The Bible's Detestable Sins: Understanding God's Wrath

The Bible contains many references to 'detestable' sins, acts, and behaviours. The word 'abomination' is often used to describe these acts, which are deemed to be deserving of intense dislike by God. The Bible lists several abominations, including idolatry, homosexuality, bestiality, dishonesty, and pride. These acts are considered to defile God's sanctuary and go against His commandments. According to the Bible, those who commit such detestable acts will face punishment and God's wrath.

Pride

The Bible warns against pride in several passages, such as Proverbs 16:18, which states, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Similarly, Proverbs 8:13 says, "To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, even behaviour and perverse speech."

While there is a place for legitimate, godly pride, such as taking pride in one's accomplishments or the good works of God, sinful pride attempts to take the place of God and leads to a focus on self rather than on loving and serving God and others.

Sexual sin

The Bible states that God loves sex and created it to be enjoyed within the boundaries of a marriage covenant. Sex outside of marriage is considered a sin, and the Bible lists several types of sexual acts that are forbidden. These include adultery, premarital sex, prostitution, pornography, and homosexual relations.

The Bible also provides guidelines for sexual purity, emphasizing that sexuality is a sacred gift from God that should not be abused. Sexual immorality is considered a sin because it involves the "selling off" of sexual purity and surrendering of one's body, which is considered a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, the Bible warns against sexual immorality being coupled with impurity, which defiles and renders a person unfit to enter God's presence. It is important to note that sexual sins are not limited to physical acts but also include lustful thoughts and desires.

The Bible offers guidance on how to overcome sexual sin, such as separating oneself from temptations and confessing sins to God and trusted individuals.

Idolatry

The Bible's Old Testament and New Testament both address idolatry with intense scrutiny. The first and second commandments are directed against idolatry of every form, and the Bible states that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God. Idolatry is considered a detestable sin because it represents a breach of the covenant loyalty owed to God. As the one true God of heaven and earth, God cannot and will not tolerate the worship of any "other gods".

The Bible provides several examples of idolatry, including:

• The Golden Calf (Exodus 32): The Israelites, having just been freed from Egyptian slavery, create a golden calf to worship while Moses is receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
• The Worship of Baal (1 Kings 18): During the reign of Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel, idol worship, especially of the Canaanite god Baal, becomes prevalent.
• Nebuchadnezzar's Statue (Daniel 3): King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon creates a giant gold statue and commands all his officials to worship it.
• The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-24): Jesus encounters a man who claims to have kept all the commandments but cannot give up his wealth to follow Christ, illustrating that idolatry extends to anything that takes priority over God, including wealth and material possessions.
• Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.
• Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars as supposed powers of nature.
• Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors or heroes.

The Bible provides several warnings against idolatry, urging believers to "flee from idolatry" and to keep themselves from idols.

Murder

The Bible also states that anyone who takes the life of a human being deserves to be put to death. It is considered a wicked act that leads to evil. The Bible mentions that murder is a sin, even if someone is trying to kill you and you are defending yourself.

The Bible also mentions that Cain, who belonged to the evil one, murdered his brother. It is also said that murderers will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is considered the second death.

Lying

The Bible is clear that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God. The first sin in the world involved a lie told to Eve, and the Ten Commandments given to Moses includes: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour" (Exodus 20:16).

In the early church, a couple named Ananias and Sapphira lied about a donation to make themselves seem more generous. Peter rebuked them, asking: "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" (Acts 5:3). God's judgment was harsh: the couple died as a result of their sin of lying (Acts 5:1–11).

Colossians 3:9 says, "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices." Lying is also listed in 1 Timothy 1:9-11 as something practiced by the lawless, and liars will be among those judged in the end (Revelation 21:8).

In Proverbs 6:16-19, lying is listed as one of seven things that the Lord hates and finds detestable:

> "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community."

Interestingly, these verses differentiate between "a lying tongue" and "a false witness who pours out lies." The Lord was so vehemently against lies in general and false witness (gossiping, lying in court, lying in a way that hurts others) that Proverbs includes them as two separate entries in the list of things that the Lord hates.

Jesus called the devil "the father of lies" (John 8:44) and said that those who lie "belong to [their] father, the devil." In Revelation 21:8, it is written that "all liars" will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is described as the second death.

Proverbs 21:6 warns that a fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapour and a deadly snare, while Proverbs 12:22 states that "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy."

The Bible makes it clear that God detests lying and that it hurts our relationship with Him and with others. As sinners in need of a saviour, we all have the ability and propensity to lie. However, we are called to live in honest fellowship with one another and with God, speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

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