Kinds of Sinners – Proverbs 30:11-14

So a punk rocker, a Pharisee, a politician, and Genghis Kahn walked into bar…

There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.  There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.  There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!  There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind. (Proverbs 30:11–14, ESV)

Have you ever thought to categorize the kinds of sinfulness that people can perpetrate?  Well the sages of Israel did it.  And here are their categories:

Rebellion Against Authority.  This may manifest as rejection of parental authority, but it can be rejection of all kinds of authority.  The attitude is, “I don’t need to submit to anyone.  I am my own authority.”  This, of course, can lead to the other kinds of sinfulness.

Self-Righteous Uncleanness.  This person does not want to be seen as sinful, so may hide their sin, or they may actually think they are sinless.  The Apostle John deals with these levels of hiding from God’s light in 1 John 1:5-2:2.

Arrogance.  Pride is another word for this sinfulness.  It says, “I’m more important than anyone, and I’m more right than anyone.”  Can you think of any examples?  This is what Paul calls selfish ambition and vain conceit (Philippians 2:3).

Violent Wickedness.  The violence may not be physical, but it is real nonetheless.  This is the murderous spirit Jesus describes in his Sermon on the Mount, the violation of the spirit of the commandment, You shall not murder.

Say “Thank You” to the wise.