1l\.Jho Is the Wicked Man?

"
(Proverbs 6:12-15)

Introduction: Today. the standard of righteousness within the church is not

much different than that outside the church. So often VJe trade the pure
morality of the Bible for that of the world. So often we substitute an
ethic of our own for that holiness which the Lord calls us to. It seems to
be too easy for us to justify away the requirements of Scripture to meet our
own desires, our own agendas. We substJ.tute for the holy heart of Christian
obedience, a stony heart \<>i'hich does not uphold biblical righteousness. But
God, in His Word, will not a11m,. us to do this. The Bible ts not a blank
book \.vhich God gives lIS to \vxite into it our own commandments, our own
standards. It is already filled with His express requirements for every
child of God. In each passage of the Bible. He calls us to godliness. His
standard is far from that of the world's; it is far from our own personal
standard. His standard is nothing less than perfection, tQnd His means to
cause us to reach it~""'Ris Word and Spirit. He wants to" impress His truth
upon onr hearts and minds, unt:i1 they glO\¥ ,,,ith the same fire of holiness
which burns upon His altar in heaven. It has that power, if it is energized
by the Spirit of God. Jesus said, "YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE
WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU" (John 15:3). Christ came to sanctify His
church, to cleanse "HER BY THE WASHING OF WATER WITH THE WORD" (Eph. 5:26).
If you have believed on Christ, then you are already clean through His
imputed r:i~ghteousness. But since your practice does not match your perfect
standing before Christ, and since perfection is the standard to which He
calls you, you yet have need of the Word of God and His Spirit to wash you
from the filth of the world, until you come forth as gold.
Thi.s morning, Solomon to us a picture of a wicked rnan, a man who
is good for nothing, a man whoi"'characteristics we are to avoid. He is very
different from the sluggard whom he had described to us last time. The
sluggard :is one who loves his rest, who loves his sleep. He is the one \"ho
is headed s traiglrt for poverty and for destruction. But the wicked man,
unlike the sluggard, is relentless in his pursuiL,..•Jiiiiftrt of wickedness. He
is relentless because his heart is full of evil and malice. He delights in
bringing forth the fruits of unrighteousness. And Solomon tells t~ that he,
as well, is headed straight to his own destruction. This obviously
describes a man whose traits we should do all in our power to avoid. It is
the sinful corruption of man freely unleashed. Yet none of us here are
completely free from these characteristics, because we are not free from the
corruption of sin within us. And so th:is serves as a warning to us to put
to death that sin which remains in us, and to beware lest we should fail,
and that sin overcome us. For if we share in the characteristics of the
wicked man, we wi 11 also share :in his destruction. This morning I \¥ant you
to see that,

I[ you follow the f.ray of the wicked, you win one day be destroyed
in the Lord's judgment.

I, The FIrst a.nd Host Obviolls Thing Whic1:1 Solomon Gives Us Here Is a
Description of the Wicked Man (vv. 12-14),
A. Tlw Wicked Han Is tl1e One Who W,:dks f1~ith a False Mouth.
1. The language here Literally says, "A WICKED NAN IS ONE rv7fO flAl,KS
WITH CROOKEDNE.'SS OF MOUTH."
a, Walking has to do li>1_ith h-is daily practice.
(i) We sometimes say to each other, 'Wmv are you do~ing in
your walk with the Lord?" We mea.n by this, hm.;! :is your
relationship with the Lord going from day to day.
 2

(ii) It is used the same "'ay in the Scripture. Solomon

says, God "IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO WALK IN INl'EGRTTY"
n.
(2: A man (vho walks in integrity is one who Lives a
life at' complete uprightness and truth.
( i i i ) Again, we retid, "HE WHO WALKS BtAMELESSLY WILL BE
DELIVERED, BUT HE WHO IS CROOKED WILL F~LL ALL
AT ONCE" (PrOTrerlis 28: 18). Walking does not describe
how you move on your legs, but how you live from day to
day.

b, Crookedness of mouth has to do with not speaking st·raight.

