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 leads the upright astray in an evil way Will himself fall into his own pit, But the blameless will inherit good. Proverbs 28:10

It is one thing when the wicked are evil in their own ways and in their own thoughts, but that is not the case with some.  They are not content unless they lead others astray into a similar lifestyle.  This trait is at its worst when the one who has an ungodly lifestyle desires to lead the upright into that same wicked lifestyle.  Yet God makes it plain that such choices - such attitudes will have to pay in the end.

The upright are thsoe who are desiring to walk straight - and this refers to someone who desires to do what is morally pure and right.  Of course, since this is a biblical reference, we can assume that the moral course that is sought is that of the Scriptures.  The wicked man spoken of here wants to lead this morally upstanding person astray.  The word used here implies that someone has been deceived into their error.  Thus they are now wandering and straying like lost sheep.  They used to know the way of the Lord, but now they are straying like lost sheep having somehow been deceived to where they no longer look to the Scriptures for their moral rudder in life.  The path they are trying to lead them in is the "evil way."  Evil here is "ra" which is the term used for active evil - and it carries with it the idea of distress, misery, injury, and calamity. 

I find it fascinating, living in a city with a major university, how often godly students are turned by professors who hate Christianity.  What I find amazing is that the attacks that are made are almost always made at their trust and belief in God's Word.  I think of the passage in Hosea that warns that if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?  A very good question this is for us today.  This is the reason why I take the time to teach high school and junior high students classes on worldviews and philosophy.  During those classes I play devil's advocate and let them see what they will face in college.  I challenge their statements as one of the professors at the university would - and do so mercilessly for 5 or 10 minutes.  Then I back up and help them grasp what the philosophical backdrop was to that attack.  We work on understanding the false reasoning that was in the attack and also how to raise up the shield of faith by holding fast to a biblical worldview.  It is not easy for these students, because the barrage of questions, as well as the ignorance of other students is hard to stand in the midst of in class.  Too often they are ganged up on in the midst of the discussion - and the teachers will use their authority to make the students stop talking before they can make their point.  That is why we cover these things as well in class.  They need to know that Christianity is credible as a worldview - but also that Paul said that the cross was as stumbling block to Jews - and considered foolishness by the Greeks (the philosophical eggheads of that age). 

Our passage, though, has a warning to the wicked ones who try to lead the upright astray.  They will fall into the pit that they are trying to dig for the upright.  They think they will make the upright fall into a pit - that they will destroy their faith - but the one who will ultimately fall into the pit is the ungodly person who is trying to deceive.  He thinks that the believer is deceived - but he is the one who is deceived.  In the end, the very foolishness and philosophical ignorance of this man will damn him to the ultimate pit.  I know that this sounds pretty harsh - but it is what the Scriptures say is the end of those who mock the things of God - who oppose God and His Word. 

Just a note at the end for our instruction is given.  The blameless will inherit good.  Blameless here is the Hebrew word "tamim" and it means something or someone who is complete and tested.  The word was used of the sacrificial animals that had been examined and found to be without flaw.  What a marvelous word this is for this context.  Here is the truth we need to see here.  The wicked will seek to lead the upright astray into an immoral path - but we need to hold fast to the truth - to the Word of God.  We need to stand through every trial - and oppose every falsehood that we face.  Every time they try to deceive and undermine the foundation of our faith - we need to lift high the banner of Christ - hold fast to the Word of our God - and watch every argument fall infinitely short of the truth upon which we stand.  When we do this we will be the blameless, tested, tried one who will inherit good. 

