Hearts Full Of Hatred &
Eyes Full Of Tears
How do you react to the report of sinners blatantly violating or rejecting God's Holy Laws? Does it anger you to hear such news? Does it sicken, grieve, agitate, or "burn you up" when you see their open and gross wickedness?
Or are you totally unmoved by it all?
There are several Scriptural responses that all Christians should have to the sinner's contempt for the holy things of God.
Matthew Henry, the renowned Bible commentator, alluded to them in several of his comments -
"Sin is a monstrous horrible thing in the eyes of all that are sanctified."
"Those that hate sin hate it as sin, as a transgression of the law of God and a violation of His word."
"Sin is hated, and sinners are lamented, by all that fear God."
"The rejection of sinners is the grief of good people; God delights not in their death, nor should we."
"The sins of sinners are the sorrows of saints. We must mourn for that which we cannot mend."
In Psalm 139:21-22, we read the following words of David, a man after God's own heart - "Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee...I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies."
These are very strong words.
Did David harbor a malicious ill-will toward the enemies of God?
No, what he was really saying here was that he had a conscious disgust for the conduct, motives, purposes, and ways of all those who were opposed to God. He considered their behavior to be abominable. Hence, he did not associate with them nor did he desire their friendship.
In Psalm 119:53, we read the reaction of the Psalmist to the wickedness of the wicked - "Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Thy law."
He actually shuddered and trembled to witness the dishonor and contempt placed on God and His holy law by the rebellious. Such anguish flooded his soul when he thought of the wrath and endless woe that awaited these blasphemers.
In Acts 17:16, we learn of the Apostle Paul's response to the gross idolatry of Athens - "Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry."
Paul was deeply agitated at what he saw. This city was "wholly given to idolatry." In fact, many of the heathen writers of that day remarked that - in Athens - you would more likely meet up with a god than another man. There was not a place known where there were so many idols or false gods.
Up until this point, we have seen different reactions to wickedness such as being filled with a deep hatred for the abominable ways of the wicked...shuddering at their brazen affront toward God...as well as being stirred or agitated in one's soul to see the Glory of God given over to false gods or idols.
We must stop and ask ourselves if we have had similar reactions to the evil which surrounds us. If not, why not?
In 1 Samuel 15:10-11, we read the account of Samuel's grieving over King Saul's disobedience. - "Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments. And it grieved Samuel..."
In other words, the Prophet was angry and displeased to see Israel's first King forfeit God's Divine Favor on his life and reign through his own sin and rebellion.
In Psalm 119:158, the Psalmist was sickened and saddened at heart to see the "transgressors" dishonor and provoke God by violating His law - "I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not Thy word."
In Romans 9:2-3 , we read about the Apostle Paul's great grief and sorrow for his "brethren" who would be cast off for rejecting their Messiah - the Lord Jesus Christ - "That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsman according to the flesh."
Such grieving over the sins of the people brought fountains of tears from the people of God as well as the Lord Jesus Himself.
1 Samuel 15:11 tells us that the Prophet Samuel spent the entire night shrieking and screaming in agonizing prayer before the Lord - pleading with Him to change His plans and purposes to dethrone King Saul on account of his disobedience- "...and he cried unto the LORD all night."
In Psalm 119:136, we read of the Psalmist's eyes pouring forth full-flowing streams of tears because of the dishonor done to God by the transgressors of His Holy Law - "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not Thy law."
In Ezekiel 9:4, we read of the men who were marked by God because they sighed and cried in utter pain and distress because of all the abominations that were committed in the land - "And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."
In Luke 19:41, we read about the Lord Jesus weeping over the city of Jerusalem as He viewed it from the Mount of Olives - "And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it."
He wept as He reflected on all the times when they rejected all of the Prophets sent unto them, and now they were rejecting Him - their very own Messiah. The cup of their iniquity was full, and consequently, they would reap the horrible judgment of God.
Lastly, we read, in Philippians 3:18-19, how Paul wept for those who were indulging in known sin...were caught up with worldly concerns rather than heavenly ones...catered to sensual appetites...boasted and gloried in their sin...and were headed for eternal destruction - "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"
Once again, here are the different Scriptural reactions to those who walked in rebellion toward God -
"Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee..."
"Horror hath taken hold upon me..."
"...spirit was stirred in him..."
"I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved..."
"That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart."
"Rivers of waters run down mine eyes..."
"He beheld the city, and wept over it."
"...and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ..."
What should our reaction be to all the evil and wickedness that surrounds us?
How should we respond to those who are purposely set on removing God's laws from our schools, buildings, homes, and even churches?
Pastor Matthew Henry offers a final thought - "It is not enough that we do not delight in the sins of others, and that we have not fellowship with them, but we must mourn for them, and lay them to heart; we must grieve for that which we cannot help, as those that hate sin for its own sake, and have a tender concern for the souls of others."
It's a time to hate those that hate God; that is, we must be nauseated and disgusted by their abominable ways to the extent whereby we will mourn for them, be grieved, and have a "tender concern" for their eternal souls.
Why are your eyes so dry, O Christian?
Beg God to allow you to see the sins of others as He sees them and to feel His yearning heart to see men changed into His likeness and image.
Oh, God! Fill our hearts with your hatred and our eyes with Your tears.
In Jesus' Precious Name we plead.
Amen & Amen.
May God Bless His Word.
Connie
WALKING IN TRUTH MINISTRY
P. O. Box 383016
Duncanville, TX. 75138-3016
Copyright 2006 by Connie Giordano
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