(j) It has perhaps a litera.! reference to the distorted
lips of the one who speaks Lies.
(ji) But i t also refers to thelieB l:v.hich come from his
mouth.

2. One who walks w.ith a crooked mout.h, therefore, is a person who

practices deceitfulness as a pattern o.f li[e.
a. You have heard the expression, "Give i t to me s L"
b. A wicked man does not tell you how things really are, but
instead lw cJocl1(S the truth through his ,,/Oreis in order to
some kind of evil advantage. lIe speaks out of both
sides of his mouth at once. He speaks with a forked tongue<
c. James te11s I1S the same thing. "li1ere he says, "AND THE
TONGUE IS A FIRE, THE VERY l-lORLD OF INIQUITY; THE TONGUE IS
SET AMONG OUR MEMBERS AS THAT 1i7flICH DEFILES THE ENTIRE BODY,
AND SETS ON FIRE THE COURSE OF OUR LIFE, AND IS SET ON FIRE
BY HELL" (3:6).
d. It is a very handy tool used by the devil to dest.roy the
people of the Lord. Language is a very powerful weapon,
You have heard i t said, "Stick"; and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me. II But the Lord says to
you that evil words are very destructive and sinfuJ.

B. Secondly, the Wicked NaIl Is One "WHO WINKS WITH HIS EYES, ~!HO
SIGNALS WITH HIS FEET, AND WHO POINT'S WITH HIS FINGERS,"
1 , To wink wi th the eye _is to someone 3 signal.
a. It .is also an act of deception. It is to signa.l someone
e.lse for their help, or to keep them from stepping in and
nunnzg the.iT plan.
b, Solomon says, "HE WHO WINKS THE EYE CAlTSES TROUBLE" (10:10);
IIHE WHO WTNKS HIS EYES DOES SO TO DEVISE PERVERSE THINGS"
(16:30),
c. And so the Psalm.is t says, "DO NOT LET THOSE WHO ARE'
WRONGFULLY MY ENEMIES REJOICE' OVER ME; NEITHER LET THOSE WHO
HATE ME WITHOUT CAUSE WINK K1LICIOUSLY" (Ps, 35: 19) ,

2. TI1ey have other signals 8S well.

a. They draw their foot back and forth. They point \.7~ith the.ir
fingers to signal and to blame.
b. They literally do what the apostle Paul forb.ids us in Rorllans
6:.12-13, ,,,here he ,.rrites, "'I'HEREFORE DO NOT LET SIN REIGN IN
YOUR MORTAL BODY 1'H4T YOU SHOULD OBHY ITS LUSTS, AND DO NOT
GO ON PRESENTING THE MEMBERS OF YOUR BODY TO SIN AS
.INS TRUMENTS OF UNRJ GHTEOlJSNESS. "
c. Oar members, r1'h.ich are our mouths, our eyes, our .feet itnd
our hands a.nd f:ingers, are a1l to be sancti.fied. They CIre
to be presented to God "AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS r ,
(Rom> 6: 13 ) •
 3

d. But the w:icked 111a11, out of the w.ickedness of his heart,

bYings forth a treasure of {,licked actions and gestures to
br,ing evi.l 011 the righteous.

C. This Bdngs Us to the Third CharacierisUc: He Is One "WHO liTITH

PERVERSITY IN HIS HEART DEVISES EVIL CONTINUALLY."
1. His heart Js [illed [t7ith a ma.licirnls 1,\!jcJecdnf:!ss {,;Jithin,
a, JUs heart is Like the temple in Jerusalem at tile time of
EzekieJ> where h7hen he ente.redit, he [ound a.l1 kinds o[
idolatry and t·,ickedrwss.
b, His heart is fun o[ perversity, that evil which tw:ists tbe
right ways of the [.ord into the pati1s of sin.