Be ready, precious saints, for what you will face in the world.  Christianity is not just a religious practice - something we can tack on to our lives like we would put up a poster in our rooms.  It is a way of life - a philosophy - a worldview that is superior to all other worldviews.  It is a relationship with the living God that we are granted through Jesus Christ.  We need to view it as that - a life-changing way of viewing the world.  We need to therefore make understanding and knowing God our first and most important priority.  The reason so many supposedly lose their faith in college is because they never had one.  They had their religion - they had their denominational status - they had their childhood habit of going to church with mommy and daddy.  But . . . they never took Christ to themselves, repented of their sin - and entered into a life-altering relationship with God.  They never received a love of the truth so as to be saved.  As a result all they had was the trappings of Christianity - without a mind honed by the Word.  Therefore when tried and tested - when faced with someone who forced them to defend their faith with truth - they had nothing with which to fight back.  Assuming that Christianity had failed them - when all that had failed them was their false faith - they turned and fell into the pit of the wicked. 

Oh saints, know your God!  Know your Bible!  Know that the faith once and for all handed to the saints in the Scriptures has withstood every attack of man for some 2000 years.  Stand fast upon it - and stand strong with Him.  When you do you will be tested, tried, and approved - and according to this passage - due to inherit good.

The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright. Proverbs 21:8

How do you know whther you are dealing with someone who is criminal and crooked in his ways - or whether you are dealing with a man who is pure in his motives and ways?  Here is an excellent question.  I am sure that many a man who has been conned would love to know the answer to this question.  That is what we will learn today as we open the book of Proverbs to verse 8 of chapter 21.

First we see the "guilty man."  What Solomon is describing to us though is the way of this man - the roads he takes and the lifestyle that is developed as a result.  This man is described to us as the guilty man.  The word used here for this designation is the Hebrew word, "vazar."  This word means a man who lacks innocence.  He is guilty because his behavior and choices reject God's law and ways.  In this regard he is a criminal - because his consistent choice is to break the law.  Solomon tells us that such a man is "crooked."  Crooked here is "haphak" which refers to someone who is very perverse and devious.  This guy is constantly perverting this - being devious - and lacking in honesty.  He is filled with a dishonesty that makes you wonder about his integrity.  

Note this when trying to determine whether someone is godly or ungodly in their dealings.  If you catch them making statements that are being twisted and fundamentally dishonest - most likely you are dealing with someone who is crooked and should be avoided at all costs.  You are going to pay dearly if you continue to do business and allow this man into your life.  The best thing you could do is cut and run.

The other man - the godly one - is pure.  The word here means someone who is clean - like pure water or pure oil.  This man is a godly man - and his godliness is verified by the honestly and integrity with which he speaks and acts.  This man's conduct is described as "upright."  This is the word "yashar" which means something that is straight, just, and right.  This word usually refers to things in an ethical and emotional sense.  These are men who are very concerned with being right in the eyes of the Lord.  They want a godly integrity in their dealings with others.  They do not want to deceive or to mislead. 

Wisdom tells us to be mindful of the character of those with whom we deal in life.  It is not enough that a good offer is on the table - or that someone is offering the best price.  We need to know that a man is also placing good character on the table as well.  Then we know whether we are dealing with a thief or not.  See behind the offers and see into their lives or the "way" that they live.  Do this and you will be much less likely to be caught in the schemes and the deception of the ungodly.

Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man? Proverbs 20:6

I love it when one of the proverbs has a perfect biblical example in the New Testament.  This is the case with today's proverb.  It speaks of those who declare their own loyalty - but then asks the question of whether anyone can even find a trustworthy and faithful man. 

The situation we learn of in the New Testament is the history of Peter - who declared that though all the other disciples would abandon Jesus - he would not!  Peter made this statement during the Last Supper - and it was followed by strong declarations made aby all the rest of the disciples.  But what we saw at the crucifixion was a very different situation.  Peter followed Jesus at a distance and eventually denied he even knew Jesus.  The others did not even make it that far - abandoning Christ in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him.  So much for the prideful declarations of those who proclaim their own loyalty.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a man who trumpets his own loyalty.  Filled with pride - he makes boasts of how loyal and trustworthy and faithful he is.  Such declarations really should be made by those whom he serves.  They are the ones who have evidence of his loyalty - and they should be the ones who speak of that loyalty.  Yet this passage states that this guy is blowing his own horn.  Be careful then with those who boast of how faithful and true they are.  And . . . if you are one who has done this in the past, take the advice of another proverb and, "Let another praise you, and not your own lips." 

