Response To Sin!

Sin, if responded to correctly, can be dealt with in a way which lessens its destructiveness.

This is not to say that its consequences will be easier, or that it will be easier to forget, but that we can soften the blow, particularly the eternal blow. We need to return to the Old Testament for this study, for if Saul can be considered the case study for poor reaction to sin, King David is the opposite.

First, it should be pointed out that David was not a lesser sinner than was Saul. Consider what David had done: He committed adultery with a woman whose husband was fighting for David. He had tried to cover up the adultery. He had contracted the murder of the woman's husband. These are no small things, even in the eyes of a worldly generation. Certainly, Saul's sin seems so much less than David's, but David eventually gained favor with God, while Saul was lost. What was the difference? What was there in David's response which was ultimately pleasing to God?

Acceptance. When Nathan the prophet comes to David in 2 Samuel 12, it appeared, even to David, as if the king had "gotten away" with his sin. But as Nathan tells his parable of a man whose one ewe lamb was taken by the rich man, David's sense of justice gives him away (vv. 1-6). Having proclaimed that the man should die, and restitution be made, Nathan turns the tables on him by announcing, "You are the man!" (v. 7). As Nathan details the consequences of David's sin, the king's heart is touched, and in abject sorrow he admits, "I have sinned against the Lord" (v. 13).

You will note there is no attempt to deny his sin nor to blame others. David does not attempt to justify his sin with comments like, "What was she doing bathing where I could see her anyway?" Instead, we find a man willing to stand up and accept his wrongdoing. Recognition of Debt. Perhaps nowhere else is there a bigger difference in the response of David as compared to Saul. The 51st Psalm, which David wrote about this incident, shows a man broken by his knowledge of sin, but even more than that, David recognizes his debt to God.

"Against Thee, Thee only I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight, so that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, and blameless when Thou dost judge" (v. 4). His ability to realize, despite having sinned against Bathsheba, despite having sinned against Uriah, despite having sinned against the nation of Israel, that his sin was first and foremost, an affront to God, sets David apart from so many who think mere apology is all that is required of a sinner.

Repentance. David, as he wrestles with what he has done, begs for mercy from God. "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (v. 2). He knows that he needs the forgiveness which only God can give, and he understands that true repentance is more than just saying, "I'm sorry." He sees his need for change. Change is the difficult part of repentance, for it is the part where we learn our lesson. David asks for God's help in changing: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me . . . Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit" (vv. 10, 12). It is not enough to merely "come forward." We must see our sin, understand how badly it hurts our God, and vow, with meaning and with all our strength, never to do this again.

Acceptance of Consequences. The consequences which Nathan foretold were hard and bitter. The child of the adulterous relationship would die. David's house would be wracked by the sword, and David would suffer humiliation (2 Sam. 12:9-14). Rather than rage against God for this, David accepted it. Certainly, when the child was struck with illness, David prayed that the judgment of God might be lifted, but he did not lash out in anger. When his house faced rebellion from within, David rallied his army to deal with Absalom (2 Sam. 15-18), even though he was deeply grieved by it.

The point is, David suffered almost as much as Saul, but he kept his faith, and for years after his death, God spared the children of Judah, despite their evil kings, because of David. Sin is a deadly, destructive force, but it need not be all-consuming. By responding properly when faced with our sins, we can guard against its eternal consequences.