Proverbs 29:27. An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
Birds of a feather flock together.
The righteous should be way more comfortable around the righteous, and the unjust should be happy to be around others who are just as unjust. There should be a natural dislike between these two groups of people. As our proverb says, they consider each other to be an abomination. Repugnant. Incompatible. Offensive.
It makes sense that the wicked should be revulsive to the upright, but the righteous being revulsive to the wicked seems surprising. Yet when we consider the ultimate in righteousness, Jesus, and the ultimate in wickedness, Satan, it no longer surprises us. Satan is an abomination to our Lord, and our Lord is an abomination to the Devil. In his self-righteousness, the Devil has inverted morality. What is evil is good, and what is good is evil. Light is dark, and dark is light.
The enmity between Christ and Satan goes all the way back to the Garden (and even before, I’m sure). Genesis 3:15 declares that there will be enmity between Christ and Satan until his destruction is complete. The seed of the woman (Jesus) will crush the head of the seed of the serpent (Satan).
This is the cosmic conflict that has been raging ever since. This is the only real division of mankind – righteous and unrighteous. Not Jew and Gentile, not black and white, not rich and poor. The only way God distinguishes people is by their spiritual heritage. Seed of the serpent, or seed of the woman. Child of Satan, or child of God. In Adam, or in Christ. Self-righteousness or imputed righteousness.
Therein lies the key to understanding Proverbs 29:27. There is no righteousness in us apart from the imputed righteousness of Christ. There is none righteous, no not one, said the Apostle to the Romans. The truth is that apart from the gracious work of God, by the Holy Spirit’s conviction, none of us would ever choose righteousness. In fact, righteousness would be an abomination to us. The spiritual history of mankind proves this over and over again. Men and women with every spiritual advantage, access to every blessing, surrounded by God and his goodness, yet they still choose wickedness, injustice, and darkness.
Adam and Eve in a garden of delights, yet they choose to be their own gods.
The Israelites with every covenant blessing, including the presence of God, yet they choose to form and follow after a golden calf.
Kings adopted, crowned, and ready to be defended by God, yet they make treaties with the wicked nations that surround them.
Jews and Gentiles witnessing the glory and love of the God-Man on Earth, the only righteous person who ever lived, yet they nail him to a cross of shame as a criminal.
What about you? Is your wickedness an abomination to you? Does your own self-righteousness repulse you? Do you find your own idols to be repugnant? Offensive to Jesus? If you are answering yes to these questions, then likely you are learning to live from the indwelling righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness. Praise God!
You: How are you answering the questions above?
You in Christ: How does our union with Christ make us righteous? Just? Good not evil?
Christ in you: Are you finding injustice and wickedness to be more and more disgusting to you? Not because of your self-righteousness but because of God’s imputed righteousness?
Pray: Father, may all unrighteousness be an abomination to me, even as I love the unrighteous. Amen.
To Live is Christ 