Son.  He was judged to the uttermost when He became sin - crying out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me!"  Yet He knew why that had to happen.  That cry was not misunderstanding . . . it was pure pain and agony.  Jesus was being judged for sin.  So, before we decide God is unjust, we should take a trip to the cross.  It was there where God could forever be not only just, but for all time the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ. 

Wisdom rejects multiple standards when it comes to sin.  We judge with a righteous judgment - for that is how God judged and judges even today.  But even as we reject the varying weights and measures of situational ethics - and multiple ways of looking at truth - we need to also embrace perfect justice and righteousness.  That took place on the cross so that God could be both just and merciful.  Just to His Son, and because of His blood shed at the cross, merciful to us.

It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne is established on righteousness. Proverbs 16:12

God's Word has a great deal to say about the role and actions of those who are kings, presidents, and prime ministers of nations.  Whereas the current crowd who don't know the constitution or the words of our founders would say that there is a wall of separation between church and state - our constitution speaks of no such wall.  But even if it did - the ultimate document by which we know and walk with God is not the United States Consitution - but the Word of God, the Bible.  And when the Bible speaks on an issue - it is right.  So let us take a few moments to see what the Scriptures have to say to us about the role of kings and presidents - and whether character (both private and public) matters.

We read here that it is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts.  That should pretty much seal the issue for us on the character of those who lead us.  The Clinton administration, in the midst of its worst moral crises, told us that it did not matter what the president did in his private life - it only mattered what he did as president.  The sad thing is that the post-modern mindset had already set in - and too many aped that same phrase and excused acts that should have been rebuked in the highest office of our nation.  The truth is that it is an abomination when a leader commits acts of wickedness.  The idea here is that of an individual act that is contrary to the justice and righteousness of God and His Word.  Anything outside of what He says - is wrong - and wicked. 

We are not our own moral free agents.  God calls all of us to a standard in His Word - and that standard is not lowered for those in politics.  If anything, it is raised because those who lead us are more in the spotlight of the nation.  When they commit wickedness - eventually the nation knows.  And when someone of the stature of President Clinton is committing adultery against His wife - it is a horrific thing.  His example will be followed by many others.  He may have parsed his words carefully trying to make light of his actions - but the truth was that he was with an intern in sexual situations.  This was an act that in any other context (such as a school or a lesser official) would have resulted in an immediate termination of their position.  Instead, he side-stepped the real issue - and decided to muddy the waters by stating that, "everyone does it."  Everyone does it - because they are following the example of their leaders.  When they make light of adultery - pretty much everyone will as well.  Now, before you think this is just an article blasting President Clinton and Democrats, know that the Republicans have been guilty of their own wickedness and sinful choices.  Too often we try to excuse them as well - and the result is that the entire nation is given to act in ways similar to those who lead us. 

These wicked acts have horrific consequences - and not just for the family of the man involved.  We read here that a throne is established on righteousness.  A throne is weakened when its moral authority is weakened.  If a man cannot be trusted on lesser issues - how can he be trusted on the major ones?  Thus we learn that sin and wickedness cost us not just in family matters - not just on economic ones - but they weaken the very foundation upon which our republic rests.  Our forefathers told us in their very own written documents that our nation is based on the 10 commandments.  Washington told us that you cannot separate good political leadership from godly, moral principles.  Without godliness and a desire to be obedient to God, the very foundations of our nation will begin to crumble.  It is any wonder then that in recent years we've watched as moral crisis after moral crisis has moved into how our government deals with finances.  That has undermined the foundations of our economic structures - and we've had crises with companies - with the banking industry - with the housing industry - with loans - and now we are teetering on the brink of financial destruction as a nation. 

