The Sins of Presumption

The Sins of Presumption

It is a terrible thing to be executed - more terrible when God Himself is the executioner. Among the many stories found in the Bible, there are several which tell of men whom God struck dead. In none of the instances recorded where God visited punishment of death upon one of His own was the sentence passed for any moral sin. No violation of what we call the Ten Commandments has ever been followed by death imposed by God.

Nadab and Abihu, in Leviticus 10:1, 2, brought ordinary fire, perhaps a kitchen stove fire, into the tabernacle of God to light the incense, which is a symbol of worship. God struck them dead immediately. The fire should have been taken from the brazen altar, from the fire which had originally been lit by fire sent down from Heaven. Here was the great sin of worship on a basis of human works. In this awful manner God taught that worship, to be acceptable to Him, must be on the basis of His works and His grace.

Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 4:11) were struck dead by God, and their father, Eli, died (when he heard the news) because the fattest cuts of meat were served to these boys by their dying father during the distribution of the food to the priests. Once for all, the principle is brought out that there is to be no favoritism in the ministry of the Word, but that all is to be equal on the basis of the gracious infilling of the Holy Spirit. These corpses of the sons of the high priest testified against favoritism or the advancement of friends in the work of God. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead because they pretended to be fully surrendered to God when they were consciously holding back a part of their possessions. Their sin was precisely the same as that of church members who sing, "I surrender all" when they do not mean it.

In other words, spiritual sins were punishable by death, whereas moral sins were not only covered over by the grace of God, but those who had committed these sins were restored to fellowship and used by God in the carrying on of His work. It would appear that lying, swindling, murder, adultery, betrayal, and stiff-necked stubbornness do not merit penalties as great as sins of worship in self-will, personal favoritism in the things of God, and hypocrisy in surrender. The significance of this statement is to be found in the fact that God knows what the old nature is like, and that it can never be anything else, but spiritual sins involve the holiness of God Himself.

One strong word of warning is called for here. If the old nature should take undue liberty because of God's grace and the second chance given to men who have sinned morally, then that presumption would become a spiritual sin involving more disaster than the actual commission of an overt act of sin. God's Word says, "What thcn, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid." This is probably the meaning of David's statement, "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins." A better translation would seem to be, "Keep back thy servant also from sins of presumption." In other words, because God's character is so gracious and loving, we must not sin against that grace.

1. What is a good definition of a spiritual sin, and a moral sin? What are the main distinctions?
2. What is the best thing a soul can do in order to become enemies with their sin?