Affliction Magnifies Sin Kills

Tonight we continue to study the second part of the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “And deliver us from evil (of sin and sinning),” with Thomas Watson. First, he continues from our study last time with the fact that affliction is better than sin and magnifies Christians as a sign of their sonship, a way to bring honour to religion, and receiving prayers of God’s people for suffering for Christ; and, though affliction can only hurt a man while living, sin hurts him when he is dead. In fact, sin is also worse than death and worse than hell. Thus we should look upon sin’s dismal affects, an seek more to be cured from it than other pains; admire the wonderful patience of God that bears with sinners; recognize there is no little sin; see all personal and national troubles come from sin; see how little reason has any one to be in love with sin; see how foolish are those who make light of sin; infer there is no good to be got by sin; see the folly of those who venture upon sin for the passing pleasure they have in it; recognize it is wisdom to depart from sin; see how justifiable and commendable are all those means which are sued to keep me from sin; acknowledge what a bad choice they make who choose to sin to avoid affliction; agree that Christians should make it all their care to keep from sin in life; and resolve that sin should make us long for and hope in heaven.