How did we get here?  It began as we decided that we no longer needed our politicians to be godly men who followed a very decided moral code and way of living.  As we fell asleep and were not shocked that those who were leading us completely lacked honesty and integrity - these very sins began eating away at the very foundation pillars of our republic.  The only way back is to see such things restored.  We need men of God to return to the kind of leadership in our homes, in our churches, and eventually in our government.  It is only then that we will once again be horrified at the abomination of leaders who commit wickedness - and return to a way of doing politics that laughs to scorn those who would dare to lead without strong moral principles upon which they walk daily and make their decisions.  Then we are find that once again our nation will have strong foundations - one's established on righteousness!  May God bring those days sooner rather than later to the United States of America!

There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19

What does God hate?  This is a good question to ask - because the Lord actually lists for us 7 different things that He hates.  Some think that God doesn't hate anything because He is love.  But when you realize that whereas He loves righteousness and holiness - it means that by nature He must hate the opposite - and that is sin.  This is a good list to remember because it reminds us of at least 7 things we absolutely need to steer clear of in life.  We do this because we do not want to incur God's wrath for loving something He hates.

#1 - God hates Haughty Eyes . . . The proud look is something the Lord really despises.  The eyes, according to Scripture, are the windows of the soul.  When the eyes are filled with a haughty look it is a sure thing that the heart is filled with that same haughtiness or pride.  We remember from the book of James that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  It is no stretch then to say that in hating haughty eyes God truly despises those whose look communicates an arrogance and pride that shows that they have no respect for God and His ways - just an utter disdain of them.

#2 - God hates a Lying Tongue . . . One of the 10 commandments is not to bear false witness.  That means lying is out with God.  He is a God of truth, and He wants us to speak the truth.  When a tongue is a lying tongue, God hates the lies that come from it.  Truth opposes lies at every turn - and we can be assured that God opposes the liar whose lying tongue promotes just the opposite of what God loves and is. 

#3 - God hates Hands that Shed Innocent Blood . . . Here is one that we need to remember.  Innocent blood is murder.  God hates murder.  Once again we find that one of the things God hates is listed in the 10 commandments.  You shall not murder is commandment number five.  Jesus goes further in Matthew chapter 5 when He tells us that even the thoughts and words that are at the core of a murdering heart - God hates.  There is an application of this we also need to remember.  The false god Molech required that his worshippers have their children pass through the fire as a child sacrifice to him.  God hated this worship - and made it clear that the innocent blood shed in this practice would pay dearly for their sin.  I believe we have a similar worship today in the practice of abortion.  This practice is an abomination to God.  We have decided that children (usually conceived due to sexual immorality) are too much of an inconvenience.  Therefore we've devised the most heinous ways of disposing of them.  We burn them alive through saline abortions or puree them within their mother's womb.  And if this is not enough, when we wait too long to decide to dispose of one's conceived immorally, we just birth them partially and kill them in a way that we would NEVER consider for a convicted murderer.  How God hates this shedding of innocent blood. 

#4 - God Hates a Heart that Devises Wicked Plans . . . There are hearts that are thinking of evil - and who begin to plan to do evil.  This is true even of us when we set our hearts on sin and want to do our best to keep it hidden.  But there are those whose plans involve far more than just one man wanting to sin without being caught.  These are those who devise a wicked plan either in business or in the government.  These plans will harm thousands - and possibly millions.  They do not consider that their wicked plans will do this - because they are consumed either by the acquisition of wealth or power.  God hates these people because of how their thinking harms others.

#5 - God Hates Feet that Run Rapidly to Evil . . . Here we have someone who is just itching to run to evil things.  There is no restraint in this one - because when he or she sees evil - they want to run "rapidly" to it.  When a society turns from God - there is a growing stupidity and spiritual deadness that causes them to become insensitive to the warnings of Scripture.  Thus they start to run to evil - rather than stop and think about the harm it will do to them and to others.  When people run rapidly to evil it is also a sign that self is so completely dominant in their thinking that they are deaf to any other voice except the one that is urging them to do what they want.  God hates this because it reveals that a conscience is dead to Him and dead to the warnings of both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. 

