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What is an abomination?

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What is an abomination?

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The back of a woman with her head down. Volkan Olmez/Unsplash
In the world that God is preparing for us, there will be no room for abominations.

The words abomination and abominations appear in the New King James Version of the Bible 152 times. When we examine the Greek and Hebrew words translated "abomination" in Scripture, we see that these words have very definite implications. Abomination is used exclusively to describe things that are disgusting, loathsome and absolutely intolerable—things that are unacceptable to God.

Christians would do well to take note of what God labels abominations. Such things, be they actions, attitudes or objects, have no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. Some of the most notable abominations before God include:

Dishonesty (Proverbs 12:22).
Arrogant pride (Proverbs 16:5).
Ignoring God's law (Proverbs 28:9).
Devising evil and sowing discord (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Eating what the Bible calls "unclean" animals (Leviticus 11:8; Leviticus 11:11; Leviticus 11:13; Leviticus 11:23).
The act of homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22).

The book of Revelation explicitly states concerning the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for His people, "There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Revelation 21:27).

In the world that God is preparing for us, there will be no room for abominations. If we want to be a part of that Kingdom, now is the time to look to God and, with His help, rid ourselves of the things that could keep us out.

For more insight, please read our booklet The Road to Eternal Life.

What is sin and how can I overcome it? unclean animals sowing discord pride Homosexuality dishonesty christian abomination Character

Comments

  • Tamers64
    Tami J Kirk

    Ezekiel 18:12 ►
    Parallel Verses
    King James Version
    Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

  • Donette
    Donette Cabrera...

    I rent out rooms in my home to help me meet the bills. I normally will not rent to an unmarried couple as that would knowingly bring lifestyle of sin into my home, but recently a young couple unequally yoked asked if they could rent 2 separate rooms if the promised not to fornicate in my home. I agreed. They broke up within weeks. I now have someone interested in renting a room that I believe is lesbian. I planned on having the same conversation with her about no unmarried fornication in my home, but a family member insists this is different situation because homosexuality is an abomination vs heterosexual unmarried fornication is only a sin. When the scripture says "As for me and my house we will follow the lord", am I violating that if I rent a room in my home to a nonchristian?.... ... to a professed Christian who is homosexual? Or how about to a professed Christian who is heterosexual but lies, eats pork or has sex outside of marriage?

    I would appreciate your thoughts...... and if you walk and Torah and need a room for rent in Bradenton Florida, Please please contact me.

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle

    Hi Donette,
    I think it is admirable that you try to adhere to God's laws. Since you have a pattern of having a pre-rent conversation about behavior that is/is not acceptable in your home, I don't see why this would have to differ. In the end, you can only be responsible for your own behavior. If you've made your rules known you are advocating for God's way, but from that point forward your renters are responsible for their own actions.

  • Skip Miller
    Skip Miller

    Hello Donette
    I appreciate your adherence to God's stated rules.
    I believe you are doing your very best. I believe you said, "that I believe is lesbian."
    I guess that you really aren't sure. Perhaps you should go ahead and have your regular, normal pre-rent conversation. That will allow you both "to put your cards on the table."
    As far as your needing regular advice about the multitude of possible situations, I would advise speaking with someone you trust who is of the very same mind set as you.

  • for my people
    Phillip Bereal
    If you want to be saved, you live to be saved. If you are driving and the sign says "STOP", if you travel through the intersection failing to stop, you look around because your conscience condemns you because you know you have broken the law. Even if you can explain to an officer the reasons for running a stop sign, the Law is broken and must be satisfied. The question remains: Why take a chance in the first place? Just stop! Jesus said, "If your eye is darkness, how great is that darkness? His statement suggests degrees of light. Some have greater vision than others, however, there is still the presence of light. Why live on the fringes, come to a greater level of personal knowledge of who Jesus is and God will fill the soul with light. Then, one may discern clearly what the will of God is for his or her life and can either choose to remain in abomination or come out of it.
  • rockofages78853
    Gabriel
    The word defined everything. Abomination is unclean, our thinking, our action, why we try to denied what we really is. Only by crist we are clean with out abomination on our mind.
  • Ivan Veller
    Ivan Veller

    @Dziwczyna, Re: "a monogamous homosexual is an oxymoron."

    There are exceptions. For instance, the relative of someone I know has been in a homosexual relationship for decades.

    @Halcyon Ford, Re: "I await your 'study' that homosexuals are incapable of monogamy, which you may locate near the studies of...why Jew's eat babies during Holy Days"

    The argument is not at all capability, but rather statistical prevalence. For instance, San Francisco State University's Gay Couples Study (2010), an ongoing longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (and reported by the New York Times), found that after 3 years (2010), about 50% have sex outside of the relationship--with their partner's approval.

  • Ivan Veller
    Ivan Veller

    Re: "adultery...and craftsmanship (at least one of which every person is guilty of) carries the same weight of “abomination” in the Bible. I truly wish people would realize that the Bible was written by and interpreted by mortal man in accordance with the time period."

    SuchThings:

    God himself is a master craftsman: "For we are his workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10, ESV 2011), so to say what you are saying is calling God Himself an abomination--something I would personally fear to do.

    The same Being "'filled [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!'" (Exodus 31:3-5, NLT 2010).

    God, however, is against the perversion of something intended for good into something intended for evil (such as crafting an idol, Jeremiah 10:3), in the same way that he is totally against the wantonly adulterous betrayal of a precious spouse who should always be loved, honored, and cherished--regardless of the time period.