2. And so he devises e1ril, and not good, continually.

3. The beayt :is the source of all of our act:ions. So.lomon
exhoyted his son, "WATCH OVER YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENeE,
FOR FROM IT FLOW THE SPRINGS OF LIFEH (Prov, 4:23).
b. When i t is full of evil, then i t bears ev.i1 fruit. Jesus
sa:id, "FOR OUT OF THE HE-ART COME EVTL THOUGHTS, MURDERS.
ADULTERIES. FORNICATIONS. THEFTS, FALSE WITNESS, SLANDERS"
(Ma t t. 15: 19).
c. He might be rlescribed as those who lived at the time of
Noah, "EVARY INTENT OF TilE THOUGH1~) OF /lIS HEART WAS ONLY
EVIL CONTINUALLY" (Gen. 6:5).

D. And Lastly, He Is One "WHO SPREADS ,s'TRIPE."

L One of the dearl.liest evils tvhich p1 agues tlle church .is disuni
and this is exact1y what the evi.l man does,
a. The HebreTi/ is ins truc tive here where it says "HE SHOOTS
FORTH VARIOUS STRIPES AT ALL TIMES."
b. w'hLle the godly man rejoices in the unity of the brethren
around the Word of God and His truth the wicked man
contirmally seej,s to unde.rm.ine theLr peace and purity by his
.lies.
c. For one reason or another he likes turmo.U. Perhaps things
ayen't going the way he wou.lcl l.ike, so he cretltes a smoke
screen to try and overturn the way things are.

2. Thisi8 one of those sins which is particulaYiy hateful to God.

a. It is listed as one of the seven things which He hates.
b. Solomon writes, "THERE ARE SIX THINGS WHICH THE LOR]} HATES,
YES, SEVEN WHICH ARE AN ABOMINATION TO HIN: HAUGHTY EYES, A
LYING TONGUE, AND HANDS THAT SHl!,'J) INNOCENT BLOOD, A HEART
THAT DEVISES WICKED PLANS, FEET THAT RUN RAPIDLY TO EVIL, A
FALSE WITNESS WHO UTTERS LIES, AND ONE WHO SPREADS STRIFE
AMONG BROTHERS" (Prov. 6: 16-19).
c. And so we see the wicked man speaks Lies, signa1s others with
his eyes, hands and feet, continually devises evil p.lans in
his heart, and spreads disuni ty among the brethren.

II. Secondly, To Serve as a Warn.ing to Us, Lest We Should Follow in His

Footsteps, Solomon Also Declares God's Puypose to Utterly Destroy All
Who Will Live in This Way. "THEREFORE HT,'-; CALAMITY WILL. CONE SUDDRNLY;
INSTANTLY HE f,olILL. BE BROKEN, AND THERE WILL BE NO HEALING" (IT. 15).
A. His Destruction Will Be Quick and Comp.lete •
.I. fiflJen once the day of God's forbearance .-is over, He wi1.1 bring
r.
His punishment upon them fully, and sw.i.ft ly. "Jk v.d.t .... 01.1&..<.,"'1" ,,~~
2~ He stal1ds and lIe ca"lls out to t.hexn, "TllRiV TO M~Y REP.ROOF~ BEHOL..D,
I WILL POUR OUT NY SPIRD' ON YOU; I WILL HAKE MY WORDS KNOfifN TO
 4

YOU" (l'rml. 1: 23) •

3. But when they do not respond, and God's patience is a.t an end,
He says, "BFCAllSE I CALLED, AND YOU REFUSED; I STRETCHED OUT MY
HMW, AND NO ONE PAID ATTENTION; AND YOU NEGLECTED ALL NY
COUNSEL, AND mil NOT WANT MY REPROOF; I WILL EVEN LAUGH AT YOUR
CALAMITY; I r..rILL MOCK WHEN YOUR DREAD Co,r,.fES, WHEN YOUR DREAD
COMES LIKE A STORllf, AND YOUR CALA/\,fITY COMES ON LIKE A WHIRU,fIND,
'ftIHEN DISTRESS AND ANGUISH COME ON YOU. THEN THEY WILL Ci!LL ON
ME, BUT I flTTLL NOT ANSWER; THEY WILL SEEK HE DILIGENTLY, BUT
THEY SHALL NOT FIND ME, BECAllSE THEY HATED KNOWLEDGE, AND DID
NOT CHOOSE THE FEAR OF THE LORD. THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY
COUNSEL, THEY SPURNED ALL NT REPROOF. SO THEY SHALl, EAT OF THE
FRUIT OF THEIR OWN WAY, AND BE SATIATED WITH THEIR OWN DEVICES"
(1 : 24-31).

