We as Christians, tend to underrate sin. We give sin lip service and we talk about forgiveness like it is automatic and that forgiveness is owed to us. We tend to ignore the consequences of sin by saying we have been forgiven and it is all forgotten.
But, there is so much more. Listen, as we look at a Psalm of David. A psalm of confession, remorse, repentance and a plea for forgiveness.
Psalm 51
When I was asking for a sermon topic, several people suggested I preach on sin. Well, I’m not preaching for sin, but I will preach against sin.
Sin is not a word we should use lightly. It today’s world, the word “sin” is not a politically correct word. It offends people, including Christians. It's been described as an an antiquated word.
However, the word “sin” needs to offend people. I could use nicer words like “not meeting my spiritual potential,” or “being off target,” or “I simply made a mistake.” But I will use the word “sin” for three reasons.
First, it the word the Bible uses in its various forms, sin, sinning, sinful, and sinner. In the NKJV, the word sin alone is used 326 times in the OT and 120 times in the NT. There are similar results in the mainline translations. The very notion of sin appears to have some importance in scripture.
Second, the word sin carries a concept of more than just doing wrong. We find in scripture these various meanings associating with sin:
Rebellion & Lawlessness;
Perversion & immorality;
Evil
Breaking God’s laws;
Falling short in our very character;
Being unfair;
Being unkind;
Being selfish;
Living in ways contrary to the will & nature of God;
Not worshipping God as we should;
Not loving our Lord with all our heart, mind, soul & strength;
Not loving our neighbor as ourselves;
Missing the mark – at times not even understanding what God wants;
Doing the things we shouldn’t and not doing the things we should
Let us not forget the very notion of sin is an offense before a high and most holy God.
And third and last, the word “sin” is personal. It is something we have done and there is no shifting the blame. We cannot blame sine on our environment, on our upbringing, on our circumstances, on our weaknesses, or on what we are predisposed to do. [1]
Romans 3:23 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
This morning I want to concentrate on the Biblical title to this psalm of confession, repentance and plea for pardon.
Psalm 51 (NKJV) To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David When Nathan the Prophet Went to Him, After He Had Gone in to Bathsheba.
King David wrote this psalm when Nathan the prophet confronted him with his sin. To David’s credit, he did not make excuses or shoot the messenger. David owned up to his transgression and confessed all.
2 Samuel 12:13 (NKJV) So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
David said I’m sorry, I confess. But that is not the end of the story. Let me review the story briefly for you, found in 2 Samuel 11-12.
With the nation at war and troops gone, as David stayed and did not accompanied the troop, while he was on his roof of his palace, he spied the lady next door, Bathsheba, and lusted after her, even though she was the wife of Uriah, one of David’s mighty men, who off fighting the war with the rest of the army. Already David had sinned. Jesus said:
Matthew 5:27–28 (NKJV) “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
But David summoned Bathsheba up to his place and the next thing you know, she is pregnant.
James 1:15 (NKJV) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
So David went for the cover up. He ordered Uriah home for some consultation, and thought that while Uriah was home he would go and see his wife. They didn’t have DNA testing in those days so who would be the wiser 8-9 months later?
But Uriah did not go home. He was an honorable man and if his troops in the field could not go home, neither would he. David got Uriah drunk and still Uriah did not go see his wife.
So David sent Uriah back to the front with sealed orders for the commander to put Uriah up front in the heaviest fighting and withdraw from him. So they did and Uriah was struck dead by the enemy. So David takes Uriah’s widow and makes her his wife and all is right with the world? Right?
2 Samuel 11:27 (NKJV) And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
And that’s where Nathan the Prophet comes in and tells David, “You’re the man!” And that BTW, was not a positive statement (2 Samuel 12:7). From this story in 2 Samuel and David’s Psalm of confession, repentance and plea for a pardon (Psalm 51), I want us to consider the various dimensions of sin. [2]
1. Sin can never be HIDDEN
David tried to cover up his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, but all it did was lead to more sin, more deceit and murder. We think no one will ever know, but God sees all.
Numbers 32:23b (NKJV) you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
There will always be at least two who knows about any sin you or I ever commit, you or I and the Lord.
Psalm 51:3 (NKJV) For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
We may justify our sin in our own mind, but the sin will always find you when you least expect it. David thought it was all behind him and forgotten, but his sin found him out.
