Sin. I’ve done it and shamefully continue to do so in one form or another. Sometimes it’s my actions but more so it’s my thoughts. Regardless, it’s wrong in the eyes of God and I’ve experienced a variety of consequences and embarrassment. Can you relate with remorse, guilt, and shame? Can you relate to the consequences; personal, familial, societal, and spiritual separation from God? And let’s not forget about the unseen consequences that are still rippling through and causing calamity and perhaps even physical death.
In 2 Samuel we read about David. His serious moral failing, his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba. The cover up of his sin then leads to murdering Uriah which also callously leads to the death of other soldiers under his command as well. As a result of David's sin, he would now reap many great pains, many of which had far reaching consequences.
Then, in the same book, chapter twelve, God sends Nathan the prophet to David. Nathan tells a story as a way to confront King David about his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. In this emotional story there was a rich man who owned many sheep and cattle and there was a poor man who owned little pet lamb. The poor man only has one lamb, just one lamb which he dearly loved and treated like a family member. The rich man, driven by greed, takes the poor man's lamb to feed a guest, rather than using one of his own abundant livestock. After hearing the story, David initially was angered and judged the rich man harshly, but then Nathan tells David, “You are THAT man”. Nathan goes on to deliver the word of God that David will suffer consequences for his actions, including the death of their child. David responds with repentance, fasting, and grief over the child's illness, even refusing food and comfort. Despite his repentance, the child dies.
From David's example, we can learn how to respond to sin, to those areas in our lives that are not pleasing to God. We need to take responsibility for our actions, seek forgiveness from God and anyone that we have wronged, turn from sin and accept the correction and chastening of God.
We never sin in a vacuum. We hurt ourselves; we hurt those we love, we hurt the Gospel, and we hurt the reputation of Christ. Sin has consequences that can follow you and impact the lives of those around you. The good news is God offers forgiveness.
In 2 Samuel we read about David. His serious moral failing, his sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba. The cover up of his sin then leads to murdering Uriah which also callously leads to the death of other soldiers under his command as well. As a result of David's sin, he would now reap many great pains, many of which had far reaching consequences.
Then, in the same book, chapter twelve, God sends Nathan the prophet to David. Nathan tells a story as a way to confront King David about his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. In this emotional story there was a rich man who owned many sheep and cattle and there was a poor man who owned little pet lamb. The poor man only has one lamb, just one lamb which he dearly loved and treated like a family member. The rich man, driven by greed, takes the poor man's lamb to feed a guest, rather than using one of his own abundant livestock. After hearing the story, David initially was angered and judged the rich man harshly, but then Nathan tells David, “You are THAT man”. Nathan goes on to deliver the word of God that David will suffer consequences for his actions, including the death of their child. David responds with repentance, fasting, and grief over the child's illness, even refusing food and comfort. Despite his repentance, the child dies.
From David's example, we can learn how to respond to sin, to those areas in our lives that are not pleasing to God. We need to take responsibility for our actions, seek forgiveness from God and anyone that we have wronged, turn from sin and accept the correction and chastening of God.
We never sin in a vacuum. We hurt ourselves; we hurt those we love, we hurt the Gospel, and we hurt the reputation of Christ. Sin has consequences that can follow you and impact the lives of those around you. The good news is God offers forgiveness.