B. When Once the Lord l:Us Judgment} There I-li11 Be No Means of

Recovery.
1. 5'01omol1 says, "INSTANTLY HE WILL BE BROKEN, AND THERE WILL BE NO
HEALING, If
2. When once the door of His mercy is closed, then those s tand.ing
outside will come and knock on the door, saying, "Loyd, Lord,
open to us. n But He will say, "TRULY I SAY TO YOU, I DO NOT
KNO~1 YOU" (l1att. 25: 11-1

III. Lastly, Lest This Should Fan Upon Any~~ Are Here This Morning, I
Wou.ld Point You to the Only Remedy tOY This Wickedness, the Only Way
to l!void Its Punishment.
A. I t Any Evil that Is ~lithin You Is Not Dealt T-litl1 in This L.ife, then
You Win Be Destroyed Eternally.
1. J mentioned at the beginning that the corrupting _influences of
sin are in each one of you.
a. I f you are a Christian here this [l1orning, this in[luence :is
in you, but i t is mort_ified in Christ, that is, i t .is put to
death.
) And this means all of it, The par-ley of 8.1n 11.0 longer
reigns in your heart in any area, Tl1is does not mean
that you no longer struggle w.ith S_111 , but i t does mean
that you are no longer enslaved to any sin.
(ii) It aLso means that you are put on obedience to an
of God IS commandments. Your behavior is becoming
increasingly godly and righteous. You are becoming
more like Chris t.

b. But i f you are 110t a Chr.isUan lleJ-e this morning, then sin
re igns in your heart, and no t Chris t •
(1) This reveals itself through a pattern of contirnling
sin.
u.n You may be able to restrain .it temporarily, or to
channeJ _it ill different directions, but you cannot put
i t to death. You are its slave.

2. The Lord warns YOl! this morning that iF there ] 8 any s:in .in you
whicl1 .is not mort.ified, then you win be Sfvept away in His
judgment.
a. I f any of these Si11S wlrich Solomon Lists, or any other sin,
even .Lfit is just aIle, has dominion over you, you will be
lo,st.
b. Your obedience to Christ must be universal, and your turn.ing
from all sin must also be unive.rsal,
 '}

c. And so let the Word of God search your heart to see i f there
is any w.icked way in you <
(j) Are you, .like the w.i.cked man, a person tv!lO speaks out
of both sides of your mouth? Do you say one thing to
one person and 8.11other thing to someone else for the
sake of an advantage? Do you use your words to
tear down others, .instead of build:ing them up?
A.re you a person who "lith your eyes, or feet.
or who pO.illtS the finger at someone else? Do you use
the members of' your body to perpetrate l.mrigl1teonsness?
(ii.i) Is your heart fiJled f;,7i tl1 the ty of evil, so
that you find yourself scheming wHhin to devise
rel,renge on those~4ho bave offended you in some way?
(iv) "4re you a person who likes to create a pi3rty spirit
among brethren? You like to a:ir your opinions so that
others 14.il.l ral.ly around yon and confirm that you are
right while others are w'rong? Do you divide the
brethren and turn them agacinst one another?
(v) I f any of these sins in any degree, or any oiher sin,
reigns over you and is not broken, tl1en you will be
broken by the Lord in His judgment, and that without
remedy.
(vi) You cannot continually kick against His lafifs and rebel
t His authority without the speedy hammer of H_is
justice conring down on your head.
(vLi) Your sin must be remedied; its power must be broken, 01'
you will suffer His Fengeance throughout all eternity,

