Isaiah 55:7-9 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him… These evil thoughts which are to be forsaken may be ranked into three sorts. 1. As to matter of opinion. Take a man in his natural condition, and he has many strange conceits in his head, whilst he so remains (Romans 1:21). (1) The thoughts of sin — when a man is converted he forsakes these. In his natural condition, he many times makes nothing of sin. "Fools make a mock of sin."(2) So, also, his thoughts of grace, and godliness and godly men. (3) So again, for his thoughts of God Himself, he must forsake these and think otherwise of Him. 2. As to matter of contemplation, he must forsake his thoughts here also. Take a carnal man, and where are all his thoughts? What is that which his mind does most run on? Why, upon the world, and the things of the world. 3. As to matter of contrivance and design. Wicked men, as they are full of vain meditations, so they are commonly full of sinful devices. And they are still laying a train for future wickedness in themselves — "making provisions for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof." (T. Horton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. |
    |