Marching in Hell

(Proverbs 16:5 KJV)  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

The is a danger in being “proud” (1364) in “heart” (3820) {end}.  This leads us to the situation we see in verse 2 where we are so impressed with our own plans.  To be proud is to be exalted.  When this attitude is lodged in your central, core being it lays the groundwork for your entire life.  We see ourselves as better than others, not based on any empirical data, but just because we know it in our inner being.  Not only is this the foundation for racism, class envy and tyranny, it is the reason that people cut in line, weave through traffic and leave a mess for the waitress to clean up.  After all, who are these people that think they can get in front of me?

Ultimately, or perhaps initially, a proud heart even looks down on almighty God.  I see this is a lot of “scholars,” “persons in authority,” and bloggers.  I listen to and read people who take simple, clear teachings of the Bible, such as the physical resurrection of Jesus, and tell us that it could not mean anything like what it says.  I hear people who know that Jesus said we would not know when He would return giving dates and times.  A proud heart refuses to bend its knee at the name of Jesus.

Let me share a theory with you.  This is not doctrine or a “word from the Lord.”  It is just a way I have worked out to try and understand how some people will go to hell.  I think of the picture of all humanity appearing before the judgment seat.  On one side is a gate to heaven.  On the other side is the gate to hell.  I don’t think that God will need to force anyone through the gate to hell.  They will march through singing, with fists held high and proud hearts.  You see, the door to heaven is not only narrow; it is low.  To enter you would have to bow.  Also, just as the flames of hell are billowing out one door, the other radiates the holiness of God.  The proud of heart will respond to the heat holiness the way that the righteous respond to the fires of Hell.  God won’t need to say or do anything.  People have already made the choices in their hearts. 

Just a theory.  So, where is your heart?