2. Sin is never VICTIMLESS
In David’s sin, so many people were affected. Bathsheba may have not been entirely innocent, but it would have never happened if David let her be and ignored the temptation. And what about Uriah, he did not fare well at all. And the commanders of the army, they were drawn into this unholy scheme of David, even though they were only following orders. And the baby, he died, and the list goes on. But ultimately, all sin is against God.
Psalm 51:4 (NKJV) Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
Any judgement God would have handed down would be right and just. Because we live in a fallen world where sin seems to be the rule rather than the exception, innocent people suffer. It all began back in Genesis:
Genesis 4:6–7 (NKJV) So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
You know the story, Cain allowed sin to rule over him rather than him ruling over sin and he killed Able, his innocent brother, who had done nothing wrong.
Every sin has a victim, even it is just you or just me, because sin separates us from God. David pleaded for forgiveness because he could not worship with his sin before him.
Psalm 51:14 (NKJV) Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
3. Sin is never INSIGNIFICANT
Here is a fact, God hates sin. Big sin and little sin is only in our estimation. All Sin is an offense to God.
James 2:10 (NKJV) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
God and holy and God is totally pure. Any sin is an offence to God. If God tolerated even a speck of sin, He would not be completely and totally holy and pure. We think a little lust, a little white lie, a little arrogance and a little pride is okay, but it is still an offense to God.
I have my bottled water here. If it was only a little contaminated, would you drink it?
Psalm 51:5–6 (NKJV) 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
We were born with a sin nature. Please understand this:We are not sinners because we sin, We sin because we are sinners. It’s in our DNA. All sin is an offense to God. But God desires for His truth and righteousness be in us, not the sin.
4. Sin is never FORGOTTEN
Do not misunderstand me nor the scriptures. When we experience God’s forgiveness, our sin is wiped from our record.
Psalm 103:12 (NKJV) As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
But we still suffer from the consequences of our sins. Look at David, his kingdom was never the same.
2 Samuel 12:10 and 14 (NKJV) 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”
We suffer because of our sins. Yes they are forgiven when we confess and repent, but God will not necessarily undo the damage. It is like the story of the prodigal son. All is forgiven but the smell of the pig pen is still there and the fortunes were still squandered, but the prodigal is accepted as if the smell wasn’t there and a dime was not miss spent.
David’s kingdom was never the same. Read the rest of 2 Samuel. The was great unrest and at one point almost lost the kingdom. David never again commanded the unfailing loyalty from his mighty men. They must have known what all had happened. The Scriptures does not expound on that, but these men who been through thick and thin with David, are not deaf and blind. They had to have figured out that David betrayed one of his own. Word like what happen to Uriah always gets out. that leads us to point number 5.
5. Sin is never beyond God’s FORGIVENESS
Lust-Adultery-lies-murder, as such was David's, a man after God’s own heart, yet God forgave him. God didn’t sweep his sin under the rug, God dealt with it directly.
Psalm 51:7–9 (NKJV) 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
Hyssop branch sprinkled blood from the sacrifice over running water was how a leper was cleansed (Leviticus 14). David was a leper morally, and He asked God to clean him. Broken bones in the OT denote deep pain. God cleans and God relieves the pain. What does God require for us as sinners? We may have not been like David and committed adultery and murder, but we all sin just the same and offended a most holy God. What is required?
Talking to Christians who have sinned, John tell us:
1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To the sinner who does not know God, how do we approach Him?
Psalm 51:16–17 (NKJV) 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
It is coming to Almighty God, humbled before Him, knowing that we cannot claen ourselves, but claiming the blood of Jesus to cover our sin.
Take note with this psalm of David. David never said to God, let me clean myself up, rather he pleaded with God to do the cleaning. There is nothing we can do to make ourselves presentable before God. That is the work of God. And only the blood of Jesus can make us clean before Him. Our prayer today is:
Psalm 51:7b (NKJV) Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
[1] Borrowed heavily from "What Happens When A Christian Sins?" By David Lansdown, www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-happens-when-a-christian-sins-david-lansdown-sermon-on-sin-general-57277?ref=SermonSerps
[2] The following was borrowed heavily from “Five Facts About Sin” by Tom Shepard at www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/five-facts-about-sin-tom-shepard-sermon-on-sin-general-144650?ref=SermonSerps
