His actions angered the LORD… – 1 Kings 16.7, CSB
That’s precisely what that word means.
Angered – כָּעַס (kā·ʿǎs) – to be angry, be vexed, be indignant, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath.*
Do we truly understand and live in the same place that God does concerning our sin? God does not simply overlook sin as if it had never happened. He doesn’t treat it as a minor frustration or irritant. Instead, the Bible tells us what he thinks of sin. “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you. The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers” (Psalm 5.4-5, CSB). Habakkuk said this to God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1.13, CSB). The book of Proverbs reveals some of the things that God hates.
The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives fast testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers. – Proverbs 6.16-19, CSB
Looking at the list of things in Proverbs, did you notice that some are outward actions, while others are internal motivations? “Arrogant eyes” is another way to say pride. Pride manifests itself in actions, but it is not an action itself. It’s an internal motivation. The same thing can be said of “a heart that plots wicked schemes.” Of course, carrying out wicked schemes is abhorrent to the Lord, but even the heart that desires to plot such schemes— i.e., the thoughts and internal motivations —is abhorrent to him. We didn’t become sinners when we sinned. Instead, we were conceived and born into sin (Psalm 51.5) which led to us sinning. It’s in our nature, passed down from every person before us, dating back to Adam in the Garden. Paul explained it when he said, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5.12, CSB). That’s right. All of us are sinners. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3.23, CSB).
We deserve God’s punishment. Our sin is a rebellious offense against God. And our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59.2) and brings about spiritual death (Proverbs 14.12, James 1.15). And the Bible says that before we enter into a right relationship with God through Jesus, we are dead in our sin and objects of the wrath of God (Ephesians 2.1-3).
I know this isn’t the most encouraging way to start, but it is necessary to acknowledge. Recognizing our sin brings the hopelessness of what life without Christ is. It feels hopeless because of how helpless we are without Jesus. And we are. But then God’s grace comes storming through.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation. – Romans 5.6-11, CSB
And because of this, we have peace with God when we believe in and surrender to Christ (Romans 5.1). Peace. And while we still fight against our sinful nature, striving to live out our righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 7.15-24; Galatians 5.16-18), we are not condemned.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you. – Romans 8.1-11, CSB (emphasis added)
God’s hatred for sin is still real, but his grace is great in that “he condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering” (Romans 8.3). We, as followers of Jesus, do not stand before God condemned for our sin only because Jesus was condemned by the Father for us. This act is proof of God’s love for us.
And yet, even with all that God did for us, he is still loving us and caring for us. We are not left alone in this life of faith.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us, with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – Romans 8.26-27, CSB
The Holy Spirit is constantly helping us. The word “helps” in Romans 8.26 is in the present tense, which means that the Holy Spirit keeps on “helping another carry a heavy load.”** And while Romans 8.26 makes it sound like the Holy Spirit is helping us when we are weak, the verse is better translated as, “And, in like manner also, the Spirit doth help our weaknesses.”*** So the Holy Spirit doesn’t help us just when we feel weak. Instead, he is constantly helping us with our weakness. And Jesus’ ministry to us hasn’t stopped either. “Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us” (Romans 8.34, CSB).
The grace of God is beautiful and amazing. The gospel is too good to be true. And yet, it is true. It is real. My sinfulness does not take away from the beauty of the gospel. Instead, it makes the gospel that much more incredible. God’s anger toward sin did not stop with him pouring out his wrath on us. Instead, it moved him to condemn his Son in our place for our sin. Isaiah words it best: “But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds” (Isaiah 53.5, CSB).
Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for the incredible news of your gospel. Would you please cause those who don’t know you and who read this today to hear your call and enter into a relationship with you through surrendering to Jesus as Lord? And would you help those of us who know you through Jesus to appreciate your grace even more? We don’t deserve anything from you. Our sin is great, but we are eternally grateful that your grace is greater. Thank you for rescuing us.
*Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.
** Witmer, John A. “Romans.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2, Victor Books, 1985, p. 473.
*** Young, Robert. Young’s Literal Translation. Logos Bible Software, 1997, p. Ro 8:26–27.
Brian J Holland 
Leave a comment