Day 7 - The Folly of Trusting in Our Own Hearts

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will escape.

Prov 28:26 (LSB)

Trusting in Our Own Hearts is Ill-Advised and Dangerous

In our day and age it is almost axiomatic that you should trust your own heart. This seems to be the advise of the day: when in doubt just trust your heart. But while this sounds noble, it is unbiblical. It is this danger of trusting our own hearts particularly in temptation that Owen wants us to see. 

Th e Unbelieving and Believing Hearts are of No Help when Facing Temptation

There are two basic realities that Owen points out about trusting your heart:
1) The unbelieving heart (even that of a professing Christian who does not truly believer) is of no use. It is of "little worth." (Prov 10:20)
2) Trusting your heart (regardless if you are a believer or unbeliever) is the act of a fool. (Prov 28:26)

Thus, we should never look to our own hearts to protect us from temptation. Quite the contrary, our hearts are "deceitful above all things." (Jer 17:9)

Four False Defenses our Hearts Give Against Temptation

Owen further points out that our hearts will claim varies reasons that they will not lead us into temptation. Yet, in each case this proves to be only a temporary protection at best and no protection at all ultimately.

The four false defenses against temptation are:
1) We will not give into temptation because we love honor in this world (and thus we would not do something that would bring dishonor).
2) Our distaste for shame, reproach, loss, and the like will stop us from entering into temptation.
3) We do not want to wound our own conscience; this will protect us in our hour of temptation.
4) The vileness of sin (and our utter distaste for it) will keep us from entering into temptation.

All four of these supposed reasons are false. None of them provide any real ultimate protection from temptation.  They amount to rationalization on why we would "never sin," when in reality they offer no real protection from temptation nor stop to entering into sin.

Our Challenge

Do you believe you have the strength, the fortitude to withstand temptation? Do you believe that you have such a distaste for sin and such a cancer for honor and following your own conscience, that you would "never sin?" You are deceiving yourself. Your heart is deceiving you (just as Jer 17:9) warns. We must humbly turn to Christ and cry out that He would protect us from temptation.