What Does Jeremiah Mean by "Thine Own Wickedness Shall Correct Thee"?

In Jeremiah 2:19, the prophet delivers a powerful message about sin and its consequences. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains this verse's profound meaning and relevance for modern listeners in his sermon.

What is the essence of sin according to Jeremiah 2:19?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' analysis of Jeremiah 2:19, the essence of sin is not primarily about specific actions or behaviors, but rather about attitude toward God. The text says, "that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts." Lloyd-Jones explains: "The real thing that makes sin sin is that men has not got the fear of God in him... The thing that makes a man a sinner is not, I say again, that he's guilty of particular actions. He may be guilty of none of them and yet be a foul and a terrible sinner. Why? Well, because the fear of the Lord is not in him."

How does Lloyd-Jones describe the "fear of the Lord"?

Lloyd-Jones clarifies that the "fear of the Lord" mentioned in the text is not about craven trembling, but rather:

"It means that men starts by saying, 'Now then the basic proposition is that unless I'm rightly related to God, nothing can be right.' So he comes back to the center and he starts again with God. He realizes that he's in God's hands... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

What does it mean that "thine own wickedness shall correct thee"?

This key phrase from Jeremiah 2:19 means that sin naturally carries its own punishment within itself. Lloyd-Jones explains:

"Sin always carries its own punishment with it. Sin always has a sting in its tail, not in its head... Sin is always attractive. Yes, but it's always got a sting in the tail, invariably... The wages of sin is death. The wages. Sin always pays its wages. You can't sin without getting the wages."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the nature of sin?

Lloyd-Jones identifies four key descriptors of sin from the text:

1. Evil - "Evil is the opposite of good. Evil is the opposite of right... It's wrong. It's corrupt. It's unwholesome. It's depraved."

2. Wickedness - "Wickedness is to delight in that sort of thing and to enjoy it. It is to love it."

3. Bitter - "Not only is it a bitterness towards God, it's a bitter thing in and of itself... You think it's going to be better, but it never is."

4. Backsliding - "The man who's sinning is always a man who's sliding. He doesn't stand upright, he doesn't walk... He's sliding, sliding down the Broadway to sin unto destruction."

What are the consequences of sin according to the sermon?

Lloyd-Jones outlines several consequences that naturally flow from sin:

1. Physical suffering - "Look at that poor fellow who drank too much last night. How ill he felt this morning with his poor head and his soured stomach."

2. Spiritual suffering - "Shame. A sense of shame. Remorse. Kicking yourself. Bitter regret. Feeling you were a fool."

3. Loss - "Loss of character. Loss of purity. Loss of chastity. Loss of honesty."

4. Slavery to sin - "You play with sin, you'll soon begin to know the punishment. You won't be able to stop. It'll have you in your grip."

What is the solution to this problem of sin?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with the solution: repentance and turning to God:

"You will find that God will look upon you and smile upon you. Indeed, his own son, our blessed Lord and savior Jesus Christ, pictured him in the parable of the prodigal son as one who's waiting for you... He'll smile upon you and he'll say to you, 'My dear child, I've been watching you... I take you back. I so loved you that I sent mine only son, my only begotten son, into the world to bear your sins and to die your death.'"