The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Transgression speaks from within the wicked because there is no fear of God before their eyes, and that absence defines who they are — workers who act recklessly without reverence for God, living in a careless, self-pleasing way. To have the fear of God before the eyes is to be laid under moral obligation to restrain corrupt passions and to maintain proper self-government from a sense of moral duty and reverence for God, even when public opinion and custom do not condemn the act. Where that fear is absent iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold, and even among God's professed people few view sensual sin in the right light, few govern themselves aright, and few restrain passion from principle, so that appetite and corrupt passions enslave the higher faculties.
The lack of that fear shows itself in low, evil habits such as little dishonest acts and mean talk and mean acts. Those without it have hearts not right with God and will be left outside the city, and they are often among the most confident, boastful, and apparently zealous, loving in word but not in deed and in truth, which marks them as wicked in contrast to timid, conscientious, retiring believers who have many fears yet faithfully do their duty and bless others. The same absence of God's fear belongs to the fearful and unbelieving who are ashamed of Christ, who are afraid to do right and follow Christ lest they suffer pecuniary loss, and who neglect duty to avoid reproach, trials, dangers, persecution, loss, and suffering, and as cowards they ripen with idolaters, liars, and all sinners for the second death with no place in the kingdom of God. Such people corrupt everyone who associates with them, so their company must be shunned as deadly poison, their example never imitated, and their ways despised, while by holding correct thoughts and correct ways and forming a good, pure character it is possible to keep the mind lifted up and elevated above their level.
The absence of the fear of God appears in children in a home where parents neglect prayer, so parents should pray with faith, trusting God to remain with them and holy angels to guard them and their children from Satan's power. Parents must not allow their children to grow up in the wicked's careless, self-pleasing way of living without the fear of God, but should train them to govern their lives by the pure principles of God's Word.
Transgression speaks from within the wicked because there is no fear of God before their eyes, and that absence defines who they are — workers who act recklessly without reverence for God, living in a careless, self-pleasing way. To have the fear of God before the eyes is to be laid under moral obligation to restrain corrupt passions and to maintain proper self-government from a sense of moral duty and reverence for God, even when public opinion and custom do not condemn the act. Where that fear is absent iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold, and even among God's professed people few view sensual sin in the right light, few govern themselves aright, and few restrain passion from principle, so that appetite and corrupt passions enslave the higher faculties.
The lack of that fear shows itself in low, evil habits such as little dishonest acts and mean talk and mean acts. Those without it have hearts not right with God and will be left outside the city, and they are often among the most confident, boastful, and apparently zealous, loving in word but not in deed and in truth, which marks them as wicked in contrast to timid, conscientious, retiring believers who have many fears yet faithfully do their duty and bless others. The same absence of God's fear belongs to the fearful and unbelieving who are ashamed of Christ, who are afraid to do right and follow Christ lest they suffer pecuniary loss, and who neglect duty to avoid reproach, trials, dangers, persecution, loss, and suffering, and as cowards they ripen with idolaters, liars, and all sinners for the second death with no place in the kingdom of God. Such people corrupt everyone who associates with them, so their company must be shunned as deadly poison, their example never imitated, and their ways despised, while by holding correct thoughts and correct ways and forming a good, pure character it is possible to keep the mind lifted up and elevated above their level.
The absence of the fear of God appears in children in a home where parents neglect prayer, so parents should pray with faith, trusting God to remain with them and holy angels to guard them and their children from Satan's power. Parents must not allow their children to grow up in the wicked's careless, self-pleasing way of living without the fear of God, but should train them to govern their lives by the pure principles of God's Word.