The Devil's Logic
Using God's mercy as an excuse to live wickedly is devilish logic that leads to a lost soul.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that using God's mercy as a justification for sin is the devil's logic, which leads to destruction. He warns that such reasoning is a grave wickedness, as it turns the goodness of God into a license for immorality. Brooks argues that true grace cannot coexist with a lifestyle of sin, and those who adopt this mindset are in grave danger of God's wrath. He contrasts the responses to good and evil, highlighting that to repay good with evil is the most devilish act. Ultimately, he asserts that a genuine Christian cannot live wickedly in light of God's grace.
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"Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we who are dead to sin, live
any longer therein?" Romans 6:1, 2
To argue from God's mercy to sinful liberty--is the devil's
logic--and such logicians do ever walk as upon a mine of
gunpowder ready to be blown up! No such soul can ever
avert or avoid the wrath of God. This is wickedness at the
height--for a man to be very bad, because God is very good!
There is not a worse spirit than this in hell. Ah, Lord, does
not wrath, yes, the greatest wrath, lie at this man's door?
Are not the strongest chains of darkness prepared for such
a soul? To sin against mercy is bestial; no, it is worse!
To render good for evil is divine.
To render good for good is human.
To render evil for evil is brutish.
But to render evil for good is devilish!
There is nothing in the world which renders a man more
unlike a Christian, and more like Satan--than to argue
from God's mercy to sinful liberty; from divine goodness
to licentiousness. This is devilish logic, and in whomever
you find it, you may write, 'This soul is lost!'
A man may as truly say, 'the sea burns', or 'the fire cools'
--as that God's free grace and mercy should make a truly
gracious soul to live wickedly.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Devil's Logic
- A. Arguing from God's mercy to sinful liberty
- B. The consequences of such logic
- II. The Nature of Sin
- A. Sin against mercy
- B. The comparison of sin to bestiality
- III. The Character of a Christian
- A. Rendering good for evil
- B. Rendering evil for evil
- IV. The Danger of Devilish Logic
- A. The effect on the soul
- B. The warning signs
Key Quotes
“To argue from God's mercy to sinful liberty--is the devil's logic--and such logicians do ever walk as upon a mine of gunpowder ready to be blown up!” — Thomas Brooks
“To sin against mercy is bestial; no, it is worse!” — Thomas Brooks
“A man may as truly say, 'the sea burns', or 'the fire cools'--as that God's free grace and mercy should make a truly gracious soul to live wickedly.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must be careful not to use God's mercy as an excuse to live wickedly, but rather be grateful for His goodness and live a righteous life.
- A truly gracious soul will live a righteous life, while one that is wicked will use God's mercy as an excuse to live wickedly.
- We must distinguish between a truly gracious soul and one that is wicked, and be like Christ in our character and actions.