Proverbs 8:36 But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death. I. UNBELIEF, OR A SINNER'S NOT BELIEVING, ACCEPTING, CLOSING WITH, AND RESTING ON CHRIST FOR SALVATION, IS THE SIN AGAINST CHRIST BY WAY OF EMINENCY. What treatment of Christ is it that is this sinning against Him? There is a doctrinal and a practical treatment of Him. Living ignorant of Christ and the fundamental truths of the gospel. Living insensible of our absolute need of Christ. Not believing the doctrines of the gospel. Of this treatment of Christ there are two evidences: their not seeking Him with the utmost diligence; their seeking life and salvation some other way —the way of the covenant of works or the way of uncovenanted mercy. II. CONFIRM THIS DOCTRINE. 1. Faith in Christ is honouring Him in a special manner; therefore unbelief must be a special dishonour. 2. Unbelief is the great Antichrist in the heart, sitting up there in downright opposition to the Son of God. 3. This sin engrosses the whole soul to itself against Christ. 4. It is the sin that ruins the hearers of the gospel, with whom Christ has to do. 5. It is equal to the grossest sins against the light of nature. 6. It is above these sins in heinousness. 7. It has none that goes beyond it but the sin against the Holy Ghost. 8. It is a sin directly striking against the glorious office wherewith Christ is invested, and while He is in the actual exercise of that office. III. UNBELIEF IS SIN AGAINST CHRIST BY WAY OF EMINENCY, AND THIS APPEARS FROM A VIEW OF SOME PARTICULAR PIECES OF MALIGNITY WRAPPED UP THEREIN. 1. It is a despising Him as the Father's choice. 2. It is a trampling of His love in taking the mediatory office. 3. It is a treating of Him as if He were an impostor. 4. It is a contempt poured upon His precious blood. 5. It is a frustrating of the ends of the death of Christ, as far as lies in the unbeliever's power. 6. It is a declining of His government most reproachfully. From this doctrine learn lessons for saints, for sinners, for all. IV. THE SINNER AGAINST CHRIST BY UNBELIEF WRONGS HIS OWN SOUL. 1. Wrongs his own soul really. He does in very deed do hurt and bring damage to himself, body and soul. He keeps his soul in a state of alienation from God. He keeps his soul under the guilt of all his sins. In a state of inability to do what is good or acceptable in the sight of God. It fixes the soul in a state of condemnation. 2. Wrongs his own soul only; not Christ whom he sins against. All sin is against the mind and honour of Christ, but no sin is against His happiness. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.WEB: But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death." |
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