B. But, The Good News Is and Cont.Inues to Be, As long as God's Day of
Mercy Continues, that I f You Turn to Christ to Be Cleansed from
These Evil Things, You Will Be Saved and Live Forever.
1. You mllst first of an realize that only the Lord can break the
pmver of ind('lelling sin.
a. Paul writes, "FOR THE MIND SET ON THE FLESH IS DEATH.
BECAUSE THE MIND SET ON THE FLESH IS HOSTILE TOWARD GOD; FOR
IT DOES NOT SUBJECT ITSELF TO THE LAW OF GOD, FOR IT IS NOT
EVEN ABLE TO DO SO; _4ND THOSE WHO ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT
PLEASE GOD" (Rom. 8: 6-8) •
b. If YOI1 are i11 the flesh, i f you are outside of Chdst, all
you are ABLE TO DO cis 5_il1. You a:re unable to subject
yourself to His laws. You cannot please Him.
c, "BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU ~4RE PUTTING TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF
THE BODY YOU WILL LIVE" (8:13). I f the Spirit of God dwells
in you, HeLl bring the power to turn YOll from those sins.
d. Do you want to live? Do you want to be free [rom the love
of sin? Then you need the Spir:it of God. And only the Lord
can ve Him to you.

2. T11e Lord says, "YOU f.fUST BE BORN Al-;AIN" (John 3: 7).

a. You stand in need of the new birth fvhich comes 0111y fr01l1
above. Jesus said to Nicodemas, "TRULY, TRULY I ,,11Y TO YOU.
UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF CrOD"
(John 3:3).
b. The net" b_irtll Ls not something !;vhich you can give yourself;
i t Ls not somethillg that you do; it must come from abO\.Te.
You did not cause yourself to bf:! born the first time, and
you cannot cause yourself to be born the second time. It
comes sovereign.ly [rom God. It ~is bestowed sovere_ig11.1y by
His mercy.
 6

c. Pall] writes to Titlls, "FOR WE ONCE ALSO WERE FOOLISH

OURSELVES, DISOBEDIENT, DECEIVED, ENSLAVED TO VARIOUS LUSTS
AND PLK4SURES, SPENDllV{; OUR LIFE IN MALICE AND ENVY,
HATEFUL, HATING ONE ANOTHER. BUT WHEN THE KINDNESS OF GOD
OUR S,4VIOR AND HIS LOVE FOR NANKIND APPEARED, HE SIWED US,
NOT ON THE BASIS OF'DEEDS WHICH WE HAVE DONE IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS [>fEBCY, BY THE WASHING OF'
REGENERATJON AND RENEWING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, ftfHOI1 HE
POURlW OUT UPON US RICHLY THROUGH JESlTS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR,
THAT BEING JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE WE NIGHT BE MADE HEIRS
ACCORDING TO THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE" tus 3:3-7) >
d. If you have not enced this new b.irtl1, i f you .have
not been .freed .from your slav~ery to sin, however s1'aa11 your
sin may appear to you, then you must be born
e. Have you received the nevI bir'th? Are you a new creature .-£n
Christ? Does your 1.ife demonstrate that you are through
your universa.! obed,ience to all of God IS commandments and
the away fyom all your sin?
f. If not, then come to the Sav,ior 110117 and plead for His mercy.
Ask Him to change your heart. Ask Him to take away the evi.!
of your heart. Ask Him to give you a love fo.r H,im, and for
all men. Ask Him to ve you a love even foy your enemies
that you might be called His child.
g. If the love of God is not wi thin your heart, then corne to
Christ now. He _is the only One who cal1 it. Don't
play games w,itl1 God. One day your door of opportuni ty will
be fureyrey c.losed, and then His fvrath wi.ll come and you fviLl
be destroyed fuyever. Come to the SaFior a.nd .live. MflY God
grant that you m:ight see, and tUYll to Him. Amen.