road that leads to destruction!
There is a spiritual laughter, which
is GOD-pleasing and beneficial.
There is a carnal laughter,
which is sinful and injurious.
for you shall mourn and weep!"
(Luke 6:25).
The laughter which CHRIST here
denounced, was a state of heart
which lived only for the present,
and had no serious concern for
the future. It was HIS censure
of those who are giddily gliding
along the broad road that leads
to destruction!
In the light of the immediate context,
the reference is to those who rejoiced
in the abundance of their worldly
possessions, and found their delight
in making gods of their bellies.
"I said of laughter, 'It is madness,'
and of pleasure, 'What does it
accomplish?'" (Ecclesiastes 2:2).
Those were the words of one who
was granted the opportunity and
afforded the means, of gratifying
every carnal desire and of obtaining
every object which the natural
heart and eye can covet--
only to prove from experience,
that all were but "vanity and
vexation of spirit."
There is no real or lasting
happiness in anything which
money can purchase. The void
within the human heart cannot be
filled by the objects of time and sense.
For one to pursue the shadows--
and miss the substance; to
devote himself to the things
which perish with the using--
yet be indifferent to those which
are eternal; to seek his delight
in gratifying the lusts of the flesh--
and neglect the welfare of his soul,
is nothing but a species of insanity!
a pot [noisy, but of brief duration]--
so is the laughter of the fool!"
(Ecclesiastes 7:6).
to scorn!" (Psalm 22:7).
So far were they from pitying HIM,
they added to HIS afflictions with
their ribaldry, making jest of HIS
very sufferings! Horrid humanity!
Fearful impiety!
None should ever doubt
the total depravity of man,
as they see here to what
unspeakable depths of iniquity
man sinks, when the restraining
hand of GOd is removed from him!
The spectators of the dying
REDEEMER'S agonies, exerted
the utmost of the venom of their
hearts upon HIM! This was
a Diabolical laughter!
There is also a divine laughter,
which is dreadful and disastrous.
To such David referred:
shall laugh" (Psalm 2:4),
which is the laughter of derision
against those who think to defy
HIM with impunity.
And again GOD says,
And again GOD says,
I will mock when your fear comes!"
(Proverbs 1:26),
which is the laughter of divine
retribution. HE has "called"--
by HIS Word, HIS providences, HIS
ministers, and their own consciences--
but they "refused" to heed HIM.
They were neither melted by
the abundance of HIS mercies--
nor awed by the dreadfulness
of HIS threats. They did not
respect His Law--
and had no heart for
HIS Gospel. But though
HE bears the vessels
of wrath fitted to destruction
with much long-suffering,
HE has appointed a day
when they shall be made
to reap as they have sown.
As they scorned HIS
messengers when they
warned of the wrath to come--
so shall HE turn a deaf ear
then to their cries for mercy,
and righteously laugh
at their calamity!
Oh, that none of our readers may
ever be the objects of this laugh!
"LORD, make me to know mine end,
and the measure of my days, what
it is: that I may know how frail I am."
(Psalm 39:4)
and the measure of my days, what
it is: that I may know how frail I am."
(Psalm 39:4)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
GraceGems has published Timothy Shay Arthur's insightful 4 page article on the sin of gossip!,
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