(Further reflections on “The Hated Seven”—Sunday 16-Apr-2023)
We learned from Proverbs 6:12-19 that the Lord hates proud eyes; a tongue that lies; hands that kill; feet that run to evil; a mouth that falsely witnesses; a mouth that sows disunity. These six things are ‘fruits’ of a heart that craft wickedness.
We inferred from a larger context that the antidotes for pride is humility; lying is telling the truth; hands that kill is hands that want to save; feet that run to evil is to run to do good; a mouth that speaks falsehood is to say only what you know; and a mouth that sows disunity is to plant the gospel.
So what is the antidote for the wicked heart? When we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we have a new life in Him and the sanctification process begins. The former wicked heart begins to learn to believe in Jesus and trust Him and His word in every aspect of our life. And it is being regenerated and shepherded by the Holy Spirit and the Word.
So what is the antidote for the heart, which is more deceitful than all else, and desperately sick, and impossible to understand (cf. Jeremiah 17:9)?
God’s Law is always right. It is irremovable. It always points out what is right and wrong. It is able to curb human behaviors. But it is unable to change the human heart. This is why Jesus came to not only give us salvation, but also sanctification. He knows that our heart needs to be totally transformed by God’s perfect love, Jesus, to us. Thus, we are called to submit to these two greatest commandments that combined all the Law and the Prophets: (1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).
If a wicked heart crafts wickedness and generates six things that the Lord hates, then a heart that is filled with God's love stays humble; speaks the truth in love; wants to save; runs to do good; says only it knows (and refuses to gossip or slander); and plants the Good News of Jesus Christ into someone’s life.
May we bind God’s steadfast love and faithfulness around our neck and write them on the table of our heart (cf. Proverbs 3:3). May our heart keep being regenerated and shepherded by the Spirit and the Word.
Amen.
—
Pastor Lap
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