Presumptuous Sins

From Gospel Chapel

“Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:12-14.

Let us consider David’s special concern over presumptuous sins because of their heinous nature. 

“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” 

He perceived how the inclinations in his heart were well and alive.  His heart was reconciled to the Lord, but he knew there was the danger of presumptuous sins leading to the great transgression and losing the Lord’s nearness.

Presumptuous sins are sins against knowledge and against the light of conscience.  When our consciences convict and warn us but we overrule them, it is a presumptuous sin.  This is “the great transgression.”  We can plead our inability and ignorance when we ask the Lord for forgiveness; the Apostle Paul says he was forgiven because he did not know what he was doing, but presumptuous sins are sins against light and knowledge, which are most provoking to the Lord.

Presumptuous sins are also sins of omission: knowing what is good but not doing it.  We read in James 4:17:

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” 

We are to bring up our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  If we neglect our children, it is a presumptuous sin of omission and grievous in the eyes of the Lord.

There is a difference between the sins of infirmity and the sins of passion, as we see in Moses and Uzziah.  Moses, in his infirmity was the meekest of all men, yet in a fit of temper, he cried, “Must I fetch you water out of this rock?”  He did not sanctify the Lord, which was not a premeditated sin of presumption, but of passion, so the Lord forbade him from entering the Promised Land.  Uzziah stretched forth his hand to keep the ark of the Lord from falling off a cart and the Lord struck him dead on the spot.  If we are aware of the Lord’s displeasure upon those sins, then we tremble to think of falling into presumptuous sins: overruling our conscience, by design, knowing they are sins.

Presumptuous sinners do not sin unwittingly, because such sins are committed not only with knowledge, but also with forethought, as with Joseph’s brothers.  We read in Genesis 37:18:

“And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.” 

They considered and conspired to sin, with knowledge and against their consciences.  David said,

“Let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression,”

Presumptuous sins greatly displeasing to the Lord.

Presumptuous sin is a desperate sin, because it is accompanied by pride.  The sinner, who knows the mind of God yet says with Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that I should obey Him,” defies the Lord, because his conscience tells him he is doing wrong.  Joseph’s brothers knew they were doing wrong, because they were not in full agreement: one of the brothers wanted to deliver Joseph from under their hands.  They knew they were sinning out of jealousy, envy, and hatred.  Presumptuous sins are an affront to the authority of God.

Presumptuous sin is a sin against love and mercy, and the sinner who knows God’s will makes mercy kneel to his sin.  Jeremiah 3:12-14 says,

“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.  [He pleads with rebellious people!]  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” 

The merciful God of heaven is beseeching the sinner!  Presumptuous sinners sin against mercy, the longsuffering of God, and the love of God, deliberately and willfully rebelling against His voice.

Presumptuous sinners are neither melted by love nor stirred by judgments.  The Lord will show mercy and not cause His anger to fall upon them, but a presumptuous sinner’s heart is hardened and his conscience is seared as with a hot iron.  David sinned presumptuously in the matter of Uriah and his wife, because he premeditated his sin. He saw the woman, he sent a messenger, he took her, and he sent a letter telling Joab to put Uriah in the front lines to be slain.  He sinned with knowledge and his conscience was seared.  Amen.

Jesus, Lord of life and glory,
Bend from heaven Thy gracious ear;
While our waiting souls adore Thee,
Friend of helpless sinners, hear;
By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.
From the depth of nature’s blindness,
From the hardning power of sin,
From all malice and unkindness,
From the pride that lurks within
By Thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.

James J. Cummins, 1839