Should God Chain Up Satan
The sermon emphasizes that our sinful nature is the root cause of our sin, and that Satan can only present temptation, but we have the power to choose whether or not to sin.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the inherent evil within humanity, asserting that even without the influence of Satan or wicked individuals, man's sinful nature would still lead him to sin. He describes the corrupted state of the human heart and mind, illustrating that temptation alone does not cause sin; rather, it is the evil root within that drives us to it. Brooks argues that while Satan can tempt, he cannot force us to sin, as the choice ultimately lies within our corrupted nature. He concludes by highlighting the redemptive work of Jesus, who endured immense suffering to save humanity from its sinful state.
Text
"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." Mt. 15:19
Man has an evil root within him. Were there no devil to
tempt him, nor any wicked men to entice him, yet that
cursed sinful nature which is in him, would draw him to
sin, though he knows beforehand that 'the wages of sin
is eternal death.'
The whole frame of man is out of frame.
The understanding is dark,
the will cross,
the memory slippery,
the affections crooked,
the conscience corrupted,
the tongue poisoned,
the heart wholly evil, only evil, and continually evil.
Should God chain up Satan, and give him no liberty to
tempt or entice people to vanity or folly, yet they could
not but sin against Him, by reason of that cursed nature
that is in them.
Satan can only present the golden cup--but he has no
power to force us to drink the poison that is in the cup.
He can only present to us the glory of the world, he
cannot force us to fall down and worship him, to enjoy
the world. He can only spread his snares, he has no
power to force us to walk in the midst of his snares.
From the cradle to the cross, His whole life was
a life of sufferings. Jesus waded through . . .
a sea of trouble,
a sea of sin,
a sea of blood
a sea of wrath,
that sinners might be pardoned, justified, reconciled,
and saved!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Nature of Man
- A. Man has an evil root within him
- B. Man's sinful nature draws him to sin
- II. The Effects of Sin
- A. The whole frame of man is out of frame
- B. The understanding, will, memory, affections, conscience, tongue, and heart are all corrupted
- III. Satan's Role
- A. Satan can only present temptation, he cannot force us to sin
- B. Satan's power is limited to presenting the glory of the world, but not forcing us to worship it
- IV. The Power of Choice
- A. We have the power to choose between good and evil
- B. Our choices have consequences, either for good or for evil
Key Quotes
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” — Thomas Brooks
“Satan can only present the golden cup--but he has no power to force us to drink the poison that is in the cup.” — Thomas Brooks
“From the cradle to the cross, His whole life was a life of sufferings.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must recognize the evil root within us and seek to overcome it through faith in Jesus Christ.
- We have the power to choose between good and evil, and our choices have consequences.
- We should not blame Satan for our sin, but rather take responsibility for our own choices.