The question that is asked in the second part of this proverb is also interesting.  "Who can find a trustworthy man?"  Let us take a look at that for a few moments.  There are trustworthy men found in the history of the Bible.  Solomon knew of one because of his own mother.  She was married to a man named Uriah.  Now he was a trustworthy man.  He was faithful to God and to David.  When David brought him home under the guise of asking about the battle - he would not go to his home and sleep with his wife.  That was what David desired so that he could cover his own adultery with Bathsheba.  But Uriah was a trustworthy man.  He said he would sleep in the open like his fellow soldiers - and not go to his home and to his wife.  His faithfulness eventually cost him his life.  David, who was not being a trustworthy man, had Uriah killed by taking him too close to the wall - where the archers would be able to kill him.

The history of the world is more a history of men being unfaithful.  When Solomon asks if anyone can find a trustworthy man - he is asking a very poignent question.  There are actually no trustworthy men on the face of the earth - except one.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  All have turned aside and become worthless.  There is a sin nature that is in every man and woman alive that will assure us that they are not an absolute trustworthy person. 

There has only been one trustworthy man - the man Christ Jesus.  God testified to that at His baptism where He declared, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased."  Near the end of his time on earth - God allowed James, John, and Peter to see Jesus' inner nature at the Mount of Transfiguration - where the absolute purity and trustworthiness of Jesus was allowed to shine forth.  And His resurrection from the dead was absolute proof that He was the only trustworthy man ever. 

Solomon's question is a good one.  There is only One Who is trustworthy.  That man is Jesus Christ - the God-man.  He was trustworthy and faithful in all God's commandments.  That is why He was able to go to the cross and die for all our sins and rebellion.  It is also why God can now declare us righteous.  It was because of the One Man Who was a trustworthy man.  Although it was said in a different context - Pilate was right when he declared, "Behold the Man!"  Even Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus.  And the only sentence Christ was declared guilty of - was the fact that He said that He was the Christ.  The Pharisees and Saducees on the council declared Him a blasphemer - but God declared Him the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead!  Cling to that faithful and trustworthy Man.  

The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.Proverbs 11:5

There is a way of living that will "smooth" our lives and the way which we walk - but there is another way of living that will guarantee that we will trip and fall.

We learn from today's proverb that the righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way.  Righteousness here is "sedaqah" which means integrity or blameless conduct.  It refers to someone who acts with justice - in having right attitudes and living out right actions.  This right way and right thinking come from knowing and walking with God.  So we have a man who desires to live right before God.  He is also described as "blameless" - which means someone whose life is filled with truth, virtue, and uprightness.  This is wisdom - to walk in what God says is right - so others can look at our lives and see that we are walking blamelessly when it comes to God and His view of who we are and what we are doing.  This "smooth" what that is promised is actually the word "yashar" which means to be smooth, straight, or right.  When we want to live in what is right in God's sight - He will grant that ethically we will walk in a way that is prepared for us - a smooth and straight way.  This is the lifestyle of the godly - and whether men realize it or not - this lifestyle is one where men bless you - and want you around. 

The wicked however is said to fall by his own wickedness.  He does not walk right - or true - or with integrity.  Thus in time his sins catch up with him and he finds himself drowning in his own lifestyle.  This is the way that men are brought down.  They simply truth in themselves rather than trusting in the Lord. 

There are two paths in front of us every day - there is the path that leads us to righteousness and God's way - and then there is another path.  It is a path that will lead a person to the point where they want to question God and His work in their lives.  In the end - the wickedness of the human heart overwhelms us - as we walk in our flesh and seek to please ourselves.  May God give us great wisdom to choose the path that embraces godliness, righteousness, and blameless living.  That is truly the path that will lead upward for us until Christ comes again to take us home.