In the last issue of the Youth Messenger, we discussed the common problem of presumption and explained how it is a counterfeit of true faith. There are many ways in which presumption can manifest itself. One of the worst of the presumptuous sins is in thinking that we have already arrived at sinlessness of character—or somehow assuming that sin is something that will never attack us again once we have committed our lives to Christ and are baptized. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). With this type of attitude, we have nothing to confess and therefore nothing for which to receive forgiveness. But, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (Verses 9, 10).

“The attitude of Paul is the attitude to be taken by every one of the followers of Christ; for we are ever to be urging our way, striving lawfully for the crown of immortality. Not one may claim to be perfect. Let the recording angels write the history of the holy struggles and conflicts of the people of God, let them record their prayers and tears; but let not God be dishonored by the proclamation from human lips, declaring, ‘I am sinless. I am holy.’ Sanctified lips will never give utterance to such presumptuous words. Paul had been caught up to the third heaven, and had seen and heard things that could not be uttered, and yet his modest statement is, ‘Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after.’ Let the angels of heaven write of Paul’s victories in fighting the good fight of faith. Let heaven rejoice in his steadfast tread heavenward, keeping the prize in view for which he counts every other consideration as dross. Let the angels of heaven rejoice to tell his triumphs, but let Paul utter no vain praise of himself in making a boast of his attainments.”—The Signs of the Times, May 23, 1895.

Rather, what should be our attitude? “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12–14).

The main reason for presumptuous sins is pride of our own will above God’s will. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Such was the case of Babylon. “Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel” (Jeremiah 50:29). The Hebrew word here translated as “proud” has the same root as the word elsewhere translated as “presumption.”

Another illustration of this wrong type of attitude is found in the case of Pharaoh, where the same word in Exodus 18:11 is translated as “dealt proudly”: “And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them” (Exodus 18:10, 11).

But Pharaoh was not the only one with this problem. Even the children of Israel had it. The believers in Nehemiah’s day confessed to God that “our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not” (Nehemiah 9:16, 17). What a forgiving God we have!

Once again, we should emphasize that presumptuous sin is when a person knows and understands the will of God but refuses to obey, deliberately relying on God’s mercies to cover it. We read in Nehemiah 9:26–29 that although the children of Israel “were disobedient, and rebelled” against the Lord, He sought to bring them again unto His law. “Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not” to His commandments, but sinned against His judgments “(which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.”

This is also called rebellion or witchcraft. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23).

Why are people so prone to these types of sins? “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

“How grateful we should be that the Lord is slow to anger! What a wonderful thought it is, that Omnipotence puts a restraint upon His mighty power! But because the Lord is forbearing and long-suffering, the human heart often manifests a tendency to venture presumptuously to add sin to sin! . . . Instead of God’s patience hardening the sinner to continual transgression, it should lead him to determine to seek God’s forgiveness, in order that the figures standing against his account in the heavenly record may be canceled.”—The Upward Look, p. 41.

“Because God is merciful, and ready to forgive, there are those who say that it is safe to disobey Him. But this is presumption. God will forgive all who seek pardon and turn away from sin. But those who choose to disobey Him He cannot bless.”—The Story of Jesus, p. 46.

One thing that you will notice in these references to pride and presumption is that in each case someone is rebelling against the commandments of God. The psalmist declares, “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments” (Psalm 119:21).

These are the very ones who war against the faithful ones who do keep God’s law: “The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.” (Psalm 119:69).

Dear youth, what should therefore the prayer of each one of us be? “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. . . . 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” (Psalm 19:7, 8, 12, 13).