It’s a fact: God detests all sin. Seven sins, in particular, He hates the most.
Proverbs 6:16 says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him” (NIV). The term describing God’s hate towards these sins, saanee, is one used in Hebrew for “foe.”
God views The Hated Seven as an enemy.
The truth is that if you’re a Christ-follower, you’re in a war against sin in general and The Hated Seven in particular.
That’s enough to give the most complacent believer pause and move you into the active-faith column. Who wants to behave in such a way as to spark a war with the Creator of the universe?
Like me, I’m guessing you’d rather be on the winning side.
Which means battle time, my friend.
Gear for Battling The Hated Seven
God goes on to trace The Hated Seven visually, starting at the top of the human body and moving down : haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill, a conniving heart, feet that rush into evil, a false witness, and a man who stirs up discord.
Always one to connect the dots, God provides another head-to-toe word picture in the pieces of His armor (Ephesians 6) – a set of practical tools we can use to battle The Hated Seven. To battle well, you use that gear each day.
But first things first.
What You Need to Know about Battling The Hated Seven
God doesn’t hate you. He hates sin.
God’s battle is with sin – not you. Understand the difference. God loves you deeply, but He doesn’t love everything you do. If you’re honest, you detest plenty of things you do, too. So does He. You’re together in this.
God equips you
How gracious is our God to provide specially-designed gear to battle The Hated Seven, and then arrange it visually from head-to-toe, too, so you won’t gloss over any of them: a helmet for your head, a shield for your heart, a belt around your torso, a sword for your arms, and shoes for your feet. God gives you everything you need to wage this daily battle.
God wants you to win
In the set of instructions provided with the armor of God, Paul uses the verb “stand” three times in just one-and-a-half verses: “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm, then…” (Ephesians 6:13-14a, NIV).
The ability to stand is both defensive and offensive. God’s armor, when used according to His instructions, allows you to play defense against The Hated Seven – to stand against and oppose challenges. Yet the armor allows you to play offense, too, in the ability to withstand pressure, press on, and continue in your purpose.
The Hated Seven are deadly. When you’re spiritually healthy, they are on your radar every day. And God is on your side, working with you day by day, minute by minute, pulling for you to win.
All He asks is for you to get your gear ready … and then use it.