  • Sabrina Peabody
    Sabrina Clore

    Hi SuchThings,

    I think if someone believes in God and that the Word of God is inspired by Him having worked through mortal man to record His commands and words, that it is clear there are more things that are considered abominations than just homosexuality. UCG is trying to point out what the Bible says is truth and what God judges to be abominations or not. 1 Corinthians 6:9 mentions other things that will prohibit someone from entering the Kingdom of God which include fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals and sodomites. God wants all humans to learn His ways and turn from sin. If God hates it, why do it?

    I had a friend who worked with someone writing a software program. She asked if they could add a feature in the program and based on the purpose of the software, that feature--according to the man-- would be "an abomination!" God has a plan to have a family, one that understands GOd's character and practices it. One of God's first commands was to "be fruitful and multiply." The act of homosexuals does not produce actual fruit (children). God is working to produce godly children. Perhaps this is one reason why He considers it an abomination?

  • SuchThings
    SuchThings

    This is for Halcyon Ford.

    I doubt you will end up reading this but I felt it necessary to post regardless. I had just watched a film where the issue of homosexuality was addressed and it sparked a couple of questions in me. It seems that people are quick to quote Lev 18:22 in reference to homosexuality, calling it an abomination. However, there are many “abominations” in the Bible and yet very few people acknowledge them (If I dare say, they blatantly ignore them and only use quotes relevant to their own personal agendas, like with Lev 18:22). I went looking for a list of other “abominations” from the Bible and happened upon this site. I find it amazing that we as species have yet to evolve past condemning two people (of same genders, and who are pursuing love) because of the word “abomination” and don’t acknowledge that lying, adultery, eating lobster, and craftsmanship (at least one of which every person is guilty of) carries the same weight of “abomination” in the Bible. I truly wish people would realize that the Bible was written by and interpreted by mortal man in accordance with the time period.

    Anyway, my point being, I wanted to thank you. It, unfortunately, is rare to come across someone who shows genuine thought and has an opinion without passing harsh judgment. The world needs more enlightened minds like yours. Thank you.

  • Halcyon Ford
    Halcyon Ford

    @ dziwczyna - while I await your 'study' that homosexuals are incapable of monogamy, which you may locate near the studies of why black people cannot be President and why Jew's eat babies during Holy Days, I might try to suggest that any person of ay colour, race, sex, orientation or religion cannot reasonably be stereotyped.

    I personally know of many heterosexual couples that are not monogamous - shown in studies where 30% of paternity tests prove men raise children not their own. If you personally know a heterosexual, you know it is not true that they can be monogamous.

    If I may by illustration point out that a vast number of murder victims are found alongside hiking trails. As I see dziwczyna that you yourself are a hiker, that therefore - there is a reasonably high possibility that that you are a murderer?

    So you see that perhaps it is not fair or reasonable to make assumptions about people based on limited and faulty logic.

    I am however perfectly entitled to believe of the monogamy of the homosexual couple next door as I am of the heterosexual couple next door - who are raising a child from her affair in 2010.

  • Halcyon Ford
    Halcyon Ford

    Please cite the study(s) that you refer too.

  • dziwczyna
    Nadine

    I don't think this comment will satisfy Mr. Ford, but it needs to be stated nonetheless: a monogamous homosexual is an oxymoron. Studies proves it! Also if you have personally known a homosexual, you know it's not true either.

  • Halcyon Ford
    Halcyon Ford

    Homosexuality

    If you are a heterosexual, ask yourself this question: if I was asked to not act on my instinct of attraction to the opposite sex, to deny intimacy with them, to banish thoughts of such attraction and that such an attraction was an abomination - think about this as a person - not as a person of religion with definite beliefs, just a person - perhaps think about this with your spouse in mind, that you would be alone - asked never to have had the experience and comfort of your companion, presumably that you felt was a bond for life.
    Now take that away from a gay man or woman that have been in a monogamous relationship for 25 years.

    In my reading of the bible, there is no abomination greater than another - they appear (outside of personal judgement) to be equal. But by the grace of God go I, when exactly did you decide to be heterosexual? Looking at nature - I dot think that such a decision is 'made' by anyone.

    Yet I see no such proclamation of doomed civilizations over the terrible Shellfish, Pork, Haggis or Kangaroo Food Agenda's.

    Psychopath

    If I were bold enough to make a determination of the order of abominations, I would place 'Devising evil and sowing discord' right at the top - but no such proclamation of doomed civilizations (Same-Sex Marriage Threatens Civilization - Larry Walker) is made as the world is at a tipping point of psychopathy - driving people to suicide (a favorite pastime of theirs), destroying communities, bullying in the workplace and schools and deceiving many - out of fear, their accomplices help them achieve their diabolical goals of destruction of their chosen targets: good and decent people.

    In fact Dishonesty, Ignoring God's Law and Arrogant Pride - applies to the psychopath also!

    As a matter of perspective, why not concentrate on the worst abomination of them all 'Devising evil and sowing discord' - teaching, warning and helping people who are unfortunate enough to have encountered the psychopath.

  • Skip Miller
    Skip Miller

    Hello Halcyon Ford, (and those following this thread)

    Any sin, as defined by God, in God's Word, earns the death penalty.
    We must repent of any sin, of every sin.

    Now let's talk about homosexuality. Is it worse than any other sin?
    Please read the above. Sin earns death. Any sin has repercussions.
    One of the repercussions of homosexuality is no more people.
    We can argue till the cows come home but if you believe in God and also believe that God communicated (& communicates) by the Bible
    then you take to heart Gen 1: 28 "Be fruitful & multiply..."

    I'd like to add just a little more grist to this mill: Matt 19: 11&12
    Not every person must marry. Not every marriage results in a tribe of kids. But if you attempt to knowingly thwart God's plan & purpose,
    you will reap what you sow.

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