#6 - God Hates A False Witness Who Utters Lies . . . Here we have what seems to be a second time that lying is mentioned.  This second time though it is mentioned in the context of someone who is a false witness on a matter.  This first time is was just a lying tongue.  The false witness could be someone who speaks lies in a courtroom where the role of perjury comes into play.  This would mean a perversion of justice and God loves justice and righteousness.  It can also mean a false prophet or someone who lies about religious matters - thus causing some to put their faith in a god who is not God at all.  Either way God hates it when someone who lies as a witness on a matter.  They encourage people to make decisions based upon deception and lies.  No wonder He hates these things - because the very first sin was due to the work of the devil as he was a false witness to Eve about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That lie, that deceit - when believed was the impetus that led to the fall of all of humanity into sin and rebellion against God.

#7 - God Hates One who Spreads Strife Among Brothers . . . The final thing in this list of seven is a person who is causing problems - actually who is spreading strife among the brethren.  This person is one who either learns of strife - or is causing it.  He is not content though we knowing it himself.  He becomes the ultimate evangelist for strife among the brethren.  He wants to see as many people upset and involved in this strife as possible.  It should be no small wonder to us then that God does not say, "Blessed are the strife-makers."  He says just the opposite.  It is the peacemakers who will be called the sons of God.  When God could have magnified the ultimate strife of the universe in sin - He did not.  He chose to make peace through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ.  Therefore it really should be no shock to us that He also hates those who go the opposite way - and spread strife rather than spread peace among the brothers.  We might need to remember this the next time we have a choice to continue a situation of strife and conflict - when we have an opportunity to bring peace instead.

Seven things God hates . . . it is a very sobering list.  There are some things like murder and wicked plans that we would fully expect to be on this list.  But other things that we tend to minimize tend to shock us here.  Some call lying just telling a little fib - or a white lie.  Others might not see spreading strife by gossipping to be something that is not the best - but certainly something that everyone does.  The fact is that when God calls these things the seven things He hates - we need to remember them - and then learn to hate them in our own lives as well.  That, my dear saints - is wisdom.

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Proverbs 28:9

So, how does God view the prayers of those of us who are actively disobeying His Word?  That is what we learn today in the proverb of the day.  This is going to be a proverb that confronts those who think God hears their prayers - when they are actively disboeying a command of the Word of God.  It is also going to be a time when we realize that God sees issues of obedience to His Word in stark black and white - not in a plethora of grey.

When we disobey the Word - we are in effect turning our ears away from listening to it.  Here in Christian America, we think that having heard the word with the ear alone is akin to having obeyed it.  The most rebellious places in America are not the bars or the strip joints.  The most rebellious places in America are the parking lots of her churches.  This is where far too many saints of God go after hearing the truth preached by their pastors - and justify letting it go into one ear and out the other.  They hear the Word - but it never penetrates their hearts.  Some will even justify their present disobedience - while praising what was said by the preacher.  Thus the American practice of thinking we've obeyed, when we have only heard something - is continued weekly. 

When we do not obey - we are turning our ear from listening to the truth.  The term here for turn away means that we go away from the Word - we desert it - we quit the Word, meaning that we hear, but do not DO it.  We turn aside from it and do not allow it to do a work in our hearts. 

When we do not obey the Word - God considers our prayers and abomination.  Whoa now!  Did we read that right!  God considers prayers uttered by the disobedient to be an abomination.  We thought that word was just reserved for homosexuals - didn't we.  But God is holy - not just anti-homosexual.  He is pro-holiness all the way.  Thus, when we are not pro-holiness (read here pro-obedience, pro-godly, pro-doing what God says when He says it) - we are in effect, anti-God.  He is shocked and appalled by our lack of listening and obeying.  He is horrified that we would actually turn a deaf ear to what He has said.  He considers such things an abomination! 

