"What makes presumptuous sin so deceptive is not the absence of faith, but the misuse of it. It's the believe that a faith built on grace is enough to do what we want, when we want, where we want and how we want without ever taking into consideration what God said" —Sherica Heath, Ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20)
Presumptuous sin is not accidental. It is willful disobedience carried out with confidence, rather than fear. It is the decision to sin, while already knowing where God stands. It is hyper-focus on grace, personal comfort and selfish desires. It is selective obedience. It is us testing God. Presumption replaces reverence or fear of God with entitlement and pride. It mistakes patience for permission and grace for agreement. What makes presumptuous sin especially dangerous is not just the act itself, but the theology we build to defend it. For example, the theology of Pragmatism. Instead of asking what God has commanded, we do what we can justify.
Scripture warns about this posture directly. In Numbers 15, presumptuous sin is described as acting “with a high hand.”
"30 But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.” —Numbers 15:30,31
Presumptuous sin is willful disobedience carried out under the assumption that God will adjust Himself around our choices or he will always give grace/show favor even in our rebellion. It is defiance, yet we often soften it with pragmatic theology that says the "end justifies the means" or "if it works then it must be right". We reason that God understands. We reason that it works, so God must be pleased. We remind ourselves that grace is abundant and His mercies are new every morning. We assume mercy will arrive on schedule, so we delay repentance.
This mindset shows up early in Scripture. Adam and Eve did not stumble blindly. They knew God’s command (Genesis 2), but justified disobedience through the promise of wisdom or self-gain(Genesis 3). Saul spared what God told him to "utterly destroy", then reframed his rebellion as worship and sacrifice (1 Samuel 15). David remained silent in sin until confronted, trusting that time will forget his sins, silence will override or forgive his trespasses and his position would protect him (2 Samuel 11,12). Samson treated his calling as expendable, assuming God’s strength would always be available on demand (Judges 13-16). Samson assumed his calling was permanent, even while his obedience was conditional. In each case, they were deliberate in their choice, arrogant in their thinking while having full knowledge of God's Word. In each case, repentance felt unnecessary, because God had not yet withdrawn His presence. They were over confident that God would overlook their disobedience.
Do not mistake God's silence as approval , his delay as dismissal or His patience as permissive. Presumptuous sin thrives in the gap between what God said and consequence and where the heart confuses restraint for consent. What makes this sin especially dangerous is that it removes the spiritual urgency to turn or repent. It quiets conviction and amplify pride. It makes repentance feel unnecessary, because consequences are assumed to be negotiable. For example, Saul thought he could offer a sacrifice to appease God or maybe even manipulate God. Samuel had to remind him that God delights more in our obedience to Him, not our sacrifice AND that He views presumptuous sin as iniquity and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:21,22).
Presumptuous sin deceive us into viewing God’s mercy solely as a safety net, instead of a call to repentance and consecration. God’s mercy was never meant to excuse sin. It was meant to lead us back. If we choose not to repent, our conviction dulls overtime and rebellion becomes routine. The call of Scripture is not simply to avoid sin, but to refuse the arrogance that assumes we can sin deliberately and remain unchanged. True repentance begins where presumption ends, when confidence in self gives way to reverent submission before a holy God. One of the saddest place to be as a believer is the place where we are comfortable living contrary to God, while believing that we are in right standing with God.
Turn today! Repent Today!
"Choose ye this day who you'll serve" Joshua 24:15
