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Detestable to God

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. (Prov. 6:16-19)

All of these things the Lord hates. Lying is in the list twice. However, I want to draw your attention to the last phrase. “A man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” God hates disunity.

Think back to your years in junior high. Were there kids who were expert in stirring up dissension? They seemed to delight in it. How about since then? Have you ever been involved in or observed a church fight in a local congregation?

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Heb. 12:15). If bitterness springs up, it defiles many people, and dissension happens. We are instructed to see that no one misses the grace of God. This disunity has to be stopped.

Here are two passages of Scripture with the same solution.

“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people” (Rom. 16:17-18).

• Watch out for them.
• Keep away from them.

“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11).

• Warn him a maximum of two times.
• Have nothing to do with him. Why? He is warped, sinful, and self condemned. He is not serving the Lord Christ, although he may be an effective communicator by smooth talk, flattery, and lying.
• Don’t be naïve.

For more on this, read I Have Given Them the Glory.

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