Yesterday, I began a series called, “When It’s Time For A New Heart.” If you missed part 1 click here.

God was displeased with the people of Judah for their disobedience. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God told the people He was going to give them a new heart (Eze. 36:26). But why? Why did the people of Judah need a new heart?

They Didn’t Despise Sin! The people of Judah allowed the sin around them (Eze. 36:25). They were practicing idolatry, something they knew they shouldn’t be involved in (Ex. 20:3-6). My question is, “Who was protesting and trying their hardest to stop the corruption that was taking place? Who was opposing their false idols?”  If anyone was in opposition, although I doubt it based on Ezekiel 22:30, why didn’t they try harder to stop the corruption around them? The reason seems pretty plain…they didn’t truly despise sin. They allowed sin to be around.

Christians today are too accepting of sin. We live in a culture that says, “Love the sinner but hate the sin.” However, I’m afraid there is not hatred of sin. It’s more like, we love the sinner and ignore the sin. In the book of Revelation, Jesus said He hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:6). If Jesus hated the evil around Him, shouldn’t we do the same?

Consider how accepting we are of sin. Take the television and movies for example. Both of these are filled with a lot of corruption and sin and yet we allow our kids and ourselves to watch such filth. David said, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (Psa. 101:3). How much damage have we done to our souls and the souls of our children by allowing such worthless content to be set before our eyes?

The Apostle Paul said, “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Rom. 12:9). The word “Abhor” means, “To regard with extreme repugnance; loathe.”

We should despise and hate sin. Ezekiel told the people God was going to cause them to remember their evil ways and loathe themselves because of their sins (vs. 31-32). The word “loathe” means, “to dislike greatly often with disgust or intolerance; detest.”

When we see sin in our own life or the lives of others, we should loathe it. We should be disgusted by what lives filled with sin looks like. We should want to rid our lives of sin, after all, it is our sins and iniquities that separate us from God (Isa. 59:2). The Psalmist said, “O you who love the Lord, hate evil…” (Psa. 97:10). If we really love God, we will hate those things He finds offensive. Yes, I agree wholeheartedly, we are to love sinners. Let’s just not forget the part about hating sin.

Friends, when we don’t despise and hate sin, we need a new heart.

Now that’s Something to Think About!