SPEEDING PAST CONVICTION

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.

Feet that be swift in running to mischief: As the father of our author says, we are born in sin. It is therefore easier, even more natural for us to conceive to do evil than to do good. Even after we are regenerated, while in this pre-millennial period, we only get an ‘earnest’ of our salvation, the fullness of it we will be granted as Jesus returns to rule the earth.

The question therefore can be asked, why should we get punished for just being what God created us? It is a legitimate question. The idea though is that now that we have been regenerated we have no more excuses. We can pray and be delivered from our sinful nature. Even one like our author who is an Old Testament person is without excuse, because he has received the knowledge of the oracles of the Torah (Torah means: instruction) of God therefore, since done in knowledge, he cannot claim ignorance and the evil is done willfully.

This same author advises us in another part of Proverbs to acknowledge of all of our actions. When we willfully plan to do evil, we do not usually acknowledge God to ask him permission. We don’t want to let him know so act like the child who quickly goes to do something he knows would be disapproved without checking with his parents so he can claim ignorance. Will God ‘buy’ our claim?

It is the willfulness sinning which is abhorrent to God. In the shedding of the blood of innocent Jesus-Christ, some knew what they were doing and some didn’t. The populace crying for crucifixion followed a mob driven hype, but the priest, scribes and Pharisees knew who Jesus was. The Roman soldiers who drove the nail in Jesus’ hands and feet followed orders, but Pilate knew he executed an innocent man. They executed Him quickly. They didn’t want to wait passed the Passover festival. They didn’t want conviction to set in their hearts. In so doing, they were swift to run to mischief, but in their case, they also executed the will of God, which also exposed their perfidy.