There were a group of people that Jesus was hardest upon in the gospel accounts.  To the shock of most people, this group was not the classic sinners.  He was not hardest on the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the scum of society, or the usually suspects we consider when we wonder who a "hell-fire-and-brimstone" preacher would single out in his preaching.  Jesus was hardest on religious hypocrites.  He reserved His most scathing comments for those who practiced religion outwardly, but inwardly ignored the Word.  By the way - this is where the pray-er, but not obey-er would be put by our Lord.  The one who turns his ear from listening to the Law, by not obeying it - IS the hypocrite.  And contrary to our popular habit of thinking that the hypocrite is anyone other than us - it IS us.  Whenever we engage in pious prayers - without having obeyed the Word that God has spoken to us recently - we are an abomination.

Wisdom tells us that we are to hear and heed the Word of God.  This will give our prayers wings that will fly them to the very throne of God.  May we always watch our hearts to make sure that we are hearing, obeying - then praying.  This is the proper order of things. 

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves one who pursues righteousness. Proverbs 15:9

We need to seriously sit down from time to time and ask ourselves two very pointed questions.  The first is this, "What way am I going?"  That describes the path that we are walking.  There is a way that we are going - a series of choices that is slowly but surely making a way for us.  Another way to put it is where is my "lifestyle" going.  A choice yields a consequence - a series of choices leads to a habit - and a way of choosing will lead to a lifestyle.  Where are our choices leading us?  We read here that the way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.  God looks at the consistent choices of the wicked - and He hates it.  He considers it an abomination to Him.  The word used here for wicked means the guilty or the transgressor.  This is the man who looks at God's law - God's Word - and just walks over it on his way to doing whatever he wants.  He is a transgressor - one who steps over the line - who ignores the rules - at least the rules of God.

We learn from this proverb that God considers this way of living an abomination.  It is a little comforting to see that God says it is the way of the wicked that is an abomination - not the wicked person himself.  But God is not at all shy in saying how much He hates the wicked way - the wicked lifestyle.  The word abomination means that God sees the lifestyle choices of the wicked and finds them disgusting, abhorent, and abominable.  This is something I think we've had a tendency to shy away from in recent years.  We don't call sin what it is - an abomination.  Sin absolutely disgusts God.  He abhors it!  There is wrath that is being stored up for the wicked - and we need to see this because too often we tend to want to mollify how God feels about sin.  But the cross should solve for us once and for all that God hates sin.  If this is how He had to punish His Son for becoming sin - believe the Scriptures when they say that God hates sin!

But before this proverb becomes just about how God considers sin an abomination - we need to see the second half of this proverb.  It holds great promise and hope for the one who pursues what is right.  The Lord loves the one who pursues righteousness.  What a great promise this is for us.  Note does not say that the Lord only loves the one who achieves righteousness.  It says pursue!  Thus, we may not always live as righteous as we want - we may not always be the perfect example of godliness and holiness - but when we pursue it (or pursue Him) - God loves it!

The word "pursues" here means to chase after or to chase down.  This is not just a casual pursuit of righteousness, it is a dedicated and passionate pursuit.  God absolutely loves it when we pursue righteousness.  He delights in one who says that he wants God's ways - not wicked ways.  Since we are talking about a true understanding of righteousness - we also must include that he chases after righteousness the right way.  He does not seek it by works - but realizes that faith-based righteousness that is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to become righteous.  As he embraces this righteousness he also wants to learn how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as the fruit of the Spirit is produced within him.  He cooperates by dying to self and living only to please God in what he does. 

There are two ways presented before us in this proverb.  There is the way of wickedness that rejects God and rejects His holiness and truth - and there is the passionate pursuit of righteousness.  This is not a pursuit of our own righteousness obtained by the Law - but a pursuit which is by faith from first to last.  This pursuit is eventually set upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  We pursue Him - a relationship with Him and a passion to serve and to love Him with all our hearts.