Psalm 19:13 says, “Keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.”

This morning in my quiet time the Holy Spirit led me to compare Scripture with Scripture. I want to share the understanding I gained with you. I ask the Lord morning and night to keep me back from presumptuous sins. I thought it meant to presume I knew something that I didn’t. It is more than that.

Deuteronomy 1:43 says, “So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the Lord; and presumptuously went up into the mountain.” Moses was referring back to Numbers 14. He told them not to go up because they would transgress the command of the Lord. Verse 44 says, “But they presumed to go up to the mountain…” Numbers 15:30 uses the word defiantly. They willfully rebelled against God’s word

The context of 2 Peter 2 is about false teachers. Verse 10 says, “And especially those who walk according the the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority; ;they are presumptuous, self-willed…” The Amplified says, “…presumptuous (and) daring (self-willed and self-loving creatures)!”

James 4:17 gives us more succinct understanding. It says, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Passive inaction to do what God tells us to do. I love Psalm 19:7. It says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, make wise the simple.” His word is our standard of conduct. All action or inaction comes first from our thoughts.

Hebrews 12:10 clearly defines His disciplining purpose. It compares His way to our early father’s way. It says, “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.”

Let’s go back to verse 9. It says, “…Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” Amplified says cheerfully submit. Here is an interesting verse. Luke 12:33-48 is talking about servants. Verse 47 says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will…”

Contrast the above with Hebrews 5:8 which says, “Though He were a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things that He suffered.” Jesus didn’t sin. He promptly obeyed in all the Father asked Him to do. He was the perfect Son. We sin. We can be grateful the Lord watches us, and therefore cheerfully submit to the discipline of His loving course correction.

As I started to type this blog I got a text from a dear friend. She texted: I want to encourage you to not lean on your own understanding. It is just in my heart today. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. That is the encapsulation-fortification of not giving in to the temptation to presumptuously sin.