THE CHIEF SIN

Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

The wise king now lists the things that God hates. Today we are appalled by random murder, sexual perversions and generally ungodly lifestyles. Most of us are not guilty of these things, but what we find on this list is a litany of attitudes that we tolerate in our lives whether at home, in the work place or in Church. Let us now elaborate on each of them.

A proud look: Pride: the first and chief of all sins. Josephus, the first century historian tells us that Satan fell because of pride. After creating Adam, God put all things under his command. The angels were to come to honor and dedicate their service to Adam. Satan, who at this time held a prominent position in heaven. He also knew that this man Adam was the representation of Jesus, God’s own Son’s rulership on earth and therefore refused to be put in his service, under His authority. As a result, Satan defected and became the chief angel of hell. He became the epitome of he who’d rather be his own boss in hell, rather than live under God’s command in heaven.

As foolish as this seems, our world suffers because of the same proud attitude, on both a corporate and an individual level. We have God’s written word. In it we find the simple basic rules and laws that can help us live our lives in peace and prosperity. In spite of it all, because of our pride and unwillingness to go under the command of our Creator, with each generation, we insist on reinventing the wheel. We are determined to write our own laws. This megalomaniac false sense of freedom has become an idol to us, and we see its results in our sick history.

We cannot do anything about Satan’s choices, but it seems that we can do something about ours. May God help us.