The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 1

The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 1

"Foe he flatters himself in his own eyes - until his iniquity is found to be hateful" (Psalm 36:2).

In the foregoing verse, David says, "An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes." That is, when David saw that the wicked went on in sin, in an allowed way of wickedness, it convinced him, that they were not afraid of those terrible judgments, and of that wrath with which God has threatened sinners. If they were afraid of these things - they could never go on so securely in sin, as they did.

In our text David gives the reason why the wicked did not fear. It was a strange thing that men, who enjoyed such light as they did in the land of Israel, who read and heard those many dreadful threatenings which were written in the book of the law - should not be afraid to go on in sin. But says the Psalmist, "They flatter themselves in their own eyes!" That is - they have something or other which they make a foundation of encouragement, whereby they persuade themselves that they shall escape those judgments; and which makes them put that day of judgment far away from themselves.

In this manner he proceeds, until his iniquity is found to be hateful. That is - until he finds by experience that it is a more dreadful thing to sin against God, and break his holy commands, than he imagined. He thinks sin to be sweet - and hides it as a sweet morsel under his tongue! He loves it, and flatters himself in it, until at length he finds, by experience - that it is as bitter as gall and wormwood! Though he thinks the commission of sin to be lovely - yet he will find the fruit of it to be hateful, and what he cannot endure. "As last it will bite like a serpent - and sting like an adder!" (Proverbs 23:32).

Here observe three things:

1. The subject spoken of, is the WICKED MAN, of whom the Psalmist had been speaking in the foregoing verse.

2. His action in flattering himself in his own eyes. That is - he makes himself and his case to appear to himself, or in his own eyes, better than it is.

3. How long he continues so to do - until his iniquity is found to be hateful. Which may be taken for his sin itself - the wicked will see how odious sin is to God - when he shall feel the effects of God's hatred! He will find his iniquity to be hateful, as he will find the hatefulness and feel the terribleness of the FRUIT of his iniquity.

DOCTRINE:

Wicked men generally flatter themselves with hopes of escaping eternal punishment, until it actually comes upon them!

There are but few sinners who despair, who give up the cause and conclude with themselves, that they shall go to hell. Yet there are but few who do not go to hell. It is to be feared that men go to hell every day out of this country - yet very few of them allow themselves to believe, that they are in any great danger of that dreadful punishment. They go on sinning and traveling in the direct road to the bottomless pit - yet by one means or another, they persuade themselves that they shall never fall into it!

In my present discourse, I shall:

1. Mention some things in confirmation of the doctrine - that sinners flatter themselves with the hope of sinning with impunity.

2. Mention some of the various ways wherein sinners flatter themselves in that false hope.

3. Show that sinners generally go on flattering themselves, until eternal punishment actually overtakes them.

I. I am to mention some things in confirmation of the doctrine, that sinners flatter themselves with the hope of sinning with impunity.

1. We are so taught in the word of God. Beside our text, you may see, Deuteronomy 29:18, 19. "The LORD made this covenant with you so that no man, woman, family, or tribe among you would turn away from the LORD our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you would bear bitter and poisonous fruit. Let none of those who hear the warnings of this curse consider themselves immune, thinking, 'I will be safe, even though I am walking in my own stubborn way.' This would lead to utter ruin!" Where it is supposed that they whose hearts turn away from God, and are roots that bear gall and wormwood, generally bless themselves in their hearts, saying, "I will be safe!"

See also Psalm 49:17, 18. "He will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lives, he counted himself blessed." And Psalm 50:21. "These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face!"

2. It is very evident, that sinners flatter themselves that they shall escape punishment, by this - that otherwise they would be in dreadful and continual distress. Otherwise, as long as they are in sin - they could never live and go about so cheerfully as they now do! Their lives would be filled with sorrow and mourning, and they would be in continual uneasiness and distress; as much as those that are exercised with some violent pain of body. But it is evident that it is not in fact so; it is apparent that men are careless and secure; that they are not much concerned about future punishment, and that they cheerfully pursue their business and recreations. Therefore they undoubtedly flatter themselves - that they shall not be eternally miserable in hell, as they are threatened in the Word of God.

3. It is evident that they flatter themselves with hopes that they shall escape punishment, as otherwise they would certainly be restrained at least from many of those sins in which they now live - and they would not proceed in wilful courses of sin. This sinfulness of the wicked convinced the Psalmist, and is enough to convince everyone - that there is no fear of God before his eyes, and that he flatters himself in his own eyes. It would be impossible for men allowedly from day to day to do those very things, which they know are threatened with everlasting destruction, if they did not some way encourage themselves, they would nevertheless escape that destruction.

~Jonathan Edwards~

